Editorial Manager

Keka Technologies Private Limited; Chennai District; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Keka Technologies Private Limited is seeking an Editorial Manager to build, run, and scale peer review operations from scratch in a hands-on leadership role. You will manage day-to-day editorial workflows, coordinate with editors, authors, and reviewers, and ensure timely, high-quality publication processes.

You will design and own global editorial SOPs, mentor junior staff, and drive continuous improvement across journals and book programs while maintaining ethical publishing standards.

Qualifications

• Strong administrative, coordination, and process design skills.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Proven ability to work independently, take ownership, and drive improvements.
• Hands-on experience with peer review/manuscript tracking systems such as ScholarOne/Manuscript Central, Editorial Manager.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the end-to-end peer review process, including reviewer assignment, reminders, timeline tracking, and quality outcomes using platforms such as ScholarOne, Editorial Manager, or similar systems.
• Monitor manuscript schedules, communicate deadlines to authors, reviewers, and editors, and follow up on delayed submissions or reviews.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers—responding to queries and guiding stakeholders through the editorial and peer review lifecycle.
• Arrange, track, and consolidate reviewer feedback for journal articles and book proposals under consideration.
• Maintain accurate records in manuscript tracking systems, internal databases, spreadsheets, and project management tools.
• Support editorial decision-making by ensuring appropriate reviewer coverage, complete documentation, and adherence to timelines.
• Send out author contracts and respond to contract-related queries in coordination with internal teams.
• Perform final manuscript checks and prepare files for handover to the production team.
• Provide operational support for editorial board meetings, including coordination, agenda preparation, minutes, and follow-ups.
• Assist with ad-hoc tasks such as processing payments, maintaining contributor records, and coordinating with vendors.
• Liaise with internal departments to resolve queries and improve processes.

Skills

Administrative skills

Coordination

Process design

MS Office

Peer review systems

Editorial leadership

Mentoring

Tools

ScholarOne

Editorial Manager

Manuscript Central

Job description

We are looking for a Editorial Manager who can build, run, and scale peer review operations from scratch while also actively managing day-to-day editorial workflows. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong process ownership, stakeholder coordination, and deep understanding of journal/book peer review ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities

Peer Review Operations & Execution

• Coordinate the end-to-end peer review process , including reviewer assignment, reminders, timeline tracking, and quality outcomes using platforms such as ScholarOne, Editorial Manager, or similar systems .
• Monitor manuscript schedules, communicate deadlines to authors, reviewers, and editors, and proactively follow up on delayed submissions or reviews.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers—responding to queries and guiding stakeholders through the editorial and peer review lifecycle.
• Arrange, track, and consolidate reviewer feedback for journal articles and book proposals under consideration.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in manuscript tracking systems, internal databases, spreadsheets, and project management tools .
• Support editorial decision-making by ensuring appropriate reviewer coverage, complete documentation, and adherence to timelines.
• Send out author contracts and respond to contract-related queries in coordination with internal teams.
• Perform final manuscript checks and prepare files for smooth handover to the production team.
• Provide operational support for editorial board meetings , including coordination, agenda preparation, minutes, and follow-ups.
• Assist with ad-hoc tasks such as processing payments, maintaining contributor records, and coordinating with vendors .
• Liaise with internal departments (production, marketing, royalties, finance) to resolve queries and eliminate when required.

Peer Review Leadership & Process Ownership

• Design, implement, and own the peer review workflow from scratch , ensuring scalability, efficiency, quality, and compliance with publishing ethics.
• Define and document SOPs, best practices, and escalation mechanisms for peer review operations across journals or book programs.
• Lead, mentor, and guide junior peer review/editorial team members , ensuring consistent delivery and quality standards.
• Own and track peer review KPIs such as turnaround time (TAT), reviewer performance, decision cycle efficiency, and author experience.
• Act as the primary escalation point for complex editorial, reviewer, or author issues.
• Configure, optimize, and manage peer review systems (ScholarOne/EM), including workflow setup, user roles, and reporting.
• Conduct regular process audits and quality checks to ensure integrity, transparency, and adherence to ethical publishing standards.
• Build and maintain a strong reviewer database , develop reviewer engagement strategies, and improve reviewer responsiveness and retention.
• Support onboarding of new journals or titles , including peer review setup, team readiness, and go-live support.
• Work closely with Editors, Publishers, and internal leadership to align peer review operations with broader publishing goals.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• Strong administrative, coordination, and process design skills .
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a professional and empathetic tone .
• Proven ability to work independently , take ownership, and drive improvements proactively.
• Advanced working knowledge of MS Office (especially Excel and Outlook) .
• Hands-on experience with peer review/manuscript tracking systems such as ScholarOne/Manuscript Central, Editorial Manager.
• A genuine interest in academic publishing, peer review integrity, and journal/book workflows .
• 8+ years of experience in journal editorial or peer review operations within an ePublishing environment.
• Demonstrated experience in peer review coordination, workflow setup, and process improvement .
• Prior exposure to mentoring or leading team members is highly desirable.