Senior Manager, Technical Communications

Our client, based in Cambridge is seeking a Senior Technical Communications Manager with experience of technical writing in a communications industry. The successful candidate will have proven experience in managing people and projects, be educated to degree level and have experience of maintaining an XML content management system.

The purpose of the role is to manage the Global Technical Communications group so it works efficiently as a team to produce highly technical customer-facing product documentation, including data sheets, release notes, product briefs, application notes, and user guides for example. Use leading edge XML software to create highly technical information from subject matter experts.

Key Responsibilities
* Line manager the Technical Communications group to ensure production of world-class documentation
* Manager the group's annual budget to achieve maximum document production
* Work closely with Development Group and business units, in line with company priorities, to align documentation project deliverable with engineering project milestones.
* Contribute to Leadership decision making (including Internal Comms discussion on engagement, MarComms discussion on branding, HR discussion on communication).
* Ensure company documentation is a leader in its field by keeping abreast of industry and toolset developments.
* Ensure excellent communication between technical writers working globally, for example organising video conferences at the ends of the UK day to include US and China
* Work with Project Management team to highlight resource gaps
* Publish team's work status in different formats e.g. wiki, Intranet,
* Work with IS on the company's Support website, advising on and implementing changes to the structure of information, so providing customers with the best user experience
* Maintain the Tech Comms support request system, assigning work as applicable
* Help the Quality group develop the documentation management system, to best meet employee requirements
* Liaise with Legal group so technical writers use current trademarks
* Review Marketing group's work when requested
* Direct the documenting and maintaining of Tech Comms standards such as processes and guidelines (e.g. Writing Style Guidelines)
* Respond quickly to customer feedback, writing or re-writing documents where applicable
* Give presentations and workshops, internally and externally, on technical writing best practice and tools
* Regularly research possibility of working with other groups within the company to relieve their workload for customer facing documentation (e.g. contracts, patents)
* Actively participate in local, national and international professional organisations
* Provide clear, concise, comprehensive, accurate and timely documentation to internal customers, ensuring that the content conforms to our client's corporate image and style. This can involve whole document creation to single-pass editing
* Attend project meetings relevant to document projects
* Release company documentation and software to customers via the company support website
* Review team documents to provide editorial feedback
* Monitor project development to ensure timely delivery of documentation
* Work with engineers to decide on essential information for customer documents
* Share the creation and maintenance of internal team documentation, for example processes and style guides.

Person Specification - required
* Degree (or equivalent) in related subject
* Managing people and projects
* Liaising and negotiating up to Board level
* Technical writing in a related industry
* Maintaining XML content management system
* Creating graphics
* Exceptional spoken and written communications skills
* Efficient information gathering and analysis
* Active team involvement and strong self-motivation
* Flexible project scheduling and priority setting under pressure

Person Specification - Desired
* Experience of working for a Start-up company or IC design company
* Experience of XMetal, TCToolbox, Cognidox and Adobe Illustrator