Institutional Sales and Partnership Manager (Full-time or Part-time)

Elife Sciences; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension

Life Assurance (4x basic salary)

25 days annual leave

Professional development

Job summary

eLife is seeking a Publishing Development professional to lead the development, negotiation, and execution of institutional publishing agreements. You will drive strategic partnerships, expand OA collaborations, and shape business models underpinning open science.

The role requires a strong sales/BD background in scholarly publishing, 2+ years in negotiations, and excellent English communication. The post is remote (UK-based), permanent, with a flexible full-time or part-time (minimum 30

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience negotiating and selling institutional OA publishing agreements.
• Experience managing negotiations with libraries, consortia, research institutions and funders.
• Proven ability to manage the full partnership lifecycle from prospecting to renewal.
• Experience representing an organization at conferences and external meetings.
• Strong English written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, negotiation, and execution of institutional publishing agreements.
• Manage the partner lifecycle from prospecting, outreach, negotiation, contract execution to renewals.
• Represent the organization at conferences and external meetings.
• Collaborate with internal teams to implement agreements and refine pricing models.
• Track market trends and contribute to strategic business model initiatives.

Skills

Negotiation

Relationship building

Sales lifecycle

Open Access publishing

Stakeholder management

Conference representation

Independent management

Travel willingness

Education

University degree

Job description

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Closing date for applications is November 20, 2026.

As a key member of our Publishing Development team, you will lead the development, negotiation, and execution of institutional publishing agreements. You will play a crucial role in advancing eLife’s impact, expanding strategic partnerships, and shaping the future business models that underpin open science.

The ideal candidate should have:

• A strong background in sales or business development, ideally within scholarly publishing and institutional Open Access (OA) agreements.
  
• 2+ years of experience in managing negotiations and sales of publishing agreements with academic libraries, consortia, research institutions, and funders.
  
• Proven track record of independently managing the complete partnership lifecycle (prospecting, outreach, negotiation, execution, and renewal).
  
• Experience representing an organization at conferences, institutional visits, and external meetings.
  
• A passion for contributing to business development and evolving research culture within scholarly publishing.
  
• A university degree (in any discipline).
  
• Negotiation & Relationship Building: Excellent negotiation, sales, and stakeholder management skills across diverse professional backgrounds.
  
• Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of the scholarly publishing ecosystem, peer review models, and institutional Open Access agreements.
  
• Communication: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills in fluent English.
  
• Self-Motivation & Independence: Proactive, results-oriented, and highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
  
• Adaptability & Collaboration: Collaborative mindset with a willingness to travel occasionally for institutional visits and industry events.
• Deal Negotiation & Sales Lifecycle: Lead negotiations and manage the full partnership process—from prospecting and outreach to data curation, contract execution, and renewals.
  
• Relationship Management: Build and nurture strong, long-term relationships with academic libraries, library consortia, research institutions, and funding agencies.
  
• Implementation & Uptake: Collaborate with internal teams to implement agreements, increase visibility and uptake, and refine underlying pricing and modeling structures.
  
• Market Insights & Strategy: Monitor market trends, policy developments, and changing dynamics within open access to contribute to future business models and strategic initiatives (including PRC uptake and research culture).
  
• External Representation: Present at external visits, academic conferences, and industry events to promote institutional agreements and gather stakeholder feedback.
  
• Pipeline Management: Maintain accurate activity records throughout the sales pipeline and deliver updates and strategic recommendations to internal teams.

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 £42,000-£50,000 per annum (depending on experience) plus commission and excellent benefits.

Location: Remote (UK-based)
Salary: £42,000-£50,000 per annum (depending on experience) + commission + excellent benefits
Reports to: Publishing Development team
Contract: Permanent, full time or part-time (minimum 30 hours/week)

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?

This role offers a unique opportunity to directly influence how scientific publishing is funded and shared globally. You will collaborate with a forward-thinking global network of funders, institutes, and partners who are working together toward a fairer, more transparent, and sustainable open-access future.

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.