Xerox Corporation is a leading global enterprise for business process and document management. Through its broad portfolio of technology and services, Xerox provides the essential back-office support that clears the way for clients to focus on their core business. The Xerox offices in this region is located in Burnside, Dartmouth, where the successful candidate would be expected to work.

Publications Specialist

An intermediate level information development/publications professional with experience developing user documentation (user manuals and help systems) for software applications.

Applicant must be competent to work on complex projects and apply an intermediate level of knowledge of information development and design concepts, practices, and procedures. In addition, the applicant should be familiar with waterfall and iterative (Agile) software development life cycles.

Typically, he or she will have had a recent role as an information development/publications professional on a software development or professional services team. He or she is able to perform information development activities on schedule and within quality standards according to product specifications and project plans.

He or she is familiar with standard tools to support information development and publications (e.g., FrameMaker, Microsoft Word, MadCap Flare, RoboHelp, Quadralay WebWorks, Microsoft Visio) and is capable of working under aggressive deadlines with general supervision.

Advanced written communications skills are required.

Job Description

The candidate will be expected to perform information development and editing activities. He or she must work with the software development teams to ensure project deliveries are completed on-time, with high quality, and in line with business/customer requirements.

He or she will be familiar with and confident in performing the following duties as a member of the software development team:

• Prepares and/or maintains release notes, technical user documentation, online help, user manuals, and other publications.
• Provides review copies to subject matter experts (SMEs) for comment and approval of information products.
• Tracks review comments and approvals.
• Managing documentation defects to closure using established procedures and guidelines.
• Ensures accuracy in grammar and usage as well as conformity to standards as established in Xerox style guides for printed documentation and online help. Regarded as an in-house resource on questions of grammar, usage, and punctuation.
• Maintains proficiency in documentation tools for desktop publishing, help development, screen captures, and others as needed.
• Participates in efforts to develop and maintain practices, procedures, and job aids for the information development group.
• Performs information development activities according to established procedures and guidelines.
• Provides input into the estimates and project plans for user documentation activities.
• Reviews and provides input into software requirements specifications and technical designs, including reviewing content and providing editorial feedback.
• Understands assignments and communicates accurate status on project activities.
• Identifies risks and issues related to assigned work and works with the team to develop effective mitigations and action plans.
• Analyzes/evaluates the impact of change requests to assigned work and ensures information products are updated as needed to reflect approved changes.
• Fosters team work and communication to achieve project objectives and assists other team members as needed with information development activities.
• Assists with the interviewing and on-boarding of new team members as requested.
• Other information development/publications duties as assigned, such as editing/formatting ad hoc documents, white papers; participating in standards and style guide development.

Education and Typical Years of Experience

Education and Typical Years of Experience: Bachelor’s degree in a related field (English, Communications, Technical Writing) or equivalent work experience. Advanced to expert level written communications skills are required

Minimum 2-4 years experience developing user manuals and help systems, including 1 –2 years experience developing user documentation for large, functionally complex systems.

• 2+ years’ experience with tools such as FrameMaker, Microsoft Word, MadCap Flare, RoboHelp, Quadralay WebWorks, Microsoft Visio.
• Experience using information development tools to single-source user manuals and help systems is a plus.
• Experience working in globally dispersed work teams (onshore and offshore resources) is a plus.
• Experience in developing training materials is a plus.
• Familiarity or experience with instructional design principles is a plus.
• Previous participation in formal process improvement (ISO, PMP, CMMI, Six Sigma) is a plus.

Special Requirements

Candidates should have strong initiative and critical thinking skills. Strong oral communication skills; advanced written communication skills, including the ability to self-edit and edit the work of others as needed. In addition, candidates should possess strong organizational skills.

Organization: PDSI - Public Sector
Virtual/work from home? No