Senior Manager, Peer Review and Editorial Product

American Society for Microbiology•Washington, DC

22h•$116,792 - $154,760•Hybrid

About The Position

Accountabilities (are the critical activities and results the position is held accountable to produce) Product Strategy & Innovation Program Management Project Management Vendor & Stakeholder Relationships Team Leadership Industry Participation Peer Review Essential Functions (defines the critical end results expected of the jobholder related to the accountabilities above) 1. Establishes strategic vision and multi-year roadmap for the editorial technology portfolio, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, publishing trends, and emerging technologies including AI/ML applications, open peer review models, and preprint integration. Translates vision into actionable priorities and resource allocation decisions. 2. Provides leadership and oversight to direct reports including the Manager of Peer Review, Manager of Publishing Systems, and potentially the Project Manager. Sets performance expectations, develops talent, manages team capacity, and ensures coordination across functional areas. 3. Owns product governance framework for all editorial systems including submission platforms, peer review systems, and editorial workflow tools. Establishes decision-making criteria, prioritization frameworks, and investment strategies across the editorial technology portfolio. 4. Leads vendor strategy for editorial technology platforms including evaluation of build-vs-buy decisions, platform selection for major transitions, negotiation of enterprise agreements, and oversight of vendor performance against strategic objectives. Serves as executive sponsor for vendor relationships. 5. Drives cross-portfolio initiatives that require coordination across peer review operations, publishing systems implementation, and production workflows. Ensures seamless integration and eliminates silos between editorial and production technology ecosystems. 6. Collaborates with senior editorial and operational leadership including Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editors, and department directors to understand strategic needs, communicate technology capabilities and constraints, and align editorial technology investments with journal development priorities. 7. Establishes portfolio-level metrics and KPIs for editorial technology effectiveness including user satisfaction, system reliability, adoption rates, and innovation outcomes. Reviews performance dashboards, identifies strategic improvements, and reports progress to senior leadership. 8. Serves as thought leader and industry representative for ASM Journals in editorial technology and peer review innovation. Participates in industry working groups, speaks at conferences, and brings external best practices and emerging trends to inform internal strategy. 9. Oversees change management strategy for major editorial system transitions, policy changes, and workflow transformations. Ensures appropriate stakeholder engagement, communication planning, and organizational readiness for technology changes. 10. Manages budget and resource allocation for editorial technology investments, working with the Senior Director to develop annual budgets, evaluate ROI on proposed initiatives, and make trade-off decisions across competing priorities. 11. Provides strategic input on organizational initiatives related to open access models, research integrity, data governance, and metadata standards as they relate to editorial systems and workflows. 12. Ensures knowledge management and succession planning across the editorial technology organization, maintaining institutional knowledge, documenting strategic decisions, and developing bench strength for critical roles. 13. This position description should not be construed to contain every function/responsibility that may be required to be performed by an incumbent in this job. Incumbents are required to perform other functions as assigned. Technical Competencies (are applied or practical knowledge and skills needed for effective technical performance) 1. Presentation & Written Communication Skills – either “one-on-one" or within a group setting, employing the use of various media to share ideas, convey information, and obtain necessary inputs in a clear and concise manner. 2. Project Management Skills – Plans, initiates, executes, controls, and closes projects. Tracks and manages resources, timeliness, costs, deliverables, and performance, and implements contingency plans, if necessary, to ensure projects are successfully completed. 3. Planning and Organizing Skills – The ability to organize, prioritize and, where applicable, delegate work activities to efficiently accomplish tasks and meet objectives. 4. Enterprise Processes and Technologies – Understands and effectively uses standard office equipment such as personal computers/laptops, and office automation software. Uses new, specialized or the organization-specific equipment, technologies, software, databases, and systems, as required, in accordance with the organization policies. Up to date on social media and uses it appropriately on behalf of ASM. 5. Organizational Knowledge – People who are organizationally “savvy”, like to dive into the deep dive with regard to internal and external developments, excel in dynamic environments with many stakeholders, projects, and processes. 6. Analytics – Collects, analyzes, and structures information, provides insight and advice; gather and analyze reliable, relevant, and verifiable information, test hypotheses, and draw conclusions. 7. Domain Knowledge – Demonstrates professional/technical knowledge, skills, and expertise within functional areas. Stays current on best practices and the ability to apply that knowledge and/or skill in a variety of work situations. Behavioral Competencies (are observable behaviors and skills that matter most for success) Instills Trust (Respect/Honor) – Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity Drives Innovation – Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful Customer Focus – Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions Drives Results – Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances Optimizes Work Processes – Knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement Collaboration – Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives Manages Complexity – Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems Decision Quality - Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward Ensures Accountability – Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments Courage - Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said Business Insight - Applying knowledge of the industry and the marketplace to advance the organization's mission

