Working for Highlights

For the various employment opportunities available at Highlights, and for a list of benefits, click here.

Available positions are listed below and are updated weekly.

Job Title	Company	Location
Billing and Renewal Manager	Highlights for Children	Columbus, OH
Associate Vice President, Analytics	Highlights for Children	Columbus, OH
IT Project Manager	Highlights for Children	Columbus, OH
IT Data Architect	Highlights for Children	Columbus, OH
IT Manager	Staff Development for Educators	Peterborough, NH
Desk Side Service Specialist	Highlights for Children	Honesdale, PA
Territory Manager, Highlights International	Highlights for Children	Columbus, OH
Vice President Sales	Staff Development for Educators	Peterborough, NH

Billing and Renewal Manager

Since 1946, Highlights for Children, Inc. has left an indelible imprint on the hearts and minds of tens of millions of children. Highlights believes that children are the world's most important people. We exist to help children become their best selves – creative, curious, caring and confident.

The Billing and Renewal Manager is responsible for the successful implementation and maintenance of magazine renewals and both internal and third party billing efforts for Highlights' Consumer and Institutional businesses. Key responsibilities include participation in the development of renewal and bill strategy, communication of results, and optimization of the programs to meet business objectives. This position is responsible for the successful performance of each effort, updating the number and content of the messages as needed, as well as evaluating other potential contact methods such as phone, email and mobile, and implementing as appropriate. Management of the Billing and Renewal team, as well as building and maintaining third party service provider relationships, is also included.

Core Responsibilities:

Responsible for partnering with Customer Optimization to determine the optimal number of billing efforts, guiding the content of the messages or scripting, and timing of efforts sent to each unique group of customers. This may be based on the customer's current account status, original source of order, or other attributes.
Responsible for planning, optimizing and implementing business strategy for the magazine renewal efforts, ensuring a positive customer experience, increased retention of existing customers and contribution to help meet revenue goals.
Responsible for ensuring fulfillment operations are accurate, timely and deliver the desirable customer experience. Responsible for driving continuous improvement of these operations.
Responsible for identifying and testing new options for improving response rate and payment performance, while considering the level of associated risk.
Works closely with Highlights' in-house counsel to ensure all contact efforts meet legal requirements.
Works closely with Accounting/Finance team to ensure a similar understanding of changes in billing regulations, operations costs, current payment performance, and established goals for performance by business and customer segment.
Works closely with Customer Insights team to ensure accurate and timely analysis is completed to allow appropriate evaluation and optimization of the billing and renewal programs.
Communicates the requirements, revisions, additions, and deletions of the efforts to all appropriate parties, including Marketing, Customer Service and third party fulfillment and collections/billing service providers.
Monitors and reports on the performance of each effort and is jointly responsible, with Customer Optimization, for the P&L for the entire billing and renewal programs. Monitors costs associated with contact efforts and proactively makes adjustments to off-set increases.
Ensures billing and renewal strategies are included as an integral component in marketing campaign planning. Identifies and communicates trends, as appropriate.
Manages the relationship between Highlights and service providers, including day-to-day production, assisting in the selection of appropriate partners, establishing communication channels, establishing and maintaining quality auditing procedures and scheduling on-site visits. Participates in contract negotiations.
Communicates the company's strategic and tactical expectations, sets objectives, and monitors/maintains progress. Hire, train, coach and supervise positions on the Billing and Renewal team.
Participate in setting and accomplishing strategic and development Operational goals. Participate in training and coaching, and assist in goal setting for team members.

