What does a publications manager do?
A publications manager specializes in devising strategies to optimize publication procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include liaising with media and other external agencies, overseeing staff performances, setting objectives and guidelines, spearheading campaigns, handling licensing procedures, and participating in marketing operations. They may also address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a publication manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Publications manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real publications manager resumes:
- Lead company-wide FDA compliance requirements documentation project.
- Manage leading fashion editorial photography studio, including set and lighting design.
- Implement processes and tools to satisfy FDA and ISO user documentation requirements.
- Revolutionize tuberculosis (TB) program by conducting and monitoring an epidemiological risk assessment of the base's local community.
- Assure compliance to regulatory requirements including FDA, MDD, ISO, BSI, UL, and other agencies.
- Hire to evaluate and recommend solutions to facilitate migration of data to XML integrate information logistics system.
- Supervise multiple technical publication teams consisting of technical writers, illustrators, logistics analysts, editors, and quality assurance analysts.
- Document and calculate practice growth, profits and ROI, accounting/finances/budgeting.
- Revise and update books used in workshops focuse on insurance coding and Medicare.
- Assist in SEO searches for clients and design promotions for retail sector of business.
- Experience using Privia, Sharepoint, PMO, Kapost and Workfront document control systems.
- Provide desktop publishing, as well as editing and proofreading support to proposal efforts.
- Implement SEO and SEM digital marketing plans doubling web traffic while saving thousands of dollars.
- Develop and maintain stations' public service reports, database and public records according to FCC regulation.
- Develop technical publications templates and XML structure base on company standards, current MIL-STDs, and customer requirements.
Publications manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 19% of Publications Managers are proficient in Facebook, Project Management, and Press Releases. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Problem-solving skills, and Speaking skills.
We break down the percentage of Publications Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Facebook, 19%
Communicated with community members through e-mail and Facebook Messenger.
- Project Management, 15%
Maintained project management of Pre-Kindergarten and School options enrollment and lottery processes.
- Press Releases, 10%
Created digital press releases for media outreach, improving immediate response rate with free editorial placements valued at approximately $4M.
- PowerPoint, 6%
Developed PowerPoint presentations and written staff reports for annual conferences and quarterly meetings of Council members.
- Publicity Campaigns, 6%
Developed successful publicity campaigns for pop culture and current event titles resulting in bestsellers.
- Public Health, 6%
Organized a training on public health emergency management and response in collaboration with relevant sector coordinators.
"facebook," "project management," and "press releases" are among the most common skills that publications managers use at work. You can find even more publications manager responsibilities below, including:
Leadership skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a publications manager to have is leadership skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "public relations and fundraising managers often lead large teams of specialists or fundraisers and must be able to guide their activities." Publications managers often use leadership skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "head brainstorming sessions with leadership team to improve performance and production processes. "
Problem-solving skills. Many publications manager duties rely on problem-solving skills. "managers sometimes must explain how the company or client is handling sensitive issues," so a publications manager will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways publications manager responsibilities rely on problem-solving skills: "implemented project management solutions to keep pace with tight production schedules and large volumes of creative requests. "
Speaking skills. publications managers are also known for speaking skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to publications manager responsibilities, because "public relations and fundraising managers regularly speak on behalf of their organization." A publications manager resume example shows how speaking skills is used in the workplace: "represented company at trade shows and events. "
Communication skills. publications manager responsibilities often require "communication skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "managers deal with the public regularly; therefore, they must be friendly enough to build a rapport with, and receive cooperation from, their media contacts and donors." This resume example shows what publications managers do with communication skills on a typical day: "managed, edited and proofread all communications vehicles. "
Writing skills. Another crucial skill for a publications manager to carry out their responsibilities is "writing skills." A big part of what publications managers relies on this skill, since "managers must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases and speeches." How this skill relates to publications manager duties can be seen in an example from a publications manager resume snippet: "managed writing, editing, and production process of all publications for $300 million plus construction management firm. "
Organizational skills. Another skill commonly found on publications manager job descriptions is "organizational skills." It can come up quite often in publications manager duties, since "public relations and fundraising managers are often in charge of running several events at the same time, requiring superior organizational skills." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day publications manager responsibilities: "coordinate the production of marketing materials and maintain organizational web site. "
The three companies that hire the most publications managers are:
- Meta120 publications managers jobs
- Deloitte81 publications managers jobs
- Ernst & Young19 publications managers jobs
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Compare different publications managers
Publications manager vs. Media director
A media director spearheads and oversees a company's entire media-related activities, including marketing and advertising campaigns. They are in charge of setting goals and guidelines, liaising and building positive relationships with external parties, conceptualizing plans for projects and campaigns, and developing strategies to optimize operations. It is also their duty to address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a media director, it is essential to monitor the progress of different teams, leading and encouraging them to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, publications manager responsibilities require skills like "project management," "publicity campaigns," "public health," and "subject matter experts." Meanwhile a typical media director has skills in areas such as "digital marketing," "video production," "media planning," and "client relationships." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Media directors tend to reach similar levels of education than publications managers. In fact, media directors are 4.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.5% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Publications manager vs. Manager of corporate communications
A manager of corporate communications is primarily responsible for overseeing the external and internal communications in a company, ensuring everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for managing marketing communications and public relations, and even developing various marketing content. There are also instances where they must handle a company's social media platforms, review communication materials, and provide progress reports of different projects and programs. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage team members, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that publications manager responsibilities requires skills like "publicity campaigns," "public health," "subject matter experts," and "press materials." But a manager of corporate communications might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "corporate communications," "strategic communications," "employee engagement," and "crisis communications."
Managers of corporate communications earn similar levels of education than publications managers in general. They're 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Publications manager vs. Assistant director, communications
An assistant communications director is responsible for managing the communicative operations across the company, handling the dissemination of information among employees, and releasing management announcements to media platforms. Assistant communications directors draft project techniques and strategies, as well as monitoring social media contents and press releases. They also identify business opportunities by analyzing recent trends that would generate more revenue resources and increase the company's profits. An assistant communications director must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in assessing business information to prevent miscommunications and negative publications.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, publications managers are more likely to have skills like "project management," "publicity campaigns," "public health," and "subject matter experts." But a assistant director, communications is more likely to have skills like "customer service," "property management," "professional development," and "alumni."
Most assistant directors, communications achieve a similar degree level compared to publications managers. For example, they're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.9% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Publications manager vs. Director of public affairs
Directors of Public Affairs are executives who manage the public relations and communications initiatives of the company. They oversee all external communications that are intended for broadcast. They create guidelines on the proper crafting of communication materials that will be published or broadcasted. They also lead the public affairs department in networking activities and industry events. Directors of Public Affairs must be level-headed, calm, and creative. They should know how to communicate with the public, handle crises, and create successful brands.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between publications managers and directors of public affairs, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a publications manager might have more use for skills like "project management," "powerpoint," "publicity campaigns," and "subject matter experts." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of directors of public affairs require skills like "government affairs," "public policy," "external stakeholders," and "policy issues. "
The average resume of directors of public affairs showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to publications managers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 3.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 4.2%.Types of publications manager
Updated January 8, 2025
