Assistant Portfolio Manager

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 The Assistant Portfolio Manager, under the oversight of the Head of Content Acquisition & Development, has responsibility for a portfolio of educational products, which are designed to maximise student outcomes. The Assistant Portfolio Manager is responsible for executing on opportunities for new acquisitions under the strategic guidance of the Senior Portfolio Manager(s), and optimizing the market potential of existing intellectual property, all the while driving digital penetration by acquiring content that supports optimal outcomes when used digitally. They provide inputs to inform the financial management of a portfolio, ensuring that budgets are met, and costs incurred are in line with our agreed commercial strategy. Market and HE ecosystem engagement. Engage with the market to characterize those external factors that influence our content development strategy, including discipline and curriculum trends, user-centered learning design and user experience, assessments, pedagogical best practice, educational technology, and societal issues that are influencing teaching practices, such as diversity and inclusion. New content: ideation and acquisition. Under the guidance of the Senior Portfolio Manager(s), use market intelligence, discipline knowledge, sales, and usage data to develop and propose concepts for new digital-first content that: has a clear value proposition; meets strategic objectives in terms of digital transformation, and market share and revenue growth; makes the most effective use of pedagogy and learning design principles; and makes the most effective and compelling use of available functionality and capability. Under the guidance of the Senior Portfolio Manager, develop new project proposals to meet these goals, consulting with cross-functional colleagues as required. Legacy content: optimization of market potential. Under the guidance of the Senior Portfolio Manager(s), develop plans for the updating of existing content using market, sales and usage data, to fulfil strategic objectives around digital transformation, market share, and revenue growth, and which make the most effective and compelling use of available functionality and capability. Contract negotiation: Under the guidance of the Senior Portfolio Manager(s), negotiate contracts to secure competitive IP with the best possible terms for the Press. Be thoughtful about determining which content we should own, outright, versus pay a royalty on. Brand advocacy: Identify and cultivate strong faculty advocates to inform product and market development, and to participate in the sales process. Cross-functional stakeholder management: Work closely and collaboratively with cross-functional colleagues to maximise the quality and competitiveness of our output. Author relationship management: Uphold high standards of author communication and manage author expectations such that author satisfaction is maintained, high standards of the Press are upheld, and external perceptions of the Press are positive. We operate a hybrid working policy that requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the Oxford office. About You Previous experience of Higher Education publishing and the Higher Education ecosystem. Proven track record of strong project management, cost/budget management, successful innovation, and consistent delivery of goals. Strong organizational, time management, and prioritization skills. Ability to work well on your own initiative and to be proactive in solving problems. Able to always demonstrate excellent attention to detail. Excellent written communication as well as strong interpersonal and verbal skills. Highly literate and numerate. 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 of a discretionary annual payment. Please see our Rewards and Recognition page for more information.Queries Please contact grace.mcfadyen@oup.com 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.