Senior Managing Editor - JR26517-3800

University of Chicago - Chicago, IL

Part-time - Mid Level

Chicago, IL

Educational Services

About the position

The Senior Managing Editor for SAPIENS at the University of Chicago Press is a pivotal role responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the editorial office. This position requires a dynamic individual who can effectively liaise between editors, authors, and the scholarly community, ensuring that the mission of SAPIENS—to deliver trusted, compelling, and relevant anthropology stories to public audiences—is fulfilled. The Senior Managing Editor will work closely with the Journals Director of the Press and the leadership of the Wenner-Gren Foundation, contributing to discussions on publishing strategies and editorial initiatives. In this role, the Senior Managing Editor will manage the editorial review process, track the progress of submissions, and ensure that all content meets the high standards set by SAPIENS and the University of Chicago Press. This includes overseeing a team of full-time editors and potentially part-time interns or contractors, managing their performance, and assisting in hiring and training. The Senior Managing Editor will also be responsible for maintaining relationships with various stakeholders, including the Wenner-Gren Foundation, and will represent the magazine at academic meetings as necessary. Additionally, the Senior Managing Editor will oversee the magazine's social media presence, newsletters, and promotional materials, ensuring that all content is delivered on time. The role requires a problem solver who is deadline-oriented and comfortable communicating with individuals at all levels of the organization. The position also involves preparing monthly and annual reports of publication-wide statistics and performing other related tasks as needed.

Responsibilities

• Manage the operation of the editorial offices of SAPIENS.
• Oversee the editorial review process and the day-to-day functions of the office, taking on routine tasks as needed.
• Track progress of pitches and drafts from submission through editorial review to final decision and manage pipeline.
• Supervise a staff of full-time editors and, on occasion, one or more part-time interns or contractors, including managing performance and the reviews process.
• Assist in hiring and training positions.
• Effectively lead a small team, delegate and assign tasks, and empower individuals to work together.
• Ensure that all articles and content are delivered on time and meet the standards of SAPIENS and the University of Chicago Press.
• Work with production, editorial, and electronic publishing to troubleshoot and solve problems.
• Manage and track publication agreements, permissions requests, and perform other administrative management functions.
• Liaise between the Press, Editors, editorial board members, and authors.
• Maintain and nurture relationships with the Wenner-Gren Foundation and partners with SAPIENS.
• Prepare monthly and annual reports of publication-wide statistics as needed.
• Represent the magazine and the Press at academic meetings as needed.
• Oversee the social media presence, newsletters, promotional materials, and published content on the magazine's website.
• Collaborate with authors to resolve routine and moderate problems using existing procedures and to clarify meaning.
• Assist with quality control by proofreading edited manuscripts.
• Coordinate all stages of manuscript editing and proof review up to the time the book is bound and edit and approve catalog and jacket materials with guidance from others.
• Perform other related work as needed.

Requirements

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in a related field.
• Knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice-to-haves

• Bachelor's degree.
• At least 5 years' experience in journal, magazine, or newspaper publishing.
• At least 3 years' experience supervising an editorial staff.
• Familiarity with research in archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and anthropological linguistics.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with a high degree of initiative.
• Proficient ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to manage stressful situations with ease.
• Experience in managing complex projects with a high level of organization, excellent time management, and attention to detail.
• Experience in science communication, journalism, or popular magazine and newspaper writing and editing.