Assistant Managing Editor, Journals - Remote

American Cancer Society, Inc.; Town of Texas (WI); Hybrid; USD 67,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The American Cancer Society is seeking an Assistant Managing Editor for the Journal Program. This role leads peer review, production, and editorial strategy for the journals CANCER, Cancer Cytopathology, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, and Pediatric, Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer.

Fully remote within the U.S. You'll manage editorial vendors, guide content acquisition, and collaborate with the Editor-in-Chief to shape the publication pipeline and ensure timely dissemination to oncology

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; experience with scholarly journals.
• At least 3 years' experience with web-based peer review systems and editorial processes.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Cloud for digital artwork and editing video preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manages peer review and editorial aspects of the journal.
• Oversees the editorial support vendor and ensures protocol adherence.
• Manages solicited content from acquisition to submission for CANCER.
• Leads revenue-generating supplements and special issues from proposal to online publication.
• Collaborates with the Editor-in-Chief on letters to the editor and decision appeals.
• Tracks and analyzes data to chart trends and editor honoraria payments.
• Compiles reports for annual/quarterly meetings and ad hoc discussions.
• Makes data-driven recommendations and implements editorial changes.
• Manages and triages communications for the Editorial Office.
• Collects annual disclosures from Editorial Board members.
• Provides production support for the journal (35%).
• Copyedits and proofreads critical materials; checks for errors.
• Monitors journal platforms and coordinates publisher updates.
• Ensures a steady pipeline of content in a continuous publication model.
• Leads monthly content strategy meetings with leadership on pipeline status.
• Implements publisher-enforced process changes.
• Screens submitted images for inappropriate manipulation and flags issues.
• Leads journal user engagement with short-form video, podcasts, infographics.
• Provides operational and administrative support: invoices, honoraria, calendars.
• Plans logistics for annual journal meetings (virtual or in-person).

Skills

Editorial management

Peer review processes

Data analysis

Communication skills

Advanced Excel & PowerPoint

Time management

Training staff

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

At the American Cancer Society, we're working to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. Our employees and 1.3 million volunteers are raising the bar every single day. We are a culture comprised of diverse backgrounds and experience, to better serve our communities. The people who work at the American Cancer Society focus their diverse talents on our lifesaving mission. It is a calling. And the people who answer it are fulfilled. This position is a critical part of the American Cancer Society’s Journal Program that is responsible for the publication and dissemination of research articles and educational content in the scholarly medical journals CANCER, Cancer Cytopathology, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, and Pediatric, Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer (launching in 2026). In a field that requires evolving strategies and tactics, the Assistant Managing Editor works with a results-oriented, high-performance Journals team, as well as commercial publishing staff and external medical Editors who set the goals for each journal. They will also work with external publishing partners to help support and implement peer review and publication strategies aimed at reaching our primary audience of oncology physicians and researchers, as well as other health professionals. Approximately 80% of the individual’s time is spent on CANCER, which receives over 4,000 submissions per year and generates critical revenue to support the entire Journals Program. Acts as lead for CANCER in the event of the Director’s absence, ensuring an uninterrupted workflow for peer review, production, and all editorial needs. CANCER, Cancer Cytopathology, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, and Pediatric, Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer generate over $2.5 million per year in revenue. This position is fully remote, with flexibility to work from anywhere in the U.S.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Manages peer review and editorial aspects of the journal.
• Oversees the editorial support vendor, ensuring adherence to protocols for peer review and production, keeping the Director apprised of progress.
• Responsible for the management of solicited content for CANCER, from acquisition to submission, per goals set by the Editor-in-Chief.
• Manages revenue-generating supplements and special issues from proposal to online publication, guiding authors, agencies, and funders through the complex processes involved.
• Works directly with the CANCER Editor-in-Chief on the consideration of letters to the editor and decision appeals.
• Responsible for tracking and analyzing complex peer review, production/publication, competition, and other data to help chart trends and calculate semiannual Editor honoraria payments.
• Compiles reports for presentation and discussion at annual and quarterly meetings, as well as ad hoc meetings.
• Makes recommendations and implements changes based on data analysis.
• Responsible for managing and/or triaging all communications received by the Editorial Office for CANCER.
• Collects annual conflict of disclosures from Editorial Board members.
• (35%) Provides production support for the journal.
• Copyedits and proofreads critical materials, detecting errors or inconsistencies.
• Monitors journal online platforms and provides feedback to publisher for updates and changes.
• In a continuous publication model, ensures there is a steady pipeline of content for CANCER, the ACS’s largest journal, by continually reviewing manuscript data and reports.
• Conducts monthly content strategy meetings to review monthly report data and advise the Director and Managing Director on the content pipeline and the status of special content.
• Implements publisher-enforced process changes.
• Screens submitted images for inappropriate manipulation and alerts the Director and Editor-in-Chief to any issues that arise so they can be investigated.
• (35%) Together with the Research Engagement Manager, leads journal user engagement efforts, including creation and editing of short-form video, podcasts, infographics, visual abstracts, etc.
• (20%) Provides operational and administrative support to the Program including managing invoices, honoraria, and contract payments, monitoring correspondence, and managing group calendars.
• Organizes, plans, and manages logistics, travel arrangements, and communications for journal annual meetings held either virtually or in person.
• (10%)

EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum Degree Required: Bachelor's Degree
• Years of experience: Required: Minimum of 3 years’ experience with web-based peer review systems, peer review processes, and editorial procedures for a scholarly journal, including experience dealing with scientific researchers or physicians.
• Preferred: 1-2 years’ experience working with digital artwork and editing video in Adobe Creative Cloud for social media.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITY:

• Exceptional problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound, autonomous decisions.
• Skill with analyzing and reporting quantitative and qualitative data.
• Ability to distill complex or technical information and find major points of interest to a given audience.
• Must be persistent, flexible, resourceful, deadline- and detail-oriented, and able to provide tactful and effective customer service.
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written, including using advanced Excel and PowerPoint.
• Ability to learn new computer programs quickly.
• Proven organizational and time management skills.
• Preferred: Understanding of publication embargoes and press releases.
• Comfortable presenting to large groups including leadership-level individuals.
• Familiarity with current issues and trends in scholarly publishing.
• Experience proofreading and familiarity with AMA Manual of Style and AP Stylebook.
• Experience training staff.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to represent ACS at conferences and other events that are attended by oncologists, oncology specialists, cytopathologists/pathologists, and other health professional audiences such as primary care. May attend professional publishing conferences; moderate or present at sessions; and participate in trainings, committees, and other activities.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Works from home.

The starting rate is $67,000 to $72,000. The final candidate's relevant experience/skills will be considered before an offer is extended. Actual starting pay will vary based on non-discriminatory factors including, but not limited to, geographic location, experience, skills, specialty, and education.

ACS provides staff a generous paid time off policy; medical, dental, retirement benefits, wellness programs, and professional development programs to enhance staff skills.

Further details on our benefits can be found on our careers site at: jobs.cancer.org/benefits.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer.

At the American Cancer Society, our employees are the soul of our lifesaving mission to save lives. Our employment opportunities are as diverse as our people and include every discipline found in other business enterprises. As an organization, we adhere to a set of core values that help inform all our decisions. But what really sets us apart is that the work we do has global impact -- and every passionate, dedicated American Cancer Society team member contributes to each groundbreaking achievement we make.