Operations Specialist

The Seattle Times is seeking an Operations Specialist to join our Operations team! This person will receive and process materials for the daily newspaper as well as various other products. They will work closely with our Advertising reps to review incoming ads and other jobs for clarity, accuracy, completeness and timeliness. This position will prioritize and route material to the appropriate subdepartment, track and coordinate advertising material, and work closely with Quality Assurance, Imaging, Corporate Marketing, and Page Planning to ensure we meet all established deadlines for publication.

Schedule and Work Location: This position is primarily remote, with a standard schedule of Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. However, flexibility is required, as the finalist may occasionally need to work off hours (including weekends) depending on business needs. Additionally, occasional on-site work at our Seattle or Kent offices may be necessary.

Responsibilities:

• Review incoming ads and proof revisions for completeness, accuracy, clarity and timeliness and provide appropriate feedback to Advertising staff when needed. Prioritize all jobs.
• Provide a high level of customer service to our internal advertising customers.
• Ensure that ads and other materials meet established quality standards and are available prior to publication.
• Work closely with the Operations sub-departments including the Kent Printing Facility to efficiently coordinate the production of advertising material meeting the customers’ expectations.
• Produce high quality proofs of ads for the Advertising staff and advertising customers in a timely manner, meeting established standards. Proofs may be distributed via email, Teams or other means.
• Retrieve items/ads from archive to be used in upcoming publications.
• Communicate missing items/ads to sales.
• Cross train in other departments for coverage.
• Monitor pagination system to verify placement of scheduled ads.
• Track all scheduled ads submitted after deadline to ensure their insertion into the appropriate product, if possible.
• Perform any other duties within the Traffic Central sub-department as needed.
• Perform Prepress sub-department duties as needed.
• Effectively communicate and support other Traffic Central employees with all assignments.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Create and distribute schedules for holidays and Special Sections

Qualifications:

• Education: High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Experience:
  • Prior work experience in newspaper (production or advertising), print technology, or a related field is preferred.
  • Prior work experience in a graphic arts environment is helpful.
  • Preferred proficiency in mathematics, advertising layout, design, and ad scheduling.
  • Strong computer literacy, including proficiency with word processing software and experience working on both Mac and PC platforms.
  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
  • Ability to perform effectively in high-pressure situations.
  • Ability to handle a variety of tasks and adapt to frequent changes.
  • Proven ability to learn new processes and skills quickly.
  • Team-oriented mindset with the ability to collaborate effectively.
  • Capable of performing occasional light lifting.

Compensation: The full salary range for this position is $50,500 to $62,400. We typically pay between $50,500 to $57,600, depending on experience and qualifications.     

Benefits:

• Medical, dental, vision, and long-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Optional life and AD&D insurance and long-term care insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• 10 days of annual vacation accrual, increasing with tenure up to 20 days
• 10 days of annual sick accrual; unused sick pay accrues to an extended illness bank
• 9 paid holidays
• Internet stipend for predominately remote employees
• Subsidized transit cards
• Complimentary Seattle Times subscription
• Wellness program
• Parental leave options

Please Note: As a union-represented position, you will be required to join a union and pay regular membership dues. 

Founded in 1896, The Seattle Times continues its tradition as a family-owned, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper that cuts through the clutter and provides readers with timely, relevant news. We serve the Pacific Northwest with thoughtful, independent journalism that makes a real difference in our community. And as a media solutions company, we combine cutting-edge digital capabilities and service with the values and integrity of respected traditional media… with an established audience of 1.9 million. At The Seattle Times, you'll find work that matters.

If you need assistance to accommodate a disability, please contact Human Resources at careers@seattletimes.com and provide a description of the reasonable accommodation(s) needed.