At Barnes & Noble Education (“BNED”), we’re committed to making education more affordable, accessible, and effective for students and institutions nationwide. Partnering with hundreds of academic institutions, we empower millions of students to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. Our subsidiary, MBS, is one of the nation’s largest textbook wholesalers and course material distributors, offering colleges and universities flexible distribution solutions, cutting-edge retail technology for campus stores, and dependable access to essential learning materials. Together, BNED and MBS deliver innovative solutions that enable students, educators, and institutions to thrive.

To advance this mission, we are seeking a Director, Publisher Partnerships and Programs to lead the development, management, and enforcement of our publisher programs, policies, and terms of service. This pivotal role will foster strong, high-quality publisher relationships, ensure rigorous compliance with program standards, and drive operational excellence across the publisher ecosystem.

Publisher Relations

• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with publishing partners.

• Serve as the primary liaison for publisher communications, escalations, and strategic initiatives.

• Guide publishers through onboarding, program participation, and ongoing engagement.

• Collaborate with internal teams to improve publisher experience and performance.

Program Compliance

• Develop and enforce publisher program policies and terms of service.

• Monitor publisher activity to ensure alignment with program standards and acceptable use policies.

• Conduct regular audits and reviews to detect non-compliance or violations.

• Lead investigations and resolution processes for policy breaches, including fraud, abuse, or misrepresentation.

Policy Development & Education

• Create and maintain clear, scalable publisher guidelines and documentation.

• Stay informed on industry trends and platform updates to proactively revise policies.

• Develop training materials and educational resources to support publisher compliance.

• Provide internal teams with guidance on compliance and policy matters.

Reporting & Strategy

• Track and report on publisher compliance metrics, risk indicators, and enforcement actions.

• Identify opportunities to enhance program integrity and publisher quality.

• Partner with Product, Engineering, and Support teams to implement compliance tools and workflows.

• Contribute to strategic planning for publisher program growth and sustainability.

Other Duties

• Perform additional responsibilities as needed to support team and program objectives.

• 7+ years in publisher/vendor relations or program management, with experience managing programs or marketplaces and enforcing policies.
• Strong understanding of digital publishing, content monetization, platform ecosystems, and publisher lifecycle management.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills, with proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and manage multiple priorities.
• Analytical mindset with data-driven decision-making experience.
• Experience with publisher platforms, monitoring tools, and developing scalable policy frameworks and operational processes highly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications, Media, or related field; Master’s preferred.
• Limited travel may be required.

We believe your success is our success, and we’re committed to supporting you in every aspect of life. At BNED, we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to promote physical, mental, and financial well-being. Our full-time employees receive access to medical, dental, and vision coverage; a 401(k) plan; life and disability insurance; commuter benefits; paid time off and holidays; and a broad range of additional benefits.

The hiring range for this position is $120,000 - $150,000 per year. This range represents the base salary only, in good faith at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as relevant experience, skills, and qualifications. This position is bonus-eligible, with bonus amounts determined at the company’s discretion based on individual qualifications and applicable program terms.

At Barnes & Noble Education we empower everyone. Our mission is to support students, faculty, and schools, serving as a catalyst to meet the evolving needs of the education system and a new generation of students. That starts with fostering an environment for our employees where diversity and individuality is celebrated.

Barnes & Noble Education is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer committed to diversity in the workplace. In the spirit of inclusivity, qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ethnicity, ability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, nationality, protected veteran status, race, religion or sexual orientation.

#INDBNED