Publisher - Scholarly Books (5 month Maternity Leave Contract)

AOSIS's job vacancy, Career and Recruitment Job title : Publisher – Scholarly Books (5 month Maternity Leave Contract) jobs in Western Cape Job Location : Western Cape, Cape Town Deadline : July 03, 2024 Quick Recommended Links

Contract Overview

AOSIS, a leading independent open-access scholarly publisher, is seeking an experienced and dynamic individual to cover the role of Publisher during Maternity leave. 

This is a temporary contract position ideal for someone with a strong background in scholarly book publishing, exceptional leadership skills, and a passion for driving editorial and commercial success in the open-access domain. The role offers hybrid working, where you will ideally spend 1-2 days in the company's office in Durbanville, working collaboratively with a friendly and supportive team.

Key responsibilities

Strategic leadership:

• Develop and implement the company's publishing strategy, ensuring alignment with overall business goals.
• Lead and inspire the editorial, production, and marketing teams to achieve high standards and meet publication deadlines. 

Title acquisition and development:

• Oversee the commissioning and acquisition of new scholarly titles, ensuring a diverse and academically robust list.
• Guide authors and editors through the editorial process, from proposal to publication.

Editorial oversight:

• Ensure the highest quality of editorial content across all open access publications.
• Review and approve final manuscripts, working closely with the editors and production team.

Commercial management:

• Monitor and manage the publishing budget and project timelines, ensuring cost-effective operations.
• Develop and implement strategies to maximise the reach and impact of each open access title. 

Stakeholder engagement:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with authors, academics, institutions, and other key stakeholders.
• Represent the company at meetings. 

Operational management:

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the publishing department.
• Ensure effective communication and collaboration across all departments. 

Additional responsibilities:

• Handle author queries, providing advice and assistance with copyright and permissions.
• Oversee cover blurbs and cover artwork sign-off processes.
• Issue and manage author contracts and invoice book processing charges.
• Prepare and present reports on project progress, budget status, and market performance to senior management.

Requirements

Qualifications and skills

Applicants should be South African citizens, permanent residents with a bar-coded ID, or possess a valid work visa or permit and have a valid RSA driver’s license.

Experience:

• Proven experience in scholarly publishing, particularly in the open access domain.
• Experience in both digital and print publishing for the academic market is highly valuable.

Skills :

• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Excellent and effective communication skills.
• Good understanding of scholars' and researchers' needs.
• Good understanding of peer review and the publishing requirements of the
• Department of Higher Education and Training  Research Outputs Policy of 2015 .
• Strong project management skills.
• Demonstrable ability to manage stressful deadlines and solve problems timely and efficiently.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to manage relationships with authors, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Strong teamwork skills to brief and work with commissioning and marketing departments.

Personal attributes:

• Passion for academic publishing and advancing knowledge.
• Ability to work well in a hybrid environment, balancing remote and in-office collaboration.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and inspire a team.
• ​Attention to detail and ability to produce quality works.

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*Publisher – Scholarly Books (5 month Maternity Leave Contract) in Cape Town