Senior Publisher

BMC; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

Springer Nature, via the BMC Journals division, seeks a Senior Publisher to manage open access life sciences journals with responsibility for strategic development and journal success. You will liaise with Editors, EiCs and the broader scientific community, reporting to an Executive Publisher, in a hybrid setting based in London or New York.

The role focuses on portfolio growth, editorial leadership, financial acumen and delivering best-in-class author experiences, with occasional travel

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in life/biomedical/health sciences preferred.
• Solid experience in journal academic publishing.
• Proactive problem-solver with ability to adapt to change.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Diplomacy and assertiveness in stakeholder interactions.
• Team player who can work independently.
• Strong time management and organisational skills.
• Experience building relations with researchers and editors.
• Strong attention to detail and technical proficiency.
• Willingness to travel occasionally.

Responsibilities

• Drive development and management of a portfolio of open access journals.
• Lead growth and development plans for journals, exploring new business opportunities.
• Manage annual targets for submissions, publications and transfers and monitor turnaround times.
• Deliver excellent author experience and engage Editors-in-Chief and Editorial Boards.
• Lead complex portfolio management scenarios and adapt to changing priorities.
• Resolve pre- and post-publication issues with staff and editors.
• Utilise data to inform decisions and strategic planning.
• Negotiate contracts with external parties using financial forecasts.

Skills

Journal publishing

Open access

Stakeholder management

Editorial liaison

Budget/financial acumen

Negotiation

Communication skills

Travel willingness

Team collaboration

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Title: Senior Publisher, BMC Journals

Location: London or New York – hybrid working model

Application Deadline: 22nd September

About Springer Nature

Springer Nature is one of the leading publishers of research in the world. We publish the largest number of journals and books and are a pioneer in open research. Through our leading brands, trusted for more than 180 years, we provide technology-enabled products, platforms and services that help researchers to uncover new ideas and share their discoveries, health professionals to stay at the forefront of medical science, and educators to advance learning. We are proud to be part of progress, working together with the communities we serve to share knowledge and bring greater understanding to the world. For more information, please visit about.springernature.com and follow @SpringerNature.

At Springer Nature, we recognise that great talent develops through many different paths. We encourage applications from individuals with strong transferable skills, provided they are supported by relevant experience that shows how those skills have been successfully applied in practice. Our hiring approach balances skills, experience, and potential to ensure each role is fulfilled with both short term effectiveness and long term growth in mind.

About The Brand

BMC has more than 25 years of experience in developing open access and provides high-quality, impactful research and a supportive publishing experience for authors. We are committed to publishing the best open access journals in our portfolio of over 250 titles and we strive to drive progress in biology, health sciences and medicine. Visit biomedcentral.com and follow @BioMedCentral

About The Role

The BMC Academic Journals group aims to support researchers in communicating and advancing discovery for a better world. We do this by providing a trusted environment in which researchers can quickly, easily and transparently share their discoveries, data and research stories.

We are seeking a Senior Publisher to manage a portfolio of open access proprietary life sciences journals in our division, particularly within the Plant Sciences subject area. Reporting to an Executive Publisher, you will be responsible for the management, strategic development and success of the individual journals, liaising with internal staff, external journal Editors, and the scientific community.

The position is offered on a full-time, permanent basis and can be based in our London or New York office on a hybrid working pattern. The locations strategy supports team structure and aligns business needs.

Role responsibilities:

• Drive results through portfolio development and management and demonstrate accountability and financial acumen:
• Drive the growth and development of a group of open access journals, successfully devising and implementing annual development plans and explore opportunities for business development.
• Manage the annual targets for journal submission, publication and transfer volumes as well as target turnaround times.
• Customer focus and balancing stakeholders: Deliver best-in-class author experience and foster maximum engagement from Editors-in-Chief (EiCs), Editorial Board Members (EBMs), and Societies.
• Manage complexity:
• Demonstrate resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced, evolving environment, effectively managing changing priorities, navigating ambiguity, responding positively to challenges, and adjusting approaches to meet evolving business needs and objectives.
• Resolve pre- and post-publication issues raised by staff, EBMs and readers (e.g. authorship, scope, ethics and consent, misconduct, policies).
• Data analytics / quantitative skills and decision quality: gather, evaluate, and synthesise information from diverse sources to support data-driven decision-making and strategic planning
• Manage contract negotiations with external parties by using/developing a working knowledge of financial profit & loss statements and forecasting.
• Collaborate and communicate effectively, developing strong working relationships with colleagues, researchers, and external Editors, attend meetings where needed and balance stakeholders.
• Market intelligence: keep up to date with changes within the research community and publishing industry

Experience, Skills & Qualifications:

Essential

• Educated to Bachelor's degree level or equivalent, preferably in a relevant field of study (life, biomedical or health sciences)
• Solid previous experience in journal academic publishing
• A resourceful and proactive approach in dealing with problems and queries, and the ability to adapt quickly to change
• Excellent communication (verbal and written).
• Persuasion and influencing skills including the ability to demonstrate diplomacy and assertiveness as appropriate
• Ability to work cooperatively with colleagues at all levels and as part of a team
• Ability to work on your own initiative and independently
• Strong time management and organisational skills; including proven ability to take ownership of tasks and meet deadlines
• Experience of developing and maintaining productive and friendly relations/partnerships with academic and industry-based researchers
• Strong technical skills, with a sharp attention for detail
• Willingness to travel for the role occasionally

In order to comply with various pay transparency laws and legislations in the United States, the salary range and benefits for this position are included. This information is only applicable to US-based candidates and the actual salary offer may vary based on work experience, education, skill level and equity. Salary ranges differ by country due to various local market considerations. The US salary range does not align with the salary ranges in other countries when converted to the currency of that country.

US Annualized Base Salary Range: $95,000- $110,000.

At Springer Nature, our mission is to be part of progress – and that begins with inclusion: of people, perspectives, and ideas. We believe that diverse perspectives drive progress, and we are committed to creating an environment where people and ideas can flourish. If you have any access needs related to disability, neurodivergence or a chronic condition, please contact us so we can make all necessary accommodation. Find out more about our DEI work here https://group.springernature.com/gp/group/taking-responsibility/diversity-equity-inclusion

For more information about career opportunities in Springer Nature please visit https://springernature.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/SpringerNatureCareers/

Job Posting End Date:

23-09-2026