Director of Scholarly Publishing & Partnerships

University of Kentucky; Lexington (KY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

The University Press of Kentucky, the statewide scholarly publisher, seeks a visionary Director to lead a 15-17 person team and shape the strategic path for the Press based in Lexington, KY. You will oversee acquisitions, editorial, production, marketing, and partnerships, manage the budget and revenues, and represent the Press with university and external partners.

Relocation assistance is available for this role.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in a discipline related to the Press’s areas of publishing emphasis or related operations such as marketing or business.
• More than 8 years of experience in university press, scholarly, or academic publishing with increasing leadership responsibilities.
• Demonstrated success in strategic planning and organizational leadership.
• Experience managing budgets, business operations, and revenue-generating activities.
• Success securing grants, gifts, sponsorships, or other external funding.
• Experience building partnerships with external organizations and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, develop, and lead high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the University Press of Kentucky, aligning publishing programs, operations, and priorities with UK and statewide consortia.
• Direct all publishing activities, including acquisitions, editorial, production, marketing, sales, and partnerships, while assessing program quality and financial performance.
• Develop and oversee the Press’s budget, financial strategy, and revenue streams to support priorities and long-term sustainability.
• Represent the Press and cultivate relationships with university, statewide, regional, and national partners, including authors, scholars, donors, and publishing professionals.
• Lead and support Press personnel by supervising direct reports, establishing expectations, and promoting accountability and collaboration across departments.
• Maintain knowledge of developments in scholarly and university publishing through ongoing professional development and by participating in relevant organizations.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Fundraising

Partnership building

Budget management

Staff leadership

Education

Graduate degree

Job description

The University Press of Kentucky, the statewide scholarly publisher, seeks a visionary Director to lead a 15-17 person team and shape the strategic path for the Press based in Lexington, KY. You will oversee acquisitions, editorial, production, marketing, and partnerships, manage the budget and revenues, and represent the Press with university and external partners.

Relocation assistance is available for this role.