Lead Editor - People and Nature

British Ecological Society

10d

About The Position

The British Ecological Society is seeking an interdisciplinary researcher to join the editorial team of People and Nature, an open-access journal focused on understanding relationships between humans and nature. The Lead Editor will work with the Editor-in-Chief, other Lead Editors, the Commissioning Editor, Associate Editors, and editorial office staff to maintain the Journal’s quality, broaden its reach, and raise its profile internationally. The role involves helping determine journal strategy and making editorial decisions on submitted manuscripts.

The position is a part-time, three-year contract with an honorarium of approximately £3,892.36 per annum (approximately €4,645 or US$4,645). It is based at the holder’s host university or organisation, which may be anywhere in the world. Additional financial support is available to facilitate attendance at meetings with other BES Editors and representation of the Journal at relevant conferences.

Requirements

• An active and relevant publication record.
• Knowledge and understanding of a subject area complementary to those of the existing Editors.
• Experience of reviewing and other editorial work.
• Ability to work as part of an editorial team, think strategically and creatively, and support the Journal and wider journal team.
• Ability to work independently and prioritise a range of active projects.
• Ability to form and communicate with scientific networks and engage with relevant audiences.
• Ability to consider multiple sources of information or viewpoints and act decisively.
• Commitment to the post and the mission of the BES, and a desire to explore opportunities to develop and enhance journal publishing.
• Interdisciplinary research experience encompassing ecology and/or conservation research, social sciences and/or humanities, and collaboration.
• Clear communication, teamwork, sound decision-making, and integrity.
• A solid understanding of the candidate’s own research field and an overview of the Journal’s wider scope.
• Commitment to maintaining the Journal’s high editorial standards.
• Interest in ongoing developments in academic publishing.

Nice To Haves

• Applications are particularly welcomed from leading researchers who are female or gender diverse.

Responsibilities

• Solicit high-quality manuscript submissions across areas relevant to the Journal.
• Help drive the Journal’s strategic direction by assessing manuscript suitability, selecting handling Associate Editors and reviewers, and making decisions based on their comments and the Lead Editor’s judgement.
• Gather fellow researchers’ views on the Journal’s strengths and weaknesses and use these to suggest procedural changes, develop initiatives, or contribute to broader discussions.
• Identify and recruit Associate Editors, including by promoting open recruitment calls, with an emphasis on diverse representation and participation on the Editorial Board.
• Work with the editorial office team to identify papers for additional promotion through video, blog posts, and media.
• Promote the Journal and the BES at conferences.
• Contribute to the Journal’s development and discuss opportunities for cross-journal initiatives with people involved in other BES journals.
• Act as Associate Editor for a limited number of manuscripts.
• Work with the Journal team to ensure it publishes high-quality, timely articles that reach beyond discipline- or subject-specific journal boundaries.
• Plan and implement strategies to enhance the Journal’s profile, expand its reach, and better serve its authors and readers.

Benefits

• Honorarium of approximately £3,892.36 per annum (approximately €4,645 or US$4,645).
• Additional financial support to facilitate attendance at meetings with other BES Editors and to represent the Journal at relevant conferences.
• Reasonable requests for flexibility will be considered.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed