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Proofreading Team Manager - Hybrid

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Overview

  • Job Title: Proofreading Team Manager
  • Reporting to: Client Services Director
  • Department: Creative - Quality Assurance
  • Location: Essex
  • Job Type: Hybrid
  • Direct reports: QA Deputy Manager, 3 Senior Proofreaders, 1 Proofreader

As the Proofreading Team Manager, you will assume a pivotal role in leading and overseeing the Quality Assurance team. Your primary focus will be to collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including client services, the studio, digital, and social teams. Your managerial expertise will come to the forefront as you provide guidance, training, and direction to the Quality Assurance team, leveraging your exceptional skill set and knowledge. The effective organisation and control of workflow, coupled with your adept handling of appraisals, 1-2-1 sessions, holiday requests, the planner, recruitment, training, meetings, and motivation, are integral to fostering a cohesive and high-performing team.

Your overarching responsibility extends to ensuring the precision and quality of written content, images, and branding across diverse media channels. This encompasses maintaining strict brand adherence and taking decisive action when necessary. You play a critical role in shaping the editorial tone and voice for each client, contributing significantly to the development and enhancement of content strategies. Beyond meticulous proofreading, you actively participate in creative discussions, providing invaluable insights to refine and elevate the overall quality of communication.

In your capacity as Proofreading Team Manager, you serve as a strategic bridge between creative and technical aspects. Your focus goes beyond grammatical precision; you ensure the seamless integration of visual elements with textual content. Your keen eye for detail plays a pivotal role in guaranteeing a consistent and polished brand image across an array of platforms. This comprehensive approach underscores your commitment to upholding and enhancing the quality standards of our deliverables, reinforcing the organisation’s reputation for excellence.

Job responsibilities

  • Manage the planner and workflow, ensuring optimal resource allocation and efficient task distribution.
  • Foster close contact with team members, providing support and encouragement.
  • Encourage joint initiatives such as meetings or discussions to improve processes and teamwork.
  • Conduct appraisals, supporting team members in their goals and professional development.
  • Handle and manage holiday requests to maintain workflow continuity.
  • Liaise with other teams for mutual benefit, ensuring seamless collaboration.
  • Initiate training strategies identified in appraisals or meetings.
  • Oversee proofreading, checking branding, consistency, compliance, or misrepresentation in work.
  • Stay abreast of new language usage and grammatical developments.
  • Sub-edit or smooth text when necessary to maintain a consistent voice.
  • Liaise directly with other departments to clarify or resolve queries, including addressing work problems, misinterpretations, or potentially libelous material.
  • Work proficiently with Adobe Acrobat and MS Office software.
  • Contribute to the recruitment, selection, onboarding, and induction of new team members, ensuring seamless integration into company culture and processes.
  • Provide comprehensive support in alignment with company policies and procedures, including supervision, absence management, disciplinary and grievance proceedings, performance reviews, monthly one-on-one sessions, appraisals, feedback loops, recognition initiatives, goal-setting, and proactive involvement in training and development efforts.
  • Foster an environment of continuous learning and professional development. Actively engage in coaching and create opportunities for direct reports to stretch their capabilities and advance their careers.
  • Cultivate a culture of creativity, collaboration, and high performance within your team. Encourage and equip direct reports with the necessary skills to excel in their roles, facilitating individual and collective growth.
  • Ensure clear and consistent communication of key messages to your direct reports and throughout the team. Foster an environment of open dialogue and transparency.
  • Take charge of updating administration systems as needed and advocate for proper organisation and archiving of files. Ensure your team consistently upholds these responsibilities.
  • Set the standard by adhering to company policies, procedures, and directives. Ensure your team is fully aware of and compliant with these guidelines.
  • Keep administration systems up-to-date and prioritise good housekeeping practices, including archiving old files and maintaining accurate client details.
  • Always adhere to company policies, procedures, and instructions.

Person specification

  • A Degree in English, Journalism, or Mass Communications would be desirable.
  • Additional qualifications in Publishing or Publishing Studies, Media, or Electronic Media are a plus
  • Extensive experience proofreading or editing written content.
  • Demonstrable track record in senior roles particularly within an agency setting.
  • Prior experience in a Marketing Agency is highly desirable.
  • Documented success in team management.
  • Strong skill set for proofreading, writing, grammar and punctuation, and a thorough knowledge of the English language.
  • Knowledge of standard proofreading practices, procedures and concepts.
  • Copy-editing and on-screen editing skills.
  • Concentration, accuracy, and great attention to detail.
  • Quick reader with the ability to read and edit quickly without sacrificing quality.
  • Be highly proficient in Acrobat Pro, and the Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams
  • Have exceptional interpersonal skills, coupled with outstanding verbal and written communication capabilities.
  • Be expert in effectively prioritising and managing your own time, and team tasks across multiple clients in a fast-paced environment.
  • You should also have excellent planning and organisational abilities.
  • You must have an unwavering attention to detail.
  • Familiarity with ASA, GDPR, and pertinent legislation.
  • Familiarity with the production process of online and offline work.
  • Thrives under pressure to meet client demands.
  • Highly ambitious and driven individual with a proven ability to propel a department forward.
  • Commitment to working efficiently and accurately
  • Equally adept at collaborative teamwork and self-motivated independent work.
  • A scrupulous approach to detail and methodical working style.
  • The motivation to work on your own and to meet tight deadlines.
  • Ability to stay focused throughout an entire document which may be long and technical.
  • Good judgement to gauge which changes are necessary.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills to build working relationships with colleagues.
  • Must be able to multitask, manage, and prioritise multiple projects at the same time.

Equal Opportunities employer

Focus is an Equal Opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, disability, religion or belief, age, or any other ground on which it is or becomes unlawful to discriminate under the laws of England, Wales and Scotland. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business needs.

Before you apply

At the Focus Agency Group, we’re committed to being the best.

Our team is made up of highly skilled professionals who possess not only a deep understanding of our clients’ requirements, but also an innate grasp of the ever-evolving digital landscape.

We value creative minds and believe in providing our team members with stimulating projects and the opportunity to work alongside leading figures in the digital industry. As part of our commitment to professional development, we offer tailored training to empower our team to stay ahead of the curve.

When you join the Focus Agency Group, you’ll be embarking on an exciting journey where your expertise will be nurtured, your ideas will be valued, and your career will thrive.

  • Please ensure you submit an up-to-date CV.
  • If the position you’re applying for requires a portfolio, we kindly ask you submit or share a link to showcase your work.
  • You must have the right to work in the UK.
  • You must be within commutable distance of your designated office.

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