Perspective Editor

Massachusetts Medical Society•Waltham, MA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Perspective Editor leads the Journal’s Perspective section and related print and digital features, shaping its editorial direction in partnership with senior leadership. This role develops and executes strategies to ensure content—including the Perspective and Medicine and Society sections, as well as podcasts and other multimedia – is timely, engaging, and valuable to a sophisticated audience. The editor monitors emerging healthcare issues to identify relevant topics and contributors, handling complex or sensitive subjects with sound judgment and diplomacy. Responsibilities include selecting submissions for peer review, overseeing the review process, and contributing to publication decisions. The role also manages workflow and production timelines, provides guidance to authors, and performs high-level editing of manuscripts.

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree is required, and an advanced degree strongly preferred.
7+ years of relevant editorial experience required.
Strong editing and writing experience is needed, along with superior communication skills.
Experience as a writer and familiarity with the culture of medicine as well as relevant sciences is helpful.
The ability to work under pressure and meet frequent deadlines is required.
Must be able to work creatively and collegially with editors and support staff as part of an editorial team.
The position requires a positive outlook, creative energy, and respect for a team approach to editorial development.

Responsibilities

Works closely with the Editor-in-Chief, Executive Managing Editor, and Associate Perspective Editor to guide and develop the Journal’s Perspective section and related features. Manages workflow and production schedule and provides editorial guidance and high-level substantive editing. Spearheads and coordinates the development of Journal commentary, analysis, and news content and evolution of the design of the section.
Collaborates with the Editor-in-Chief, Executive Managing Editor, and Associate Perspective Editor in defining the editorial direction of the Perspective section. Selects submissions for peer review and publication, maintaining a broad overview of the variety and balance of the Journal’s coverage of a wide range of topics at the intersections of medicine and society. Develops topics and identifies authors for Perspective articles, and guest editors for occasional Perspective series, by monitoring the impact of politics, ethics, law, government, business, and education on contemporary medicine. Guides contributors in planning, writing, and revising pieces; guides guest editors in planning series and manages commissioning and review processes for all series.
Edits Perspective manuscripts, dividing editorial duties with the Associate Perspective Editor. Edits all Medicine and Society manuscripts. Works closely with authors to clarify and enhance manuscripts while retaining their voice and to prepare articles for review and acceptance by the Editor-in-Chief.
Works with the National Correspondent to develop and shape topics for both article and podcast series. Edits all National Correspondent manuscripts and collaborates with National Correspondent, producer, and audio engineer on editing and refining podcast.
Organizes medical student and resident course sessions on commentary articles.
Works with authors and the Graphics department to create Graphic Perspectives.
Selects and collaborates with contractors to envision, develop, and edit video features and video roundtable discussions. Identifies topics and informants and participants for video features; consults with video team as development proceeds.. Identifies and invites moderators and panelists for roundtables, drafts introduction and questions, collaborates in editing video.
Coordinates administrative oversight of the Perspective section, supervising the Associate Perspective Editor and the section’s Editorial Assistant. Leads meetings of the Perspective section editorial group. Determines scheduling of Perspective articles.
Works as needed with physician editors, staff, and groups outside the organization, including government agencies, media, businesses, and private individuals.
Manages other special editorial projects and content development as assigned by the Editor-in-Chief or Executive Managing Editor.