[Hiring] Associate Editorial Director @Public Library of Science

Role Description

This position is fully remote/home based. Applications will be accepted from candidates based in the following US states: FL, IL, MA, MD, NY, PA, TX, VA. This is a 2 Year FTC.

In this role you will oversee a subset of the growing PLOS journals portfolio:

• Manage PLOS Biology and PLOS Medicine.
• Line-management of their professional Editors-in-Chief.
• Provide editorial oversight for a diverse set of journals led by academic volunteers across a range of disciplines in biology, human and environmental health.
• Manage in line with PLOS strategy to keep PLOS at the forefront of open science publishing and trusted content.
• Leverage strong relationships with the scientific community to drive engagement and develop the journals.
• Work collaboratively with the journals’ Editorial Boards and in-house colleagues to create and deliver against journal strategies.
• Own ad hoc projects across the entire PLOS journals portfolio.
• Embrace change and lead teams effectively through it.

Responsibilities

• Journal portfolio management:
  • Develop an editorial strategy for a portfolio of PLOS journals that supports PLOS’s commitments to Open Science, DEI, community engagement, trusted content, and customer service.
  • Identify and develop opportunities to expand the portfolio in line with PLOS strategy.
  • Develop and oversee attainment of multi-term performance metrics for individual journals.
  • Partner with the Publishing Director to develop and manage annual budgets.
  • Oversee optimization of editorial workflows, systems, and reporting.
  • Ensure promotion of journal content and PLOS’ mission, and drive journal submissions and uptake of Open Science practices.
  • Ensure effective use of cross-journal Centers of Excellence.
  • Lead cross-journal initiatives, overseeing development of systems and workflows.
  • Oversee Editorial participation in community initiatives, conferences, and events.
  • Ensure best-practice document hygiene and information sharing by everyone in Editorial.
• People management:
  • Lead a high-performing and cohesive team of Editorial staff (up to 4 direct reports).
  • Translate strategy into clear tactics for teams and individual staff.
  • Model open and clear communication and ensure all stakeholders understand their roles and responsibilities.
  • Build strong relationships with Editorial Boards.
  • Address underperformance swiftly, sensitively, and supportively.
  • Act as a thought-partner to, and deputize for, the Editorial Director.
• Diversity, equity and inclusion:
  • Oversee improvement of the diversity of PLOS staff, Editorial Boards, peer-reviewers, and authors.
  • Collaborate with stakeholders to eliminate bias in manuscript processing and editorial decision-making.
  • Oversee editorial participation in internal and external DEI initiatives.
• Cross-sector:
  • Maintain in-depth industry knowledge, awareness of market trends, innovations, and evolving customer needs.
  • Represent PLOS at industry events occasionally (approx 1-2 events per year).

Qualifications

• PhD and post-doctoral experience (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area.
• Substantial editorial experience (5+ years) with progressively increased managerial responsibility in STM publishing required.
• Track record in managing a group of successful journals and teams distributed internationally.
• Passionate interest in science and scientists.
• Proven commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in science and scholarly publication.
• Strong business acumen.
• Wide network of contacts within global scientific communities.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, innovate, and implement creative solutions.
• Experienced people manager with a track record of managing high-performing teams through change.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

Requirements

• The base salary range we've established for these positions is $145,000 - $163,000.

Benefits

• 401k with employer match.
• Employee sponsored health, dental, and vision insurance (Dental and Vision 100% employer paid).
• Paid Vacation, 11 public holidays, and sick leave.
• Parental leave.
• Birthday and three winter holidays days off.
• Short term and long term disability insurance.
• 2 days paid time off for volunteering per year.
• Fully remote work environment with stipend on joining for home office.

Company Description

Building on a strong legacy of pioneering innovation, PLOS continues to be a catalyst in open science, reimagining models to meet open science principles, removing barriers and promoting inclusion in knowledge creation and sharing, and publishing research outputs that enable everyone to learn from, reuse, and build upon scientific knowledge.

Our work is supported by a highly skilled global in-house team, partnerships with local scholarly organizations, and the valued contributions of a diverse, international community of scientific researchers.

We’re committed to equal opportunity and creating a more equitable system of scientific knowledge and understanding.