Job Description

We are the world's largest university press. That means we serve the academic community as no other publisher can. We work in partnership with institutions and learned societies to bring a world of knowledge to the fingertips of students and researchers worldwide.
The goal is impact. Together with our academic communities, we curate and seamlessly connect together the ideas that push their fields forward, so they can learn from them, add to them, and continue a virtuous cycle of scholarship.
And because we are a part of the academic community and guided in everything we do by our mission, we re-invest in our people, our publishing, and the world-leading research institution of which we are part.
About the Role
As our Content Development Manager, you will manage the Content Development team, which forms part of the UK-based Higher Education group, to gather the market feedback that informs our commissioning activities, and to deliver our pipeline of upcoming projects. You will be responsible for the day-to-day management, professional development, and performance management of team members, and for allocating and prioritizing your team's resources to ensure we meet departmental goals.
You will support your team to create products that are distinctive, innovative, and compelling, and which drive digital penetration by being designed to have most impact when used digitally, while project managing strategically important projects, ensuring they maximise student outcomes.
You will ensure that budgets are met, and costs incurred are in line with the agreed P & L, as well as creating and sharing clear, compelling value propositions which speak to clearly-identified market needs.
Duties will include:

• Market & Customer Insight: Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the HE market, customer needs, and competitor products through direct engagement, surveys, and data analysis.
• Team Management: Line-manage editorial staff, oversee workloads, resolve issues, and support team development.
• Recruitment & Onboarding: Contribute to hiring, onboarding, mentoring, and fostering a culture of learning and growth.
• Content Development: Guide creation of high-quality, pedagogically sound content and assessments; manage content production to brief, budget, and schedule.
• Project Management: Oversee projects from development to launch, ensuring alignment with market needs and financial targets.
• Data & Systems: Keep project tracking systems and metadata accurate and up to date; monitor author progress and schedules.
• Market Validation: Use surveys and peer reviews to test content value; analyze feedback to refine products and support marketing.
• Content Positioning: Develop compelling value propositions, marketing copy, and visual direction for products.
• Brand Advocacy: Build relationships with faculty advocates to support product development and sales.

We operate a hybrid working policy that requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the Oxford office. This is a 6 month fixed term contract covering maternity leave, with the possibility of an extension.
About You

• In-depth knowledge of Higher Education publishing and the Higher Education ecosystem.
• Demonstrable understanding of learning design principles and how they apply to the shaping of educational content.
• Proven track record of editorial intervention to enhance the quality of content.
• Proven track record of strong project management, cost/budget management, successful innovation, and consistent delivery of goals.
• Highly literate and numerate.
• Strong organizational, time management, and prioritization skills.
• Able to demonstrate excellent attention to detail at all times.
• Excellent written communication as well as strong interpersonal and verbal skills.
• Experience leading individuals or small teams, including proven coaching and training abilities

Benefits
We care about work/life balance here at OUP. With this in mind we offer 25 days' holiday that rises with service, plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (3-days) and a 35-hour working week. We are open to discussing flexibility in respect to working patterns, dependent on role. We also have a great variety of active employee networks and societies.
We help make your money go further by contributing to your pension up to 12%, offering loans and savings schemes through our partnership with Salary Finance, in addition to travel to work schemes and access to a wide range of local discounts.
This role comes with the added benefit a discretionary annual payment.
Please see our Rewards and Recognition page for more information.
Queries
Please contact with any queries relating to this role.
We are committed to supporting diversity in our workforce, and ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek to employ a workforce representative of the markets that we serve and encourage applications from all.

Skills Required