Requirements and Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree, preferred
Equivalent balance of education and experience
3+ years experience in D2C billing, including third party and e-billing, preferred
3+ years experience in subscription renewals, required
3+ years experience in B2B billing, including third party and e-billing, preferred
3+ years experience in supervisory or management role

Other:

A curiosity that drive to critical questions
Strong critical thinking and abstract problem solving skills
Fundamental understanding of all key business performance indicators, relations and drivers
Ability to lead team working accurately with large volumes of data from disparate sources
Strong sense of data to business relevance, and translating into clear, concise presentations
Expert knowledge of foundational direct marketing concepts
Demonstrated leader of thought, knowledge and ability to transfer knowledge and skills
Strong collaboration skills

Date added: 5/14/2013

Position is located at Highlights for Children business headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Please send resume and cover letter to Jobs@Highlights.com. Indicate "Billing and Renewal Manager" in the subject line.

Associate Vice President, Analytics

Reporting directly to the EVP/CMO of Highlights Consumer Businesses, this is a unique, high profile opportunity with one of America's best loved brands. The AVP Analytics will provide timely, actionable insight that focuses on identifying customer needs and behaviors to tailor products and communications resulting in more efficient marketing spend, increased housefile growth and increased LTV. Incumbent will play a critical role on a senior leadership team. Building marketing analytic capabilities and developing new techniques while standardizing across the analytics organization is a major priority for our company. Direct Marketing initiatives include digital (social media, search, email, mobile), offline efforts (direct mail, telemarketing) and retail placements.

Primary purpose of the role:

Position is responsible for developing the strategy and driving the implementation of customer marketing programs that support Highlights Consumer Business goals. Direct oversight of two director level managers that control the company's campaign planning and customer insights programs. Position directs and analyzes customer oriented market research, customer insight, and analysis activities to determine potential new customers, as well as optimizing relationships with existing customers. Position ensures a tightly integrated approach to measure, track, monitor, draw insights from, and integrate tactics and campaigns across these channels to maximize ROI and impact. Critical to the success of our efforts is output from the department that provides regular insights into business and customer performance at the business (product) line and campaign levels, generates revenue forecasts and directs test, learn and reporting rigor for all marketing tests.

Essential Functions:

Advance the business with intelligent, quantitatively-derived insights and recommendations.
Collaborate with key cross-functional partners before, during and after all marketing plans are deployed, ensuring proper metrics are set up, data is collected succinctly, and results are converted into insights with a clear action plan.
Set direction and priority for the Marketing Analytics group. Provide thought leadership and direction for staff.
In coordination with IS group, direct third party vendors to manage customer and campaign data; manage list brokers, list processing vendors and research partners.
Design and lead effective presentations and translate data into easy to understand insights and recommendations.
Leverage customer insights to recommend optimal promotional cadence and innovative offers to optimize investments in customer relationships.

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in quantitative fields such as Economics, Statistics, Engineering or quantitative Social Sciences.

Experience:

5+ years of experience in retrieving, summarizing and presenting data
5+ years of experience in a direct marketing organization or similar CRM environment
5+ years leadership experience in direct marketing
5+ years experience of regular use of SQL, SPSS, SAS or similar software
Experience and strong ability to communicate to all levels of business, analytical and technical expertise.
Experienced in managing multiple direct reports
Advanced knowledge of data concepts, structures, formats
Expert in Microsoft Excel as evidenced by use of functions, pivot tables and visual basic

Other:

A curiosity that drive to critical questions
Strong critical thinking and abstract problem solving skills
Fundamental understanding of all key business performance indicators, relations and drivers
Ability to lead team working accurately with large volumes of data from disparate sources
Strong sense of data to business relevance, and translating into clear, concise presentations
Expert knowledge of foundational direct marketing concepts
Demonstrated leader of thought, knowledge and ability to transfer knowledge and skills
Strong collaboration skills

Date added: 5/6/2013

Position is located at Highlights for Children business headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Please send resume and cover letter to Jobs@Highlights.com. Indicate "AVP, Analytics" in the subject line.

IT Project Manager

Since 1946, Highlights for Children, Inc. has left an indelible imprint on the hearts and minds of tens of millions of children. At Highlights, we believe that children are the world's most important people. We exist to help children become their best selves—creative, curious, caring and confident.

