Manager EA Operations

Follett Higher Education•Westchester, IL

About The Position

Follett Higher Education is a leading educational service provider and omnichannel retailer, providing students, faculty, staff, parents, and fans with the course materials, learning tools, and retail services needed to successfully support the collegiate journey. Follett Higher Education supports over 6 million students through its 1,100 physical and 1,750 eCommerce campus stores across North America. The Equitable Access Operations Manager is responsible for leading the execution and oversight of equitable access operations teams, including both access success leaders and course materials managers and EA AR team members (pods) for Equitable Access programs. Each EA Ops manager oversees 4-5 pods each (14+ direct reports). The Manager will be responsible for the financial execution and profitability of the Equitable Access programs, ensuring cost-effectiveness, profitability, and return on investment (ROI) across programs. The Manager(s) will work closely with internal and external stakeholders to optimize access, troubleshoot challenges, and continuously improve the scalability and execution of the EA program. This position works collaboratively and cross-functionally with the Follett Access Support team, Access Implementation team, Access Solutions, EA Directors, and Store/Field Teams on training, product, and process improvements & execution and reports directly to the Director of Equitable Access Operations. This position is responsible for the overall management, monitoring, and success of course materials and Equitable Access programs across multiple campuses/stores within an assigned regionalized group of course materials managers and access success leaders(pods). The role oversees the course materials business lifecycle, provides operational oversight, and ensures program compliance while driving strategic initiatives and growth opportunities. The position collaborates with internal teams, store/field management, campus partners, and external stakeholders to ensure seamless execution of course material strategies and inclusive access programs. This position has direct decision-making responsibility over course materials and Access programs, supporting annual business revenues of $50M+ within their assigned pods. Additionally, this role is accountable for hiring, training, and developing a team of Access Success Leaders, Course Materials Managers, and EA Ops AR leaders, ensuring optimal execution and compliance of course materials and Access programs.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business, education, or a related field
5+ years of leadership experience in course materials, higher education, or ed-tech operations.
Strong understanding of Equitable Access programs, course materials lifecycle, and campus integrations.
Proven ability to manage large-scale operations with revenue responsibility ranging from $50M+.
Exceptional leadership, team development, and strategic planning skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with experience utilizing data for decision-making.
Excellent communication and relationship management skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
Proficiency in reporting tools, financial analysis, and project management methodologies.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead a team that engages with store team, campus partners, and course materials leadership to ensure timely, smooth delivery of equitable access programs.
Provide direction in the management of Course Materials Managers, Access Success Leaders, and related teams, ensuring program goals and compliance requirements are met.
Own execution of all current and future Access programs within assigned geography, collaborating with campus partners, publishers, and faculty for adoption and delivery of course materials.
Execute strategic initiatives to optimize the effectiveness of Follett Access and Course Materials programs.
Work to ensure the team meets business objectives, revenue, and margin goals.
Serve as a key decision-maker in analyzing reports, identifying risks, and implementing corrective actions to drive program success.
Hire, train, and develop a high performing team, ensuring professional growth and expertise in course materials and Access operations.
Create an effective work environment, setting performance expectations, and driving accountability through motivation and mentorship.
Continually assess and address development challenges and opportunities with the team.
Foster strong relationships with campus stakeholders, including administration, faculty, and students, to ensure program success and customer satisfaction.
Maintain and strengthen relationships with publishers and faculty to support digital content delivery, LMS integration, and program expansion.
Lead regular touch-base meetings, training sessions, and post-mortems to continuously improve program/team execution and stakeholder engagement with faculty, campus partners, and field partners.
Ensure your team's compliance with Equitable Access and course materials best practices, as well as operational procedures for program success.
Utilize reporting tools and analytics to identify performance gaps/opportunities and develop solutions to optimize execution.
Track and monitor program health and team member performance to ensure team KPIs are met.
Drive adherence to pricing and margin strategies, ensuring financial targets are met.
Oversee program execution, monitoring, and continuous process improvements to support seamless term-over-term execution.
Collaborate to resolve complex operational challenges, ensuring effective coordination across internal teams, external partners, and publisher networks.
Serve as an escalation point for store teams, OTC team members, and campus partners, addressing program inquiries and operational issues to enhance overall execution and compliance.
Ensure full cycle EA accounts receivable process execution, including program setup, pricing, invoicing, tracking, adjustment resolution, and collection, occur for all programs affiliated with your pod to ensure overall program health and expected financial performance.
Ensure full cycle EA accounts receivable invoicing, tracking, adjustments and collection occur.
Ensure the team develops and executes repeatable, documented processes, ensuring a seamless experience for our customers, both technical and operational.
Manage timelines and deadlines for program delivery.
Serve as an escalation path for program inquiries & support for campuses that fall within given stores/pod responsibilities.
Prioritize and balance client and vendor initiatives as they align with the focus of the organization.
Ensure that clients receive the highest level of service during and after implementation, with a focus on long-term success and satisfaction.