Head of Journal Editorial Operations

Cambridge University Press & Assessment; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days annual leave

Private medical and PHI

Discretionary annual bonus

Group personal pension scheme

Life assurance

Green travel schemes

Job summary

Cambridge University Press & Assessment is seeking a Head of Journal Editorial Operations to lead the strategic and operational development of our journal editorial processes, including submission, manuscript evaluation and peer review. You will shape editorial workflows and policies across a portfolio of journals.

You will manage two Journal Editorial Operations Managers, plan workloads and budgets, and champion continuous improvement, digital tooling, and research integrity in collaboration

Qualifications

• Significant experience in scholarly journals publishing and strong understanding of editorial operations, manuscript submission and peer review.
• Strategic and collaborative leader who can translate priorities into clear plans and lead teams through change.
• Ability to build relationships across functions, external partners and technology providers.

Responsibilities

• Own the editorial operations strategy, roadmap, governance and reporting framework, including delivery of best practices in peer review.
• Lead operational improvement and responsible experimentation with AI and new technology within governance structures.
• Shape priorities for online peer review systems, services and supplier roadmaps using evidence and external insight.
• Work with Editorial, Publication Ethics, Digital Publishing, Content Management, suppliers and external partners.
• Provide planning, workload and budget management, while developing team capability through change.

Skills

Operational improvement

Program & project leadership

People leadership

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Job description

Are you an experienced journals publishing leader who wants to shape the future of editorial operations and peer review? We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge. We have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Journal Editorial Operations to lead the strategic and operational development of our journal editorial processes, ensuring high-quality, trusted and scalable workflows and an excellent experience for editors, reviewers and authors.

About the role You will own the strategy and roadmap for journal's editorial operations, setting priorities and governance for improvements across submission, manuscript evaluation and peer review, and the processes, systems and tools that support them. You will ensure editorial policies, research integrity priorities and process improvement strategies translate into practical, consistent and sustainable ways of working across the journals portfolio. Leading two Journal Editorial Operations Managers and a wider department, you will plan workloads and budgets, develop team capability and champion the contribution of editorial operations across Journals. Additional responsibilities and accountabilities include:

• Own the editorial operations strategy, roadmap, governance and reporting framework, including delivery of the Good Practice in Peer Review programme.
• Lead operational improvement and responsible experimentation with AI and new technology within established governance structures.
• Use operational evidence, user insight and external developments to shape priorities for online peer review systems, services and supplier roadmaps.
• Work closely with Editorial, Publication Ethics and Research Integrity, Digital Publishing, Content Management, suppliers and external partners.
• Provide clear planning, workload and budget management, while developing team capability and supporting colleagues through change.
• Monitor developments in scholarly publishing, research practice, peer review tools and competitor activity to inform strategy and delivery.

This position has been classified as a hybrid role, requiring the selected candidate to typically spend 40-60% of their time collaborating and connecting face-to-face at their dedicated location. Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.

Please note as part of the application process, candidates will be asked to complete a small number of role-specific pre-screening questions relating to the essential requirements of the position. These questions help us identify candidates whose skills and experience are most closely aligned to the role. We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and who best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable and/or appropriate, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition. Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.

You will bring significant experience in scholarly journals publishing and a strong understanding of editorial operations, manuscript submission and peer review. You will be a strategic and collaborative leader who can translate organisational priorities into clear plans, lead teams through change, and build effective relationships across functions and with senior colleagues, external partners, suppliers and technology providers. You will also be able to demonstrate:

• Experience of leading operational improvement or transformation and embedding scalable, sustainable ways of working.
• Strong programme and project leadership, including setting priorities, developing roadmaps, managing dependencies and reporting progress.
• Proven people leadership, including developing managers, planning workloads and budgets, and supporting teams through change.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder-management and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, using evidence and external insight to identify risks and recommend improvements.

If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:

• First stage interview: in-person at our offices in Cambridge. You will be provided with a brief to complete a role related task which will need to be returned by email in advance of your interview.
• Final stage interview: in-person at our offices in Cambridge.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry. We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter.

Why join us

Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe - for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration. Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background. We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.

We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package, featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
• Discretionary annual bonus
• Group personal pension scheme
• Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
• Green travel schemes