Vendor Operations Lead

Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd; Gurugram District; Hybrid; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd is seeking a senior operations lead to drive end-to-end peer review workflows for GSD-OA. You will govern vendor relationships, implement data-driven improvements, and oversee a team delivering timely, high-quality manuscript progression from submission to production.

The role requires 5+ years in academic publishing, strong Excel and Power BI skills, and a proven ability to manage cross-functional stakeholders across regions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent.
• 5+ years in academic publishing, peer review operations, or related environments.
• Strong data analytics, problem solving and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end peer review operations and team performance.
• Drive vendor governance, relationships, SLAs, and KPI tracking.
• Develop dashboards and reports to monitor throughput and quality.
• Improve workflows, standardize processes, and mitigate risks.
• Collaborate with editors, production, and other functions globally.
• Mentor a team of 5-7 professionals and manage workload

Skills

Team Leadership

Vendor Management

Operational Analytics

Process Improvement

KPIs & SLAs

Stakeholder Management

Excel

Power BI

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration

Publishing or Life Sciences or Operations Management

Tools

Power BI

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Role Summary

This role is responsible for leading end-to-end peer review operations while driving vendor governance, operational analytics, and continuous process improvement for GSD-OA. The incumbent will oversee internal editorial operations, manage vendor delivery performance, and leverage data-driven insights to optimize workflow efficiency, quality, and turnaround times.

The position plays a critical role in ensuring seamless manuscript progression from submission through production by maintaining operational excellence, strengthening stakeholder engagement, mitigating risks, and enabling scalable, performance-driven workflows across both internal and external teams.

Key Responsibilities

Peer Review Operations & Team Leadership

• Lead and oversee end-to-end peer review operations from manuscript submission through handoff to production.
• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of 5-7 professionals, ensuring effective workload distribution and performance management.
• Drive daily and weekly operational planning to achieve productivity, quality, and turnaround time targets.
• Monitor team performance through defined KPIs, identify improvement opportunities, and implement development plans.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Proactively identify and escal...
  

Vendor Management & Governance

• Serve as the primary operational liaison for external vendor partners.
• Establish and maintain strong vendor relationships aligned with quality standards, SLAs, KPIs, and business objectives.
• Track vendor performance using scorecards, dashboards, and governance frameworks.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, feedback discussions, and service improvement initiatives.
• Manage operational escalations, compliance concerns, and delivery risks.
• Drive corrective and preventive actions to address performance gaps and ensure service excellence.
  

Operational Analytics, Reporting & Capacity Planning

• Develop, maintain, and enhance operational dashboards, reports, and trackers using Excel and Power BI.
• Monitor key operational metrics including throughput, turnaround time, backlog, productivity, quality, and resource utilization.
• Analyze data trends to identify bottlenecks, capacity constraints, and process inefficiencies.
• Support workforce planning, forecasting, and capacity management through data-driven insights.
• Present actionable recommendations and performance insights to leadership stakeholders.
• Drive a culture of data-based decision-making across operations.
  

Workflow Governance, Risk Management & Process Improvement

• Ensure consistent and efficient execution of peer review workflows across internal and vendor-supported operations.
• Identify operational bottlenecks, quality concerns, and turnaround time challenges, driving timely resolution.
• Monitor recurring issues and implement sustainable mitigation and preventive measures.
• Lead initiatives focused on workflow optimization, process standardization, and operational scalability.
• Continuously improve SOPs, governance frameworks, and operational controls.
• Champion operational excellence through Lean thinking and continuous improvement methodologies.
  

Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build strong relationships with editors, authors, reviewers, publishers, and internal stakeholders globally.
• Partner closely with Editorial, Production, Technology, Quality, and Operations teams to ensure seamless workflow execution.
• Support vendor onboarding, training, knowledge transfer, and transition management activities.
• Act as a key communication bridge between global stakeholders, including US, UK, and offshore teams.
• Provide timely operational updates and drive stakeholder confidence through proactive communication.
  

Process Governance & Documentation

• Ensure all process documentation, SOPs, training materials, and governance frameworks remain accurate and up to date.
• Maintain audit-ready operational records, performance reports, and governance trackers.
• Evaluate reporting effectiveness and introduce enhancements to improve operational visibility and decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with internal operational standards and quality requirements.
  

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Publishing, Life Sciences, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
  

Experience

• 5+ years of experience in academic publishing, peer review operations, scholarly communications, or related operational environments.
• Demonstrated experience in team leadership, people management, and capability development.
• Proven experience managing vendor relationships, performance governance, and service delivery.
• Strong operational management experience with ownership of workflow performance, resource planning, and productivity optimization.
• Experience working in fast-paced, metrics-driven environments with multiple stakeholder groups.
  

Technical & Functional Skills

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Power BI, including dashboard development, reporting, and analytical interpretation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into actionable business insights.
• Sound understanding of peer review workflows, manuscript management systems, and academic publishing operations.
• Experience managing KPIs, SLAs, quality metrics, and operational governance frameworks.
• Strong project management and process improvement capabilities.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At Sage we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that is representative of all sections of society and to sustaining a culture that celebrates difference, encourages authenticity, and creates a deep sense of belonging. We welcome applications from all members of society irrespective of age, disability, sex or gender identity, sexual orientation, color, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief as creating value through diversity is what makes us strong. As a business and as an organization with an increasingly agile workforce, we're open to flexible working arrangements where appropriate.