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Senior Journal Manager - Production

Oxford University Press

OtherFull TimeFrom £35k
Location
Oxford, UK (Hybrid)
Posted
June 25, 2026

Job Description

Role overview

The Senior Journal Manager will oversee the production of academic journal titles, supporting external clients such as journal editors, learned societies, and editorial offices. You will ensure production processes and outputs align with evolving client needs, provide troubleshooting and best practice advice, and report on production performance. This role involves negotiating production parameters, managing changes to processes and requirements in collaboration with stakeholders and suppliers, and acting as a key point of contact for OUP’s production services.

As a senior member of the team, you will independently identify, initiate, and manage projects focused on improving the quality, efficiency, and standardization of departmental work. You will also serve as a subject matter expert, delivering training to new and existing team members. The position requires strong communication and analytical skills, a customer-focused mindset, and the ability to manage multiple priorities across various stakeholders.

Responsibilities

  • Consult with clients on all aspects of the production process, making recommendations and highlighting risks to ensure sustainable processes that meet client and business needs.
  • Engage internal teams and suppliers to improve performance, resolve issues, and provide analysis, ensuring client requirement updates are promptly and accurately communicated to relevant internal teams for effective delivery of journal content and services.
  • Act as the primary point of contact for client queries and feedback on article and issue production, responding in a timely and professional manner.
  • Proactively communicate any changes to the production process relevant to the client, including recommendations for improvement, soliciting feedback, or negotiating agreed processes.
  • Attend conference calls and face-to-face meetings with clients, with potential for occasional domestic travel.
  • Provide regular or ad hoc reports to clients on production performance against agreed goals, offering contextual information, analysis, and recommendations for process and performance improvement.
  • Maintain journal-level documentation, including style guides, process instructions, and feedback records.
  • Manage supplier delivery of journal-level change, monitoring their work and facilitating resolution of delays or concerns.
  • Intervene or provide guidance during the issue workflow as needed, including facilitating article selection, ad hoc content quality review, and bespoke contributions by suppliers.
  • Initiate, lead, participate in, document, or report on projects that develop and standardize production processes within the department to achieve departmental and business goals.
  • Train, mentor, coach, or advise new and existing staff on production procedures and new developments, and review/suggest improvements to current training programs.

Qualifications

  • Experience in production and publishing environments, including the management of new, sensitive, or significantly complex work.
  • Experience in client account management.
  • Excellent negotiation, influencing, and communication skills.
  • Excellent presentation skills.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to comprehend and communicate complex information.
  • Ability to work independently, handle multiple projects simultaneously, and work to tight deadlines.
  • Ability to manage contractors or 3rd-party suppliers.
  • Ability to work in a team.
  • Ability to learn quickly and work flexibly with varied software.
  • Good organizational skills.
  • Good IT skills.

Working arrangements

  • This role operates under a hybrid working policy, requiring a minimum of 2 days per week in the Oxford office.

Compensation and Benefits

  • 25 days’ holiday that rises with service, plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (3-days).
  • 35-hour working week.
  • Open to discussing flexibility in respect to working patterns, dependent on role.
  • Active employee networks and societies.
  • Pension contributions up to 12%.
  • Loans and savings schemes through partnership with Salary Finance.
  • Travel to work schemes.
  • Access to a wide range of local discounts.
  • Discretionary annual payment.