The Project Manager is responsible for coordinating and managing project related activity in a matrix management environment to support the successful delivery of technology projects for Highlights for Children. The project manager will help to determine methodologies, processes and practices that will help to facilitate successful completion of projects for Information Technology, and may act as a consultative resource to mentor and guide other project leaders to implement and utilize those methodologies. In addition, this role will directly support IT projects as a dedicated project manager by consulting with clients on new technology requests and managing day-to-day operational aspects of projects.

Core Responsibilities:

Manage projects and project teams using established methodologies, processes and practices to ensure deliver within defined schedule and budget.
Support and encourage the use of project management tools and templates including a project portfolio management system as a mentor to other resources.
Support consistent IT communications related to the project portfolio and provide regular and ad hoc status updates as requested.
Develop and/or assist in the development of business processes, methodologies, tools and practices associated with project management.

Requirements and Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in business or technology or equivalent education/experience.
PMP Certification through PMI preferred.
Minimum 5 years of IT project/program management experience.
Ability to manage multiple projects or efforts simultaneously.
Ability to set appropriate priorities to complete multiple tasks.
Formal training in standard process and project management tools.
Advance computer skills including MS Office, Project and Visio.
Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written.
Ability to adapt communication to technical and non-technical peers.
Experience with project portfolio management system preferred.

Highlights is a dynamic organization focused on delivering excellence in all facets of our business. We offer a positive environment and competitive compensation and benefits. EOE

Date added: 4/11/2013

Position is located at Highlights for Children business headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Please send resume and cover letter to Jobs@Highlights.com. Indicate "IT Project Manager" in the subject line.

IT Data Architect

Reporting to the Director of Enterprise Architecture, the Data Architect works with business areas to understand current and future information needs to run and continuously improve the business. This individual creates implements and maintains a data governance strategy by taking into account the goals of business and IT operations. The Data Architect also facilitates the development of a data governance policy that outlines the appropriate data ownership, stewardship and audit requirements.

The Data Architect will provide technical leadership and consulting across the organization and will gain company-wide commitment for making sure that appropriate data is accessed and used most efficiently and effectively across all Highlight Family of Companies, thereby enabling the business to make timely and informed business decisions. This individual will partner with the business, architecture, infrastructure, development and database teams to review and approve data architecture including the end-to-end data lifecycle management.

Core Responsibilities:

Create and maintain an enterprise information architecture, data governance strategy, and data governance policy; understand, advocate, and champion IA principles and processes across business and IT.
Develop overall conceptual, logical and physical data models for all layers of complex or multi-function solutions; understand, use, articulate and contribute to reference architecture and solution delivery framework.
Work with the analytics department to understand current and future needs of information needed to run and improve the business, including acquisition and incorporation of new data sources.
Lead and/or participate in an information architecture review group (consisting of business and IT) to assess solution approach, gain acceptance of solution, and ensure decisions are made and deviations from standards are properly identified and addressed; actively lead the data architecture reviews for selected projects across the enterprise.
Ensure that project managers, architects, database administrators, and developers follow all aspects of the enterprise information architecture from initiation to closure.
Provide guidance to the business and IT teams in the early project planning stage around the different data sources and access that may be appropriate for specific solutions.
Ensure that all individual data artifacts (data flow diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, etc.) are documented and kept updated as per data governance policy and standards, and stored in a library to facilitate collaboration across business and IT areas.

Additional Responsibilities:

Contribute to planning efforts, budget formulation and allocation of resources in support of the mission of Highlights and the IT department.
Maintain current with industry trends in the context of rapidly developing technologies, determining the applicability of new technologies, and recommending appropriate usage.
Define and promote effective IT best practices.

Knowledge & Experience:

Experience in delivering projects involving data modeling, data analytics, master data management, data categorization and labeling, ETL, data mart and data warehouse.
Experience in designing data architecture targeted for use in business analytics, business intelligence, profiling, and decision support systems.
Experience in enterprise data governance and stewardship
Ability and experience in leveraging data to make sound business decisions
Familiarity with the TOGAF framework and a good understanding of the information architecture component within it.
Basic knowledge of business process re-engineering principles and application development methodologies.

