Prepress Digital Production Specialist

**Date**:Nov 11, 2024 **Location**: Waterloo, CA **Company**:Wilfrid Laurier University **Department**: Student and Ancillary Services **Job Type**: Continuing **Full-time/Part-time**: Full Time (>=1249 hrs/year) **Campus**: Waterloo **Reports to**:Manager, Print and Imaging Solutions **Employee Group**: WLUSA **Application Deadline**:11/18/2024 **Requisition ID**:8788 Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading multi-campus university that excels at educating with purpose. Through its exceptional employees, students, researchers, leaders, and educators, Laurier has built a reputation as a world-class institution known for its rich student experience, academic excellence, and global impact. With a commitment to Indigenization and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Laurier’s thriving community has a place for everyone. Laurier has more than 21,000 students and 2,100 faculty and staff across campuses in Waterloo and Brantford, as well locations in Kitchener and Milton. The university is committed to providing an inclusive workplace, a flexible work policy and employing a workforce that is reflective of local and national demographics. Laurier's Waterloo, Kitchener, and Brantford campuses are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources, and not to engage in conflict. Laurier's Milton campus is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and part of the Nanfan Treaty of 1701 between the British Crown and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. **Position Summary** At Laurier, we are a community. It’s what brings our students here and what keeps our people here. As an educational institution, we inspire lives of leadership and purpose in our student community. As an employer, we seek, foster and value the same qualities of leadership and purpose in our employee community. We currently have an opportunity to join the Laurier community as a Prepress Digital Production Specialist. Printed media is core to the university and requires the incumbent to have an extensive and current working knowledge of prepress, proofing, complex data merges and technical aptitude working with digital production equipment. The incumbent will have an in-depth knowledge of prepress/desktop publishing software and production workflow automation. Responsibilities also include the review and modifications of files for the correctness of fonts, graphics, bleeds/crops, production colour and overall quality while being an ambassador of and conforming to the Laurier Brand Standards. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to prioritize orders while being flexible to change priorities at a moment’s notice is mandatory. Experience in an Avanti environment and in the bindery and shipping operations of a print shop is an asset. Projects such as courseware and training documents are the intellectual property of the institution we serve and understanding the importance of the materials we produce and taking precautions to protect these knowledge assets is a must. **Accountabilities** **Primary Duties**: **Pre-Press** - Reviews and assesses each print order before initiating into production - Pre-flights customer supplied files and makes necessary changes in order to successfully print order to meet customer expectations - Identifies appropriate materials and replenishes stock when required - Automates the pre-press workflow for efficient operations - Maintains workstations running desktop publishing software used to layout and prepare jobs for printing - Troubleshoots and alters print-ready files using appropriate software and technique including but not limited to - stepping up to maximize sheet usage to reduce waste, folding configurations, booklet-making (building signatures), converting non-standard software, converting readers spreads into printer spreads, colour matching, photo retouching, die-cutting, embossing, foil stamping, varnishing and other special effects, various bindery methods and complex mail merges with text and images - Produces each order to customer specifications; edits and proofreads project to ensure highest quality and accuracy, generates proofs, obtains client approvals and sign-off - Closely monitors work to assure high quality production with mínimal supervision - Works closely with Manager to review workflow, assists in scheduling of work for timely production - Effectively uses shop-floor workflow software for timely and accurate reporting - Copies files to appropriate media, backs up regularly for future retrieval **Production** - Determines how best to complete the assigned tasks using accepted procedures and practices associated with planning, preparing and producing high quality printing - Follows job ticket and other instructions accurately and