Production Manager, Mailing Operations

About EAB

At EAB, our mission is to make education smarter and our communities stronger. We work with more than 2,800 institutions to drive transformative change through data-driven insights and best-in-class capabilities. From kindergarten to college to career, EAB partners with leaders and practitioners to accelerate progress and drive results across enrollment, student success, institutional strategy, data analytics, and advancement. We work with each partner differently, tailoring our portfolio of research, technology, and marketing and enrollment solutions to meet the unique needs of every leadership team, as well as the students and employees they serve.

At EAB, we serve not only our partner institutions but each other—that's why we are always working to make sure our employees love their jobs and are invested in their communities. See how we've been recognized for this dedication to our employees by checking out our recent awards.

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We are looking for an energetic, solution-oriented, hands-on Production Manager to join our Mailing Operations team. The Production Manager’s expertise should span all aspects of end-to-end direct mail production, including print production, material sourcing, proofing, fulfillment, and mail deployment. This role is critical in identifying and mitigating risk, leading cross-functional collaboration, managing vendor relationships, ensuring quality assurance, and delivering campaigns on time. The Production Manager partners closely with Creative, Data Management, Client Services, Project Management, and external production vendors to successfully execute direct mail campaigns. This role requires expertise in printing, lettershop operations, and USPS postal regulations.

This role may be based in Richmond, VA or Washington, DC.

• →Serve as the subject matter expert responsible for the day-to-day management of direct mail production campaigns
• →Manage a high volume of complex production projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• →Own quality assurance throughout the production lifecycle to ensure accuracy, brand consistency, postal compliance, and print quality
• →Approve production priorities throughout the creative routing process, including final approval of artwork, formats, mock-ups, and proofs
• →Recommend production methods, materials, mailing strategies, and print specifications that balance quality, timing, and cost
• →Serve as the primary production advisor to Creative, Data, Account Management, Project Management, and external print partners throughout campaign development
• →Deliver exceptional customer service to internal and external stakeholders, including executive leadership
• →Monitor campaign progress to ensure key production milestones, mail drops, and in-home delivery dates are achieved
• →Analyze job specifications to ensure production requirements, quality expectations, postal regulations, templates, and materials are ready for execution
• →Participate in daily production meetings and weekly cross-functional project status meetings
• →Drive continuous improvement initiatives that increase efficiency, reduce errors, and standardize production processes
• →Manage vendor performance, production schedules, and issue resolution to ensure quality, cost, and delivery expectations are met

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in Marketing, Communications, Graphic Design, Business Administration, or a related field
• Two years of experience in project management, print production, marketing operations, direct mail, manufacturing, production coordination, or a related field
• Excellent time management, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills with the ability to successfully manage multiple campaigns under tight deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience with Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Office Suite (particularly Excel and Outlook), and project management software such as Workfront or Asana

• Experience in direct mail production, print manufacturing, or mailing services, including offset and digital printing, lettershop operations, postal regulations, and mail logistics
• Experience collaborating with Production, Creative, Data, Project Management, and Account Management teams
• Experience using variable data and automation tools to produce personalized creative at scale (e.g., XMPie, Adobe InDesign Data Merge, or similar platforms)
• Knowledge of print production processes, variable data printing, and USPS postal regulations
• Experience translating structured data and business rules into design systems and production templates
• Experience with variable data printing workflows, Print MIS or workflow systems, Adobe InDesign, and USPS Mail.dat/Mail.XML
• Commitment to embracing a continual learning environment and contributing to a dynamic and welcoming culture of fairness, authenticity, and belonging in support of EAB’s mission, values, and aspiration

If you've reached this section of the job description and are unsure of whether to apply, please do! At EAB, we welcome new perspectives and learn from each other's unique experiences. We would encourage you to submit an application if this is a role you would be passionate about doing every day.