PRINTING United Alliance (printing.org), the largest national graphic arts trade association, represents an industry with approximately one million employees and serves the interests of thousands of member companies. Through advocacy, research, education, and networking, we provide products and services that help our members enhance their knowledge, growth, efficiency, and profitability.
The Alliance is a dynamic and diverse organization with a growing membership, expanding member service offerings, and a media organization with multiple brands producing print magazines, events, e-newsletters, websites, research, and video content.
We offer our employees the opportunity to work collaboratively with a highly engaged team in a dynamic and evolving industry.
The ideal Technical Product Manager – Certifications comes from the printing or graphic communications industry with real technical grounding — color management, prepress, digital print, or a background like G7/G7+. They're comfortable being the person a printer or OEM trusts when the conversation gets technical. The Alliance will provide product training and coaching as part of onboarding; what we can't train is credibility on the shop floor.
This role owns two of the Alliance's certification lines — System Certifications and Master Facility Certifications — and is responsible for helping grow them. Both programs have real, proven revenue behind them; they've simply never had a dedicated owner. This is a chance to build the go-to-market for something that already works, and to become the industry's go-to expert on it.
This is a manager-level individual contributor role reporting to the SVP, Member Services, working closely with Marketing, Standards, and program stakeholders.
Responsibilities & Duties
Own the Certification Business (Product & Technical Ownership)
- Serve as the internal expert and point person for System Certifications and Master Facility Certifications — the person the industry and internal teams go to for both
- Guide certification candidates and facilities through the technical process, answering real questions about calibration, compliance levels, and requirements
- Coordinate with the independent third-party analysis lab on submissions and evaluations
- Communicate outcomes — including pass/fail results — clearly and professionally
- Identify process and resource gaps (materials, documentation, workflow) and work with internal teams to close them
- Grow the Business (Consultative Sales & Business Development)
- Build relationships with OEMs, suppliers, and printers, and grow a pipeline of certification prospects
- Have consultative, technically grounded conversations that lead to new certification business — this includes proactive outreach, including cold outreach, to companies not yet certified
- Work with Marketing to develop campaigns, content, and materials that support outreach
- Represent the certification programs at industry events, including PRINTING United Expo and relevant summits
- Track pipeline activity and outcomes to support business planning
- Account & Certification Order Management
- Manage certification intake, scheduling, and coordination from submission through outcome
- Provide clear, timely status updates throughout the certification lifecycle
- Maintain documentation and SOPs for certification workflows
- Travel approximately 10% to support attendance at PRINTING United Expo and other relevant industry conferences and summits
Qualifications
Technical background in the printing industry is required — direct experience with color management, prepress, digital, or production print. A credential like G7/G7+ Expert is a real bonus if you have it.
Comfort being the technical authority in a conversation — able to explain calibration, compliance, and certification requirements in terms a non-expert can follow
Willingness to grow into consultative selling and proactive outreach, including cold outreach — prior sales experience is a plus but not required; structured sales training and coaching (internal and via outside sales coaching) is provided
Strong written and verbal communication skills, especially explaining technical outcomes to a range of audiences — from shop floor operators to executives
Ability to manage a pipeline and multiple active accounts without losing track of details
Comfortable working independently and entrepreneurially — you'll own how this grows, and the real work is getting what we already know in front of the right people
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
What You'll Get
A genuine ownership opportunity — these product lines already generate real revenue with no dedicated owner; you're building the plan, not inheriting someone else's
Structured onboarding covering the G7+ ecosystem and both certification programs
A dedicated seat in a professional sales and prospecting training program, so you get real coaching on outreach and cold calling rather than being expected to just figure it out
Support from Marketing, Design, and PR to build outreach materials, campaigns, and content — including opportunities to write, speak, or be featured in Alliance publications
A manageable workload with real room to grow it — this fits inside a standard 40-hour week today, with upside as the business grows
To Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to hr@printing.org.
PRINTING United Alliance recognizes that our employees are our greatest asset, and we are committed to providing a benefits package designed to support their well-being and success. In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage; company-paid life and disability insurance; flexible paid time off and paid holidays; a 401(k) plan with a generous company match; and a variety of additional employee benefits.
We are committed to fostering a workplace centered on belonging and inclusion where all employees feel respected, valued, and empowered to succeed. PRINTING United Alliance provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and makes employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, age, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital or parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, political affiliation, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristics.