CONTENT PRODUCT MANAGER - Accounting and Audit

CONTENT PRODUCT MANAGER

Accounting and Audit

CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business (www.cchgroup.com) is the leading provider of customer-focused tax, accounting and audit information, software and services for professionals (CCHGroup.com) and is part of the world's largest tax and accounting provider, Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting. 

The digital future has arrived and the tax and accounting professions are changing rapidly. Professionals today have different needs, expectations and capabilities. In addition to accuracy, they need greater mobility, simplicity and speed. These needs place a premium on access to active intelligence, agile systems and integrated workflow solutions — in short "Best in Process" solutions. This is precisely the value that CCH delivers to professionals.

We are seeking a Content Product Manager: 

JOB SUMMARY

 The Content Product Manager (CPM) for Wolters Kluwer Tax and Accounting is responsible for contributing to the development and execution of TAA product strategy for accounting and audit for the corporate and professional markets to increase market share and revenue. The Content Product Manager lends significant industry and market insight and subject matter expertise to the creation and development of products and services related to content development and delivery. 

ACTIVITIES OF THE CPM INCLUDE:

Developing and maintaining a deep understanding of TAA products, services, customers and their needs and workflows, and the industry as a whole; understanding new trends, developing strong relationships with professional associations such as the AICPA and FEI, contributing to the overall individual Business Unit product development strategy; developing business cases for new product concepts; working closely with product management, sales and other teams within the Corporate and Accounting, Audit and Workflow business units; directing solution development projects from ideation, product creation and authoring approaches through pre-launch activities, go-to-market and marketing strategies; ensuring content quality; assisting with product marketing and sales efforts; and representing Wolters Kluwer within the industry.

The CPM will report to the Director of Publishing for Accounting and Audit. 

• Develops and maintains deep understanding of TAA products and portfolios including features, benefits, intended use, value proposition and competitive position by establishing and maintaining understanding of all current and planned versions of products; understanding how the products fit into client processes and work flows and contribute to client business performance; acquiring an understanding of relevant information systems and applications utilized within TAA and the industry as a whole; identifying and evaluating business opportunities; and researching and reviewing competitor information; and assessing TAA's product strengths relative to the competition.
• Closely following industry, market and subject matter trends to provide direction regarding new opportunities to enhance innovative TAA's product offerings.
• Working closely with customers and prospects to fully understand their needs and workflows.
• Contributes to the overall Business Unit product development strategy by identifying and tracking trends and developments in practice, industry and subject matter areas; ensuring changes and developments in the practice area are reflected in appropriate products; collaborating with product area management and new product development to identify opportunities for new product development; working with the Director of Publishing, internal and external editors and authors and BU leadership and product management to generate and validate new product ideas; assisting in recruiting new authors; acting as a primary point of contact for authors to create new products; understanding and contributing to the vision and strategy for TAA products and accounting and audit industries; identifying and sharing technology trends; and leveraging internal platforms.
• Surfacing acquisition and alliance opportunities and establishing strong relationships with professional associations such the AICPA and FEI.
• Develops business cases for new product concepts by describing the concept and how it will be used by customers in comprehensive terms; vetting ideas through partnerships with the finance, development, sales and marketing teams; gaining buy-in from internal stakeholders; reviewing concepts with industry leaders; conducting research to determine true market demand/size for the concept; working with the product and marketing managers to propose pricing strategies creating a strong value proposition for Wolters Kluwer and ROI for the customers; developing multi-year forecasts representing realistic Wolters Kluwer share estimates for the defined market in units and revenue; justifying and documenting assumptions used in the forecasting process; working with the product development and production teams to estimate accurate time-to-publish and development costs; and consolidating the product concept and financial projections into presentation format.
• Oversee assigned editorial group by communicating relevant tasks, strategies, goals and objectives to staff and associates; maintaining frequent contact with the editorial group to manage content production activities; sharing insight with business unit and other relevant stakeholders proactively or upon request; facilitating communication between internal teams; driving the execution of content initiatives to ensure overall corporate goals and objectives are met; tracking production metrics (e.g., speed, cost, quality) to evaluate performance; monitoring editing and quality control measures; reporting to the executive team on performance, challenges, and opportunities; and ensuring that the performance standards of content production are consistently met.
• Directs solution development projects from authoring through pre-launch phases by collaborating with the development teams to create specifications/requirements for the solution sets; identifying and negotiating contracts with authors; adjusting specifications based on user feedback at critical stages; monitoring and approving development progress throughout the initiative; taking an active role in product testing and review; identifying issues that may delay launch or increase costs; collaborating with business analysts to develop product documentation; keeping leaders informed of progress and issues; monitoring and tracking project milestones and deliverables throughout the initiative; and ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Ensures content quality by developing and communicating revision plans with authors and editors; ensuring compliance with upkeep plans; motivating authors to ensure timely delivery of content that meets quality standards; assessing the strengths and weaknesses of content, including completeness, organizational issues, scope of coverage, penetration of subject matter, and adequacy of supporting citations and authority; providing documentation and demonstration of the development or enhancement specifications; providing input and feedback on the planned enhancement; and following up with development team as needed.
• Assists with product marketing and sales efforts by collaborating with product management and marketing on brochures, white papers, and other sales collateral; participating in product launches for sales and marketing; providing product expertise to sales, marketing, and customer service; developing marketing information; and developing new product information for sales team.
• Oversees team member performance by regularly monitoring key performance indicators, team member activity and work product, as well as financial business information; analyzing the data for patterns and indicators of performance slipping; documenting and discussing performance issues directly with underperformers early and often; working with HR to establish Performance Improvements Plans (PIPs) and proactive hiring plans; working with the Talent Acquisition team to fill open positions (e.g., providing information on candidate requirements, being available for interviews; making decisions quickly); and facilitating the on-boarding of the new team members to shorten learning curves.
• Represents Wolters Kluwer by developing and maintaining comprehensive knowledge of Wolters Kluwer products, industry trends and general business and financial acumen through various sources and initiative; communicating Wolters Kluwer competitive advantage to customers in a compelling articulate manner in speech, writing and formal presentation; behaving in ways that demonstrate corporate core values and culture; developing professional and positive relationships with customers and colleagues; and maintaining a reputation of competence, integrity and professionalism.

1. Participates in various sales, marketing, and leadership initiatives within the division and larger WK organization.
2. Manages time and company resources appropriately.
3. Proactively pursues professional development activities.
4. Performs other duties as requested by Director.