Assistant Product Manager

Assistant Product Manager – Bloomsbury Digital Resources

The opportunity 

Purpose: Bloomsbury Digital Resources is looking for a meticulous Assistant Product Manager to join the growing Product Management team. Reporting to the Associate Head of Product Management (Metadata and Discovery), you will work across all of our academic databases (including Drama Online, Bloomsbury Fashion Central and Bloomsbury Collections), helping a global user base of academic researchers and students to find and use our content.

The role supports the Associate Head in two key areas: supplying customers and library services with metadata and product information for all our digital products, and managing our prestigious eBook platform, Bloomsbury Collections. Responsibilities for Bloomsbury Collections include selecting content, delivering timely content updates and working with developers on functional enhancements. The role will be based in Bloomsbury’s central London office, and is an opportunity to work in a crucial strategic aspect of digital publishing within a rapidly growing division. Responsibilities will include:

The role

Metadata & Discovery

• Assist with the supply of product title lists and other metadata to library customers and third parties, ensuring a consistent approach across all products
• Support the provision of metadata feeds to discovery service suppliers and CrossRef, working closely with the Content Architecture team
• Assist in coordinating the creation of MARC records and KBART files for all products and their distribution to customers and library intermediaries
• Support delivery of usage statistics to library customers (using the COUNTER standard)
• Liaise with sales, marketing and customer services in communicating metadata updates across all products, and investigating and resolving customer queries
• Support the implementation of the discovery strategy including investigating and implementing new discovery partnerships
• Work with Editorial leads to ensure products are set up correctly on our internal bibliographic system, Biblio
• Carry out research with end users and library customers to ensure we understand our users’ discovery journeys

Product Management: Bloomsbury Collections

• Ensure monthly content updates and regular platform enhancements are delivered to the agreed schedule and budget
• Liaise with Editorial counterparts to define the content of new collections
• Project management of adding new content sets to the platform, overseeing content conversion and delivery of files where necessary, and ensuring bibliographic information and metadata is correct and up-to-date
• Liaise with external software developers on day-to-day site management, bug-fixing and User Acceptance Testing of new development work
• Act as ‘product champion’, using product expertise to respond to queries from sales, customer/technical support and customers, troubleshooting and escalating issues as required, and contributing to strategic development of the platform
• Provide regular website usage analytics reports and advise on opportunities for improving content & features based on analytics
• Carry out market research with librarians (including Win-Loss Analyses), end-user interviews and User Experience research to ensure that the platform meets user needs

Staff Development

• Assist with recruitment and training of new team members as appropriate, with the potential for taking on line-management responsibility.

Representation

• Promote the Product Management team within the wider company and demonstrate an aptitude for more managerial tasks.
• Represent the company externally, e.g., at meetings with partners, conferences, and presentations to customers.
• Channel feedback from the market by meeting end-users through user testing sessions, focus groups, conferences or sales visits.

Key Skills and Experience

• 2 years’ experience of digital product development or publishing metadata
• Understanding of project management & development processes
• Experience of gathering & interpreting web usage analytics
• Experience working with large set of data
• Excellent implementation and time-management skills
• An excellent eye for detail and a logical, problem-solving approach
• Aptitude to learn and adapt to new workflows.
• Experience in working with MARC, data management, XML and/or with Content Management Systems an advantage
• A proactive, “can-do” attitude and willingness to learn
• Passion for, and interest in developing a career in, digital product management
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)

Additional information

This is a full-time, permanent position with a competitive salary per annum based at our offices in Bedford Square, London with flexibility to work 2 days at the office and 3 days at home. However, as all Bloomsbury employees are currently working from home, this role will also be based from home until our offices reopen.

As well as a fantastic opportunity to join a global award-winning organization, Bloomsbury offers competitive benefits, generous staff discounts and flexible working arrangements.

Please apply with a CV and covering letter addressed to Human Resources detailing how you meet the requirements outlined above for this role by 23rd May 2021.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

The Company

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Bloomsbury Publishing is a leading independent publishing house, established in 1986, with authors who have won the Nobel, Pulitzer and Booker Prizes, and is the originating publisher and custodian of the Harry Potter series. Bloomsbury has offices in London, New York, New Delhi, Oxford and Sydney. Within Bloomsbury’s Academic division, it publishes under Bloomsbury, as well as under a number of prestigious and historic imprint names. Read Our Story for how it all began. 

 Bloomsbury is committed to creating a working environment that stimulates creativity and collaboration, is respectful of difference, is inclusive and ethical in its practice, and promotes well-being. We are determined to nurture and develop our employees to reach their highest potential, and we know that our success is down to the passion, commitment and hard work of our talented people. We recognise the urgent need to attract and support applicants from all backgrounds and identities to become part of the global publishing industry, allowing diverse voices to reflect and shape our culture and society.

Please read more on our Missions and Values here.

Please read our environmental policy here.