Formal education and qualifications:

Undergraduate degree in related technical field; graduate studies and/or technical certifications in related areas preferred.
Minimum of 10 years of hands-on design and implementation of business solutions; experience as a data architect leading complex projects for enterprise-wide initiatives, including systems analysis and design.

Personal Attributes:

Demonstrated ability to form and maintain collaborative partnerships across a complex organization with diverse constituencies; ability to build consensus on complex and sometimes controversial subjects.
Exceptional communication skills, both oral and written; the ability to communicate effectively by adapting approach, language and style to a wide variety of audiences, including stakeholders that are both technical and non-technical; ability to grasp and communicate the big picture while remaining conversant with details.
Excellent interpersonal skills in areas such as teamwork, facilitation, and negotiation.
Ability to make appropriate recommendations by identifying and defining multiple solution alternatives with their technical and financial impact.
Must have proven management skills, as well as strong leadership skills, with the ability to lead technical teams in a matrix-managed environment.

Highlights is a dynamic organization focused on delivering excellence in all facets of our business. We offer a positive environment and competitive compensation and benefits. EOE

Date added: 4/11/2013

Position is located at Highlights for Children business headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Please send resume and cover letter to Jobs@Highlights.com. Indicate "IT Data Architect" in the subject line.

IT Manager

Staff Development for Educators, a national leader in educational professional development, is seeking an IT Manager in our Peterborough, NH office.

The IT Manager is responsible for ensuring the streamlined operation of the IT Department in alignment with the business objectives of SDE. This role will plan, coordinate, direct and design the IT-related activities of SDE, as well as oversee the IT staff on daily operational activities in the department. The IT Manager will work closely with decision-makers in other departments to identify, recommend, develop, implement and support cost-effective technology solutions for all aspects of the business. The IT Manager is responsible for defining and implementing IT policies, procedures and best practices.

Responsibilities:

Ensure that all infrastructure and software components run in an effective and efficient manner. Components include, but are not limited to: operating systems (Windows Server 2003/2008, Windows 7, XP, MAC), network operating systems, software and hardware platforms including telephony, network equipment, MS Exchange, VMware and SAN. Ensure all components are under vendor support and/or are version current.
Monitor IT infrastructure related performance, production, operational support, error recovery and disaster recovery.
Resolve all problems/issues and risks related to projects, personnel or areas of responsibility in a timely manner.
Remain proactive and take initiative in all areas directly affecting IT including: researching appropriate solutions, gaining business or technical knowledge, attaining desired project outcomes.
Work collaboratively with all levels of management and staff throughout the company and promote a culture of support.
Provide mentorship and decision-making guidance to staff.
Assist with developing IT-related policies and procedures and ensure staff adherence to them.
Participate in developing short- and long-term strategic technology plans and budgets.
Oversee vendor selection and management to ensure that all standards, guidelines and best practices are followed in relation to contract and asset management.
Maintain event database of cost vs. budget and ROI.
Coordinate technical support for external Sales, Marketing and Public events.

Education and Qualifications:

8+ years' experience in Information Systems technology, including management experience with system and network design and development, hands-on experience in IT infrastructure design and support.
3-5 years of supervisory experience in an IT environment required.
Bachelor's degree in computer technology and MCSE certification.
In-depth knowledge of best practices and methodologies in all of the following:
- Network design, operations and security
- Operating system design and security in a Windows Active Directory environment
General working knowledge of best practices and methodologies in contract, asset and database management.
Demonstrated project management skills.
Proven team leader and positive role model: teaches, coaches, inspires, mentors and empowers others.
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to effectively communicate technical information to non-technical individuals.
Strong negotiating, facilitation and influencing skills.
Demonstrate a strong desire to expand knowledge and continually strive for excellence.
Ability to lift 40-50 lbs.

