Associate Managing Editor

Job description

**This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, which manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for an Associate Managing Editor based in India.** As an Associate Managing Editor, you will oversee the development and performance of an assigned portfolio of academic journals within a collaborative scholarly publishing environment. You will manage the journal lifecycle, from onboarding and editorial coordination to publication delivery and ongoing portfolio growth. Working closely with editors, authors, reviewers, academic societies, and internal teams, you will ensure high editorial standards, efficient peer-review workflows, and timely publication. You will also contribute to journal development strategies, indexing improvements, marketing initiatives, and performance reporting. The role combines editorial operations, stakeholder relationship management, commercial awareness, and data-driven decision-making. This is an opportunity to support the advancement of academic research while improving publishing processes and strengthening the visibility and impact of scholarly content. ### Accountabilities - Journal Portfolio Management: Manage an assigned portfolio of academic journals from onboarding through ongoing development and publication. Coordinate journal transitions from acquisition to editorial management, monitor publishing workflows, and ensure publication schedules and issue delivery deadlines are met. - Editorial and Stakeholder Relations: Serve as a primary point of contact for editors, academic societies, authors, reviewers, and internal stakeholders. Build and maintain productive relationships, facilitate clear communication, resolve escalations, and support editorial boards in achieving journal objectives. - Editorial Operations and Workflow Optimization: Monitor manuscript submission processes, peer-review efficiency, editorial workflows, and publication timelines. Identify operational bottlenecks, implement process improvements, and standardize workflows to enhance quality, consistency, and efficiency. - Journal Development and Performance: Support journal growth initiatives aimed at improving visibility, readership, submission quality, and publishing performance. Guide editors on Abstracting and Indexing (A&I) requirements, indexing applications, journal development strategies, and initiatives that may improve Impact Factor performance. - Marketing and Promotion: Collaborate with marketing teams to plan and coordinate Calls for Papers, special issue promotions, Impact Factor announcements, and article- and journal-level promotional campaigns. Support conference-related activities and other initiatives designed to increase journal visibility and engagement. - Reporting and Business Management: Prepare journal performance reports, publisher updates, KPI analyses, and portfolio documentation. Monitor operational and commercial performance, contribute to profit-and-loss (P&L) management, identify potential risks, and escalate significant issues to management when necessary. - Contracts and Renewals: Review and support the preparation, negotiation, renewal, and administration of journal contracts, renewals, and contractual addenda. Help maintain accurate documentation and ensure relevant requirements are addressed throughout the contract lifecycle. - Product and Content Solutions: Support the onboarding, maintenance, and renewal of publishing products and content solutions. Stay informed about scholarly publishing trends, market developments, and emerging opportunities to improve journal services. - Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with editorial, marketing, publishing operations, and other internal teams to align priorities, coordinate initiatives, and deliver consistent service to journal partners. - Quality and Risk Management: Maintain high standards of publishing quality, publication ethics, stakeholder communication, and operational accuracy while proactively identifying and addressing issues that could affect journal performance. ## Requirements - Professional Experience: At least 2–3 years of experience in journal publishing, editorial management, scholarly publishing, or a closely related field. - Academic Publishing Knowledge: Strong understanding of academic publishing workflows, peer-review processes, publication ethics, journal operations, and scholarly communication standards. - Journal Development Expertise: Familiarity with journal development initiatives, Abstracting and Indexing applications, indexing requirements, and strategies for improving journal visibility and performance. - Commercial and Contractual Awareness: Understanding of journal business models, publishing contracts, renewals, and commercial considerations associated with managing a journal portfolio. - Portfolio and Project Management: Ability to coordinate multiple journals, manage competing priorities, monitor publication schedules, and ensure deliverables are completed accurately and on time. - Data Analysis and Reporting: Strong analytical skills and the ability to prepare performance reports, monitor KPIs, interpret portfolio data, and identify opportunities for operational and commercial improvement. - Technical Proficiency: Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook for reporting, documentation, communication, and collaboration. - Publishing Systems: Experience with journal management or peer-review management systems is preferred. - Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate professionally and effectively with academic editors, authors, reviewers, societies, and colleagues. - Stakeholder Management: Strong relationship-building, coordination, negotiation, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage expectations and resolve issues constructively. - Attention to Detail: A meticulous approach to editorial workflows, contracts, reporting, documentation, and publishing schedules. - Process Improvement: A proactive mindset and the ability to identify inefficiencies, recommend improvements, and implement standardized processes. - Commercial Awareness: An understanding of journal performance, portfolio growth, business objectives, and the relationship between editorial quality and commercial sustainability. - Adaptability and Collaboration: Ability to work effectively across teams, manage changing priorities, and contribute to an inclusive, supportive, and internationally connected working environment. - Commitment to Inclusion: An appreciation for diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a professional approach that respects different perspectives and fosters positive working relationships. ## Benefits - Competitive Annual Salary: INR 800,000–1,000,000 per year, based on the advertised compensation range. - Hybrid Work Arrangement: A hybrid working model based in Gurugram, India, offering a combination of workplace collaboration and flexibility. - Full-Time Employment: A full-time opportunity within the academic research and scholarly publishing sector. - Professional Development: Opportunities to strengthen expertise in editorial management, journal development, academic publishing, and portfolio performance. - Global Collaboration: Work with editors, academic societies, researchers, and publishing professionals across diverse markets and disciplines. - Meaningful Impact: Contribute to the dissemination of scholarly research and help improve the visibility, quality, and reach of academic journals. - Cross-Functional Exposure: Collaborate with editorial, marketing, commercial, and publishing operations teams on initiatives that support journal growth and business performance. - Inclusive Work Environment: Join a workplace that values diversity, equity, inclusion, authenticity, and a strong sense of belonging. - Flexible Working Opportunities: Access to flexible working arrangements where appropriate, supporting employee autonomy and work-life balance.