Head of Content Operations (Full-time or part-time)

Elife Sciences; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time Off

Pension & Life Assurance

Family Support

Professional Growth

Culture & Socials

Job summary

eLife is seeking a Head of Content Operations to shape our long-term content strategy and drive workflow automation. You will lead a dedicated content operations team, ensuring an exceptional experience for authors and advancing open science in digital scholarly communication.

Responsibilities include managing XML-related technologies, vendor processes, and metadata standards, while championing innovation like AI-assisted workflows.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in STM journal publishing with staff management and vendor oversight.
• Strong background in workflow evaluation, project/product management, and system dependencies.
• Active engagement with open science and content standardization.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills for diverse stakeholder input and cross-department initiatives.
• Experience with XML-related technologies and automation tools for submissions and distribution.
• Experience leading production editors and external contractors, with performance management.

Responsibilities

• Lead the content operations team and shape long-term content strategy.
• Drive workflow automation and improve submission to distribution processes.
• Oversee vendor tender processes and manage freelancers for output quality.
• Maintain high editorial standards in copyediting, proofreading, and house style.
• Champion metadata standards and open science practices across publishing workflows.
• Direct downstream distribution to major repositories (Crossref, PubMed, CLOCKSS, OA Switchboard).

Skills

STM journal publishing

Staff management

Vendor oversight

Workflow evaluation

Open science

Interpersonal skills

AI awareness

Tools

XML technologies

Job description

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Closing date for applications is November 20, 2026.

eLife is looking for an ambitious, proactive and visionary Head of Content Operations to shape our long-term content strategy, drive workflow automation, and advance our digital product. In this high impact role, you will lead a dedicated content operations team, focused on delivering a great experience for authors, and help shape the future of open science and digital scholarly communication.

The ideal candidate should have:

• 8+ years in STM journal publishing, with proven staff management and vendor oversight (including tender/RfP execution).
• Strong background in workflow evaluation, project/product management, and navigating system dependencies.
• Active engagement with open science initiatives and a passion for promoting machine readability and content standardization.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to manage diverse stakeholder inputs, resolve conflicts, and lead cross-departmental teams and initiatives.
• Automation & Infrastructure: Manage eLife’s XML-related technologies including, but not limited to XML, XSL, XML Schema and Schematron and automation tools to optimize submission workflows, author proofing, and downstream content distribution.
• Vendor & Service Management: Lead tender processes, manage vendors and freelancers, and drive continuous improvements in turnaround times and output quality.
• Author Experience: Maintain high level copyediting, proofreading, and house style, delivering an exceptional, responsive service to authors.
• Standards & Open Science: Champion best practices in metadata, persistent identifiers (PIDs), and open science standards across publishing workflows and research content.
• Downstream Distribution: Ensure distribution across major repositories (e.g. Crossref, PubMed, CLOCKSS, OA Switchboard).
• Team Management: Lead and mentor the content operations team (Production Editor, Production Assistant, and external contractors), overseeing performance reviews, workload management, and professional development.
• Future Vision & Innovation: Act as a visionary for the future of scientific content, redefining how published research is processed, presented and consumed, championing concepts like the "article of the future" and leveraging emerging AI innovations.

The post is a remote (UK-based), permanent position, full time or part-time (minimum 30 hours/week) and offers a competitive basic salary range of £65,000-£75,000 per annum (depending on experience) and excellent benefits.

Location: Remote (UK-based)
Salary: £65,000-£75,000 per annum (depending on experience) + excellent benefits
Reports to: Chief Publishing Officer
Contract: Permanent, full time or part-time (minimum 30 hours/week)
Direct Reports: 1 Production Editor, 1 Production Assistant, plus external contractors
Budgetary Responsibility: ~£200,000 p.a. operational spend | ~£200,000 p.a. departmental staffing budget

Applicants must be able to demonstrate the right to live and work in the UK to be considered for the vacancy.

What we offer

We care about your growth and well-being. Joining eLife means being part of a friendly, sociable, and forward-thinking team.

• Time Off: 25 days of annual leave, plus all UK public bank holidays.
• Financial Security: Company pension scheme and Life Assurance (4x basic salary).
• Family Support: Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay.
• Professional Growth: Dedicated investment in your personal and career development.
• Culture: A warm, inclusive team environment with regular social events.

Why Join Us?

At eLife we are embedded in the scientific community and are shaping a new future on how research is reviewed and published. The Head of Content Operations plays a crucial role in the organisation's publishing function. You'll lead a highly skilled team, control a substantial operational budget, and have a central role in influencing the future of scholarly communication.

A note on AI tools: We embrace innovation and welcome the use of AI tools to help you research eLife, structure your application, or map your skills. However, we deeply value authenticity-please ensure your final submission is personalised and reflects your true voice and experience.

eLife is committed to building an inclusive team that reflects a diversity of perspectives. We particularly welcome applications from women, non-binary individuals, disabled candidates, and Black, Asian, and minority ethnic professionals, who are currently underrepresented across technology and scholarly publishing.