Journal Development Editor

Central London, Belgravia

Office based but with hybrid working

ABOUT SCI

The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI), a registered charity, is an international forum where science meets business. Established in 1881 SCI’s main charitable objective is to accelerate science out of the laboratory to address the key societal challenges facing society today. SCI does this by facilitating open innovation, identifying and promoting emerging technologies in the areas of climate and planet and health and wellness, and by providing support for the next generation of scientists and engineers. SCI runs over 50 conferences and events each year and has a range of publishing and award activities.

Today, SCI has members in over 70 countries and with over 900 companies and many academic institutions represented in our network.

THE ROLE

Reporting to the Publisher (Journals), the Journal Development Editor will be responsible for supporting the development of SCI’s journal portfolio. Using a data-driven approach to identify opportunities to increase growth, quality and impact of several prestigious journals.

An important part of the role is to foster collaborative working relationships with editorial boards, industry experts and publishing partner (Wiley) to successfully implement strategic development plans. Key responsibilities include proactively commissioning high quality content and thematic issues, building and nurturing high-performing editorial boards and working closely with editorial and commissioning teams to ensure that targets are being met.

Additional responsibilities include working closely with marketing and events teams to ensure strong reputation, visibility and impact of SCI journals in the rapidly evolving and competitive publishing landscape.

Candidates must have a relevant science degree (e.g. chemistry, medicinal chemistry, biology, biochemistry, horticultural science) and must be able to work in the UK.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Creating and delivering plans to grow the journals of responsibility through strategic journal development.
• Managing the journals of responsibility to exceed/meet targets and objectives under the direction of the Publisher.
• Building high performing editorial boards and working closely with them to identify and deliver the strategic needs of each individual journal.
• Developing and implementing strategies to increase quality and reputation through building citations and relevance of published content.
• Proactively commissioning special issues and other content, building a network of contacts, and working with the Editorial Boards and the Journal Development Team to build and deliver on commissioning plans.
• Managing the article pipeline, working closely with the editorial and production teams at Wiley to ensure publication targets and agreed service levels are met.
• Building, maintaining, and sharing knowledge of competitor activity and market trends to inform decisions on journal development.
• Attending scientific conferences and other external events to raise the SCIs profile, create networks and increase market understanding.
• Contributing to the SCIs mission to become a leading promoter of open research by developing and sharing best practice around successful open access publishing with the team.
• Working with the marketing team to ensure that the journals of responsibility are promoted through all relevant channels.
• Working in collaboration with other teams across SCI when opportunities arise to maximise outreach and impact.
• Undertake any other duties and projects at the request of the line manager

EXPERIENCE AND ATTRIBUTES

• A relevant science degree.
• Ideally a minimum of 2 years working on a list of STM journals.
• Experience of Open Access.
• Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills, and strong customer focus.
• Proven knowledge of publishing processes and related matters.
• Excellent time management skills: must demonstrate ability to work to tight deadlines and prioritise workload.
• A strong team player who can also work independently and confidently.
• Tact and diplomacy.
• Experience of interpreting and applying insight from data on submissions, usage, and citations.
• An attitude that actively seeks continuous self-development and ways of doing things better. Must participate voluntarily and be able to work at a sustained, fast pace with minimum supervision.
• An up-to-date knowledge and understanding of IT.
• Advanced Excel skills are desirable.

BENEFITS

• Competitive salary.
• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays.
• Market leading pension plan.
• Opportunities for career growth and advancement.
• Dynamic and collaborative work environment

TO APPLY

Please apply by sending your CV and a covering letter detailing your experience and confirming your qualifications and right to work in the UK via the 'Apply' button above (E: publications@soci.org) by 20th October 2025. Please note we will only contact suitable candidates.