Magazine Production Specialist Job at BALL HORTICULTURAL COMPANY in West Chicago

Ball Horticultural Company is a leading breeder and distributor of flowers and vegetables around the globe. Located in the Chicago suburb of West Chicago (near Naperville and Geneva), our 60-acre property boasts 10 acres of display gardens, which are primarily used as a sales and marketing tool, but also provide a great relaxation opportunity for staff at the home office. Perennials, annuals, vegetables, roses, and shrubs are blooming from May through September.

This dynamic, deadline-driven position works with our editors, publisher, designers, circulation specialist and advertising sales team to plan, process and assemble all elements necessary to produce our monthly magazine, quarterly publication and various digital media products.

The Production Specialist also interfaces with various vendors and works with the publisher on budgeting and forecasting production costs.

This position is eligible for the hybrid work-from-home policy allowing for up to two days a week working from home. The other three days are required to be onsite at our location in West Chicago, IL.

Job Responsibilities

• Use of Naviga software suite to enter orders, complete billing, generate statements, create magazine layouts, conduct financial month-end close reporting, export/import data for our in-house CMS system.
• Asset management – Collect and organize all advertising materials for print and digital products, to have an efficient way of trafficking ads from client through production to the end phase of publishing our physical and digital media.
• Production - Plan the advertising and editorial layout of our various print and digital products each month. You will use the Naviga software system to join the editorial and advertising elements of the physical magazine into a completed publication each month. An in-house CMS system will be used to manage and plan the digital product layouts.
• Monitor and review client ad material for errors or other unexpected occurrences to ensure quality.
• Coordinate with printer on current options for paper, printing and postal services for magazine production and advertising supplements. You will be responsible for procuring the best rates and products and negotiating with the vendor, in order to keep costs down, and quality up.
• Approve final pages on our printer’s InSite portal for each issue.
• Approve printer invoices and submit invoices for payment.
• Prepare monthly billing statements and send invoices to advertisers using Naviga.
• Work with publisher to set and track production budgets and goals in order to drive the company forward efficiently.
• Enter and/or adjust orders on an as-needed basis.

• Experience with the “Naviga” publishing platform preferred but not required
• 3+ years experience at a publication or agency a plus
• Minimum high school diploma or GED required
• Excel skills are required; a strong understanding of publishing processes and functionality is preferred
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the demonstrated ability to work with many people and situations
• Demonstrated strong problem-solving skills and proven experience managing multiple projects simultaneously
• Solid experience working as an independent contributor and in a team environment
• Knowledge and understanding of the horticultural industry a plus
• Knowledge and experience using Adobe creative suite preferred
• Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity
• Handles conflict situations effectively, with a minimum of noise
• Manage complexity - Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems
• Planning and alignment - Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals
• Optimize work processes - Knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement
• Ability to travel to Columbus, Ohio, for several days each July during the Cultivate tradeshow

Salary Range: $60-70K

Physical Requirement

• Occasionally may lift/carry and push/pull up to 40 pounds
• Ability to sit/stand 90% of the day
• Ability to use hands/fingers 100% of the day

Our promise to you:

We create excitement in the world of flowers and are the first choice for service. We deliver all the best and nothing else! To you, we deliver a work environment and a culture where building long-lasting relationships internally and externally is important. We believe that good communication, sharing ideas and collaborating on projects will set us up for success. We keep both our feet on the ground and are approachable.

In addition to this we provide a comprehensive Total Rewards package that includes:

• Medical, dental, life and long-term disability insurance
• 401k/Profit Sharing Retirement Plan
• Paid time off benefits including vacation and holidays
• Tuition assistance
• Employee Assistance Program and Positive Health programs
• An onsite subsidized café overlooking renowned display gardens and restored natural areas