Head of Content Development

Our client, a leading professional publisher based in London, requires a new Head of Content Development.

You will focus on driving delivery excellence across the Content Development team and tracked adherence to the editorial guidelines. This will be achieved by ensuring project management best practice, drafting and editorial expertise, strong stakeholder management and collaboration are core competencies of the team to successfully support the consensus-based standardisation development processes

Key Responsibilities:

  • Develop and manage a successful editorial project management and programme management centre of excellence
  • Create a high performing, empowered, lean culture within the Content Development team.
  • Build a team environment which encourages open feedback during the project / programme delivery process and drives informative and right-focused communication to internal and external stakeholders throughout.
  • End responsible for the high quality and timely delivery of the programmes and projects managed by the team. Working with the Content Development Delivery Managers, provide operational guidance and support, with a focused and structured approach to embedding the editorial governance policies and the standardisation process throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Partnering with the Services commercial team, report monthly the project revenue milestones achieved in-month and forecast the adherence to the planned project timeline and budget in a timely manner.
  • Build a scalable resource model that accommodates the peak and trough of the project-based workload, collaborate with the Content Delivery team to utilise copy editing and XML skills to build a robust response when required. Encourage flexibility to pilot and deliver more innovative standardisation outputs through the funded programmes.
  • Develop an induction process for new starters that allows them to get up-to-speed rapidly
  • Work collaboratively across the Content Solutions dept to identify efficiency and automation opportunities within workflows. Leverage the digital publishing capabilities of the Content Model XML-publishing platform to structure the standards documents to support the drafting process.
  • Create KPIs that drive successful project and programme delivery, represent data in a meaningful way and communicate to all stakeholders and to the Services Delivery Steering Group.
  • P/L responsibility for cost centre and manage optimally to achieve team objectives

Skills & Experience:

  • Solid experience of running an editorial function in a digital publishing environment
  • Familiar with online content tools
  • Experienced in programme or project management delivery
  • Experienced leading and managing a mid-sized team (20 people) Experienced managing and embedding change within teams
  • Has been responsible for team P/L
  • Has been responsible for delivering financial reporting around project budget and forecasting timelines and project spend
  • Has experience of operating with matrix reporting structures
  • Experienced mentor and/or coach

Editorial Development Manager, Europe

Our client, a leading STM Publisher, requires a new Editorial Development Manager based in Germany.

You will be the key representative for the company’s publishing activities in mainland Europe with a particular focus on strategic planning and developing and maintaining relationships with the European science and open access communities. 

Key Responsibilities: 

  • Responsible for developing, communicating and implementing our publishing strategy for UK and Europe
  • To support and inform the Open Access strategy
  • To continuously monitor and evaluate the requirements of the scientific, institutional and librarian communities, the STM and competitor landscapes and international funding bodies
  • To expand and develop the best authorship and readership for our journals and books in mainland Europe
  • To foster and develop the mainland European membership of Editorial and Advisory Boards
  • To support books commissioning activities in Europe
  • To work with Sales colleagues to identify potential sales leads
  • To develop and maintain an exceptionally influential network of contacts spanning the academic, industrial and political/policy sectors
  • To manage this network to increase the company's influence and impact

Skills & Experience:

  • Degree or PhD in science
  • Experience in Scientific, Technical & Medical publishing
  • Demonstrable leadership and management skills, ideally within a cross-functional team
  • Thorough understanding of European education and scientific research systems
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal and networking skills
  • Proven ability to work as part of a team
  • Good organisational and time-management skills are required together with the ability to work under pressure autonomously and to meet deadlines
  • Willingness to travel nationally and internationally
  • Contacts with the relevant communities

Acquisitions Editor – Computer Technologies & Tools

Our client, a leader in computer and technical publishing, requires a new Books Acquisitions Editor based in the UK.

You will ideally have 1-3 years' experience in a similar role identifying important technical topics and finding high-quality authors and instructors to create books, videos, online courses, and other training materials.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Identifying growing trends in technology.
  • Recruiting authors and instructors to create online learning products and books.
  • Mentoring potential authors in the preparation of proposals and plans.
  • Negotiation of contract terms, royalties and advance payments.
  • Day-to-day contact with other members of the team including content editors, marketing, and production.
  • Active participation in launch and marketing.
  • Managing issues concerning authors, content, and schedule.
  • Writing promotional copy.

Skills & Experience:

  • Ability to judge market of technology topics with a proven track record.
  • Experience developing successful online courses is a strong advantage.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of personalities in a diverse community. The clients Acquisitions Editor's must possess the ability to be charming one moment and demanding the next. Conflict resolution and/or mediation skills are a valuable asset.
  • Strong facilitator, especially in the arts of negotiation and persuasion.
  • Ability to negotiate and manage contractual arrangements.
  • Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to prioritise challenging workloads with moderate supervision.
  • Knowledge of publishing processes, procedures, and techniques.
  • Knowledge of peer review principles and procedures.
  • Outstanding writing, language, and grammar skills.

Editorial Development Manager (Greater China)

Morgan Healey Exclusive

Our client a global scientific publisher, requires a new Editorial Development Manager, Greater China. You will be responsible for raising the profile of the business to support their commissioning and product development objectives in the region.

The role will build key strategic relationships with the scientific community in China to grow the company's market share of content from China, through one-to-one meetings with researchers, conducting publishing workshops, and supporting our social media and online presence as part of our regional growth strategy.

Additionally, the role will develop an understanding of researcher and academic priorities and institutional and governmental policies around scholarly communications in China, making connections with institutional and government agencies, and channelling this intelligence back into the business. This key customer and market insight will be critical in informing our future Chinese strategy. Collaboration with colleagues across international offices will also be key to the success of the role so that we make sure we engage effectively with key Chinese researchers and academics.

The role will require extensive travel in China, and occasionally internationally.

Skills & Experience:

  • Higher degree (MSc or PhD) in engineering or physical sciences is essential.
  • Extensive knowledge and experience of journal publishing and the STM industry.
  • A strong understanding of the international research environment and knowledge of research and funding policies and mechanisms in China highly desirable
  • Extensive experience of working with senior level positions in academic and government organisations
  • Experience organising events and managing projects
  • Fluent in Mandarin and English

You should also possess the following:

  • Excellent customer focus
  • Highly organised and detail-oriented
  • Highly developed communication and presentation skills
  • Project management and continuous improvement
  • Ability to work effectively on cross-functional project teams and across the organisation
  • Ability to network effectively and negotiate
  • Highly driven to get the job done.