Date added: 4/11/2013

If you're enthusiastic about growing both professionally and personally and impacting the learning experience of children in their classrooms, please submit a cover letter, resume and salary history to:
SDE, Inc.
Attn: Human Resources
PO Box 577, Peterborough, NH 03458
E-mail: HumanResources@sde.com - Fax: 603-924-6688

Desk Side Service Specialist

Since 1946, Highlights for Children magazine has been providing Fun with a Purpose® to tens of millions of children. Highlights is dedicated to helping children grow in basic skills and knowledge, in creativeness, in ability to think and reason, in sensitivity to others, in high ideals and worthy ways of living—for children are the world's most important people®.

Highlights magazine currently has an opening for an opening for Desk Side Service Specialist. This person provides level two technical support for end users including hardware, software and applications.

Essential Functions:

Trouble shoots and administers desktop operating systems (Macintosh and Windows), standard desktop software (MS Office, etc.), desktop printers, desktop scanners, mobile devices (laptops, smart phones, tablets, etc.)
Serves as the "Case Worker and/or Single Point of Contact" for all problems/incidents
Responsible for planning and implementing hardware and software upgrades

Additional Duties:

Assists with implementation of network backups and disaster recovery and verifies readiness on an ongoing basis
Accurately documents all actions taken to resolve or escalate an incident or service request
Responsible for ensuring incident and service requests are closed in a timely fashion and ensures that all service level expectations are being met
Keeps pace with all relevant product features, functions and service offerings
Adheres to internal security policies, monitoring and applying available security patches for detected vulnerabilities, and follows security best practices as appropriate

Skills/Experience:

2+ Years desktop support or system/network administration
Proficient in Windows Desktop OS
Proficient in Macintosh Desktop OS

Requirements:

Associates Degree(technology related field – desired/preferred) or equivalent
Help Desk Certifications Preferred

Date added: 4/4/2013

Location: Honesdale, PA (Click for more information about Honesdale and the surrounding area.)

Send résumé in either Microsoft Word or PDF format to: resumes@highlights.com. Place "Desk Side Support Specialist" in the subject line.

Territory Manager, Highlights International

Highlights for Children, a family media brand that has been nurturing children with excellent, wholesome, and innovative products for more than 65 years, reaches over two million children every month throughout the world. Our wide variety of “Fun with a Purpose” magazines and books are dedicated to helping children become their best selves—creative, curious, caring, and confident.

Highlights International business unit is rapidly growing and responsible for bringing our wholesome products and brand into all languages and territories in the world outside of North America. This business unit is fast paced while balancing strategic needs to identify and work with the right Highlights brand partners globally.

Reporting to the VP International, this role is responsible for establishing Highlights and Zaner-Bloser business in Central and South America through partnerships, licensing, and distribution business models.

This role will research, prioritize, and establish a strategy for entering specific markets, develop proposals and prospects, and secure profitable business to bring our brands, content, and materials into multiple countries and territories.

• Develop and execute plans for maximizing the Highlights and Zaner-Bloser licensing and distribution opportunities within a defined territory.: - Create an annual sales and marketing plan for territory for our textbooks, magazines, activity books and trade books; - Manage sales pipeline, opportunities, prospects, and leads.; - Find, negotiate, and manage local agents and business development consultants to expand territory.; - Prepare for, attend, and staff International trade shows (Bologna, Frankfurt, etc)

• Perform research and analysis, then network and execute upon research, to identify new opportunities for Highlights products overseas and: - Prioritize countries and markets for Highlights expansion.; - Prospect, research, and identify prospects within top markets and channels.; - Find, network with, and engage local publishers, agents, and consultants to develop territory.; - Develop strategies, tactics, and sales materials to develop prospects into closed business.

