Production and Design Manager

March 3, 2021

Overview: The League of American Orchestras (www.americanorchestras.org) seeks a creative and forward-looking Production and Design Manager who is capable of everything from designing a beautiful quarterly magazine (in print and online) to producing an engaging fundraising report in Adobe Spark to creating contemporary logotypes for League programs. We’re looking for a talented self-starter who is familiar with current trends, tools, and practices in design, and who thrives in a busy but friendly work environment.

The League encourages applications from people of all backgrounds, inclusive of gender identity, race, ethnicity, physical ability, socio-economic status, and age.

Compensation: $60,000 to $70,000 annually plus comprehensive benefits.

Location: Remote temporarily; New York City likely in the fall.

About Us: The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions America’s orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. Its diverse membership of more than 1,800 organizations and individuals across North America runs the gamut from world-renowned orchestras to community groups, from summer festivals to student and youth ensembles, from conservatories to libraries, from businesses serving orchestras to individuals who love symphonic music. A national organization dedicated solely to the orchestral experience, the League is a nexus of knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership advancement. Its conferences and events, award-winning Symphony magazine, website, and other publications inform people around the world about orchestral activity and developments. Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors, managers and administrators, board members, volunteers, and business partners.

Qualifications:

Professional experience in design and print production

• Ability to work collaboratively with editors and communications colleagues to “tell the story” of editorial content with compelling visuals.
• Knowledge of contemporary design and production trends, and proven proficiency with design software including Adobe Creative Cloud suite of applications (InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat DC, Illustrator). Ongoing education as software is updated.
• Should also be skilled in software such as Adobe Spark and PowerPoint and should be comfortable with designing graphics for social media.
• Ideally, should have experience in WordPress and basic website design.
• Proven proficiency in file preparation and transfer and other production technologies in order to communicate and work efficiently with print vendors.
• Continued awareness of emerging design and production technologies.

Responsibilities:

Symphony magazine – production functions

• Create and coordinate production schedules between editors, advertising director, and magazine printer, Sheridan/Dartmouth Printing.
• Troubleshoot and coordinate scheduling and mailing with printer’s technical and customer service representatives.
• Manage legal requirements of publishers with U.S.P.S; complete necessary forms and documentation.
• Research variable production costs with printer.
• Receive and review invoices from printer.
• Maintain records of Symphony production costs.
• Handle price quotes and production for reprints of Symphony articles.
• Maintain archive of article PDFs for each issue of Symphony.
• Create and maintain archive of PDFs of the tables of contents for each issue of Symphony and compile all table of contents text for each issue into a multiyear, searchable Word document.

Symphony magazine – design, page layout functions

• Utilize Adobe Creative Cloud suite of applications (InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat DC, Illustrator), maintain applications subscription accounts, and regularly install application upgrades.
• Lay out the entirety of Symphony magazine cover-to-cover, including departments, features, cover, and table of contents, working with editors to achieve final designs.
• Place all ads on pages throughout each issue; reconcile ad log, ads, and imposition for completeness and accuracy.
• Check ads from Symphony advertisers and troubleshoot when required.
• Design ads for Symphony advertisers upon request.
• Make copy edits and layout adjustments, fit copy to allotted pages.
• Basic proofreading skills to spot textual errors, inconsistencies.
• Color-correct all images using Photoshop; size, set resolution, color space, and file format for all images in the magazine.
• Pre-flight InDesign files for print production.
• Prepare final production PDFs to print specifications in printer’s PDF profile.
• Name and sequence individual page PDFs and upload them to printer’s online proofing site, InSite.
• Proof with editors all pages on InSite and when cleared, give sign-off to release job to printer for production.
• Prepare press run order and shipping instructions and send to printer.
• Make any necessary changes for publication of the online issue.
• Insert and check hyperlinks for all editorial copy and advertisements.
• Create a PDF of each article for archiving, email distribution, and linking on League website.
• Create a PDF of the complete issue for posting online.
• Manage Issuu.com account and platform contents for Symphony.
• Size and prepare to spec photos for each article and cover for Symphony pages on League website.

The Hub, daily news website:

• Resize, color-correct, adapt photos and create collage images for Hub as needed.
• Post art and editorial content on The Hub on a regular, ongoing basis.

Marketing and other organizational support:

• Design League’s in-house ads for Symphony.
• Create logos and custom artwork for League website, email newsletters, Conference app, The Hub website, social media, and PowerPoint slides.
• Design League printed materials (cards, newsletters, brochures, invitations, stationery) for marketing and communications, development, and other departments.
• Design Conference signage and “Welcome to League Conference” entrance unit and see production through to completion, liaising with vendors.
• Design League ads for other publications.
• Maintain League’s established brand guidelines.
• Post art and editorial content on The Hub website on a regular, ongoing basis.
• Send out requests for proposals for in-house print design projects, shepherd projects through production, and manage printer relationship and invoices.
• Work with files sent from outside designers to edit, customize, or repurpose designs for ongoing League needs.
• Maintain subscription accounts to stock photo sources; select and purchase images as needed.
• Size and customize League logos for a wide variety of uses, both internally and externally.

Applicants should email a cover letter, resume, and links to samples to member@americanorchestras.org and should include “Design Manager” in the subject line of the email.