Requirements

Presentation & Written Communication Skills – either “one-on-one" or within a group setting, employing the use of various media to share ideas, convey information, and obtain necessary inputs in a clear and concise manner.
Project Management Skills – Plans, initiates, executes, controls, and closes projects. Tracks and manages resources, timeliness, costs, deliverables, and performance, and implements contingency plans, if necessary, to ensure projects are successfully completed.
Planning and Organizing Skills – The ability to organize, prioritize and, where applicable, delegate work activities to efficiently accomplish tasks and meet objectives.
Enterprise Processes and Technologies – Understands and effectively uses standard office equipment such as personal computers/laptops, and office automation software. Uses new, specialized or the organization-specific equipment, technologies, software, databases, and systems, as required, in accordance with the organization policies. Up to date on social media and uses it appropriately on behalf of ASM.
Organizational Knowledge – People who are organizationally “savvy”, like to dive into the deep dive with regard to internal and external developments, excel in dynamic environments with many stakeholders, projects, and processes.
Analytics – Collects, analyzes, and structures information, provides insight and advice; gather and analyze reliable, relevant, and verifiable information, test hypotheses, and draw conclusions.
Domain Knowledge – Demonstrates professional/technical knowledge, skills, and expertise within functional areas. Stays current on best practices and the ability to apply that knowledge and/or skill in a variety of work situations.
Instills Trust (Respect/Honor) – Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity
Drives Innovation – Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful
Customer Focus – Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions
Drives Results – Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances
Optimizes Work Processes – Knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement
Collaboration – Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives
Manages Complexity – Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems
Decision Quality - Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward
Ensures Accountability – Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments
Courage - Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said
Business Insight - Applying knowledge of the industry and the marketplace to advance the organization's mission

Responsibilities

Establishes strategic vision and multi-year roadmap for the editorial technology portfolio, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, publishing trends, and emerging technologies including AI/ML applications, open peer review models, and preprint integration. Translates vision into actionable priorities and resource allocation decisions.
Provides leadership and oversight to direct reports including the Manager of Peer Review, Manager of Publishing Systems, and potentially the Project Manager. Sets performance expectations, develops talent, manages team capacity, and ensures coordination across functional areas.
Owns product governance framework for all editorial systems including submission platforms, peer review systems, and editorial workflow tools. Establishes decision-making criteria, prioritization frameworks, and investment strategies across the editorial technology portfolio.
Leads vendor strategy for editorial technology platforms including evaluation of build-vs-buy decisions, platform selection for major transitions, negotiation of enterprise agreements, and oversight of vendor performance against strategic objectives. Serves as executive sponsor for vendor relationships.
Drives cross-portfolio initiatives that require coordination across peer review operations, publishing systems implementation, and production workflows. Ensures seamless integration and eliminates silos between editorial and production technology ecosystems.
Collaborates with senior editorial and operational leadership including Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editors, and department directors to understand strategic needs, communicate technology capabilities and constraints, and align editorial technology investments with journal development priorities.
Establishes portfolio-level metrics and KPIs for editorial technology effectiveness including user satisfaction, system reliability, adoption rates, and innovation outcomes. Reviews performance dashboards, identifies strategic improvements, and reports progress to senior leadership.
Serves as thought leader and industry representative for ASM Journals in editorial technology and peer review innovation. Participates in industry working groups, speaks at conferences, and brings external best practices and emerging trends to inform internal strategy.
Oversees change management strategy for major editorial system transitions, policy changes, and workflow transformations. Ensures appropriate stakeholder engagement, communication planning, and organizational readiness for technology changes.
Manages budget and resource allocation for editorial technology investments, working with the Senior Director to develop annual budgets, evaluate ROI on proposed initiatives, and make trade-off decisions across competing priorities.
Provides strategic input on organizational initiatives related to open access models, research integrity, data governance, and metadata standards as they relate to editorial systems and workflows.
Ensures knowledge management and succession planning across the editorial technology organization, maintaining institutional knowledge, documenting strategic decisions, and developing bench strength for critical roles.