• Participate as a key team member of the International Organization: - Collaborate openly within the team to improve the Highlights and Zaner-Bloser business globally.; - Serve as a critical bridge between our domestic editorial, operational and support teams and our partners. Build and maintain strong relationships with internal editorial and operational internal stakeholders.; - Deliver excellent service to existing and new partners while balancing Highlights and Zaner-Bloser business needs.; - Provide ongoing distance and in-person support and training to agents and partners.; - Use group portal to centralize and organize all research documents; assist with progress reporting, operational tasks, communications projects and marketing initiatives.

• Travel to Central or South America 6-10 times annually for tradeshow events, partner visits, and prospecting/research

Minimum Requirements:
Education:

Bachelor’s degree in business, sales/marketing, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience:

Minimum of five years professional experience.
Minimum of two years publishing industry experience involving sales, marketing and/or licensing preferably related to children's books, magazines, or educational textbooks.
Editorial experience a strong plus.
Foreign language experience a plus, particularly Spanish or Portuguese
Independent business travel experience a plus

Other:

Excellent verbal (interpersonal and presentation) and written communication skills
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to changing situations.
Ability to collaborate and prioritize based on global priorities as well as territory priorities.
Solid problem solving/decision making ability.
Ability to adapt to changing business conditions and departmental priorities and needs
Creative/innovative ability to identify/develop new solutions.
Able to work independently with minimal direction.
International and domestic travel required (approx. 4 – 12 times/year)

Location: Columbus, OH preferred; other locations considered based on qualifications and experience.

Date added: 12/17/2012

Send résumé in either Microsoft Word or PDF format to: jobs@highlights.com. Place "Territory Manager, Highlights International" in the subject line.

Vice President Sales

Staff Development for Educators, America's leading provider of professional development for Pre-K through Grade 12 educators is seeking a Vice President of Sales in our Peterborough, NH office. Through our On-site PD, PD Events, Web-based PD, and PD Resources, we empower teachers and administrators across the country with solutions to the most challenging issues they face.

We believe that educators have the most important job in the world. That's why we're dedicated to empowering educators with ongoing professional development that is not only research-based, innovative, and rigorous, but also practical, motivating, and fun. All SDE training is presented by the nation's top authors and educational experts, with the goal of creating extraordinary classrooms that prepare our students for the evolving demands of the 21st century.

The Vice President of Sales is responsible for articulating and driving an integrated, company-wide sales strategy to grow SDE's traditional business lines (On-Site PD,PD Events, Web-based PD, and PD resources) and support a vision to strengthen and expand B2B sales and new channels of business.

Responsibilities:

Optimize and align processes to support a sophisticated, solutions-oriented, customer- centric sales strategy that will support scalable growth.
Oversee the work of all members of the sales team with the objective of meeting or exceeding established sales goals.
Reinforce and expand account relationships and collaborate with sales team to build, lead, and close complex and large-scale sales.
Develop and maintain cohesive, collaborative relationships across organizational functions and businesses.
Provide industry and funding insight that helps grow sustained professional development solutions for existing and new clients.
Build and nurture a high quality, high performance sales team that aligns with company strategy.
Expand SDE's visibility in the industry by representing the organization in the marketplace.
Uphold SDE's values and mission by providing leadership in the ongoing evolution of the culture throughout the company.

Education & Work Experience:

An undergraduate degree is required; an advanced degree is desirable.
Ten years of experience in leading a sales organization, specifically professional development solution selling in an educational environment.
Experience managing a sales team of at least 10 employees, assessing and building a high-performing, driven team of inside and/or field reps. Collaborative team player who shares credit and recognizes excellent performance.
Experience leading and managing teams through transformational change.
Established contacts and relationships with administrators, curriculum developers, and thought leaders in the K-12 market.
Demonstrated experience in working directly with customers as well as working with industry partners and alliances.
Capacity to contribute to broader business conversations beyond his/her functional expertise.
Smart, hard-working, and detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.
B2B sales experience is desirable.
Willing to travel up to 50% of the time.

Date added: 03/13/2013