Senior Executive Publisher - PeerJ & F1000 in Abingdon

The Senior Executive Publisher, PeerJ and F1000, is a strategic leadership role responsible for driving the growth and innovation of these distinctive open access publishing platforms and for leading a team in achieving these objectives. This position requires a creative and analytical thinker with strong leadership and communication skills who will work closely with the VP, STM Journals Publishing, to identify opportunities and develop strategies that optimize the performance of PeerJ's two peer-reviewed journals, PeerJ and PeerJ Computer Science, and F1000's open research publishing platform. The Senior Executive Publisher is responsible for setting the strategic direction, business planning requirements, and growth targets for these innovative portfolios.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership for PeerJ and F1000: In consultation with the VP, STM Journals Publishing, establish overall strategic objectives for PeerJ and F1000 that align with organizational goals and the unique positioning of these open access platforms; develop and implement effective strategies to meet those objectives; and agree methods for measuring their success. Drive innovation in open access publishing models, leveraging the unique features of PeerJ and F1000 to fully align with T&F’s open research vision and to expand market reach and impact within the scientific community. Optimize and evolve the distinctive business models of PeerJ (including lifetime membership and per-article options) and F1000Research (article processing charges with transparent peer review) to maximize author satisfaction, institutional partnerships, and revenue growth.
• Team Leadership and Development: Lead a team of editorial staff focused on PeerJ and F1000 portfolios, ensuring objectives are clear, relevant decision-making is devolved, and team members are empowered and incentivized to develop and deliver strategic objectives for their respective areas and for achieving related objectives and goals. Design and deliver annual workforce plans to monitor resources, maximize efficiency and growth, and ensure talent attraction, development, and retention in appropriate geographic locations to support PeerJ and F1000's global operations.
• Market Intelligence and Product Development: Establish systems and processes to build and maintain topical knowledge of the open access publishing landscape, researcher needs, and competitor activity to inform decisions on development activities for PeerJ and F1000. Monitor emerging trends in open research, open peer review, and transparent publishing practices to ensure PeerJ and F1000 remain at the forefront of innovation.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships: Foster in-depth and close relationships with the scientific research community, including authors, reviewers, editorial board members, and institutional partners, to build the profile and position PeerJ and F1000 as centers of excellence in open access publishing. Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with research institutions, funders, and societies that align with PeerJ and F1000's mission and values. Collaborate with Expert teams (e.g., Commissioning, Open Research, Publishing Ethics & Integrity) to drive continuous improvement and business growth across both platforms.
• Operational Excellence: Work with Operational Excellence colleagues to set and maintain operational protocols specific to PeerJ and F1000's unique workflows, ensuring service, process, and administrative efficiency and effectiveness. Oversee partnership agreements and ensure contracts are renewed to agreed schedules and profitability levels. Keep abreast of global changes in open access funding models and evolving approaches to monetizing open content, ensuring PeerJ and F1000 remain relevant, commercially viable, and aligned with market dynamics.

Additional Responsibilities

• Represent PeerJ and F1000 at industry conferences, events, and forums to enhance brand visibility and thought leadership.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Strong, demonstrable experience in academic publishing with proven longevity and increasing levels of responsibility, including at least 3 years in a leadership role, preferably with direct experience in open access publishing models.
• Deep understanding of the open access publishing landscape, including familiarity with platforms like PeerJ, F1000Research, or similar innovative publishing models.
• Proven track record of success in developing and executing strategic plans that drive revenue growth and market expansion.
• Demonstrated financial acumen with experience managing P&L responsibilities or budget oversight.
• Excellent analytical thinking and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret market data and translate insights into actionable strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate strategies to all levels of an organization and to external stakeholders.
• Strong leadership capabilities with experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, innovative environment.
• Knowledge of open peer review, open data, and transparent publishing practices.
• Established network within the scientific research community.
• Understanding of emerging technologies in scholarly publishing (AI, machine learning, research integrity tools).
• Experience working with international, distributed teams.

What we offer in return

• An excellent work/life balance with a fantastic, flexible working culture.
• 25 days annual leave per year plus a day off for your birthday.
• 3 additional discretionary days off during the holiday season at the end of the year.
• 4 paid volunteering days each year.
• Company funded single cover private medical insurance.
• Employee assistance programme – offering 24/7 well-being support.
• Share Match – Plan that matches every share purchased with two free shares.
• Life assurance, plus optical and medical care.

What you should know

• This role is based in the UK and you must have the right to work and live in the UK.
• We believe that great things happen when people connect face-to-face. That's why we work in-person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you’re not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces – like at conference – you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely.
• The successful candidate will be able to utilise our balanced working model. We ask that candidates live within a commutable distance to our Milton Park office to ensure that as a balanced worker they can make it to our office location 3 days per week.
• Please note that our Milton Park office will be relocating to Oxford city centre in late 2027 / early 2028, offering an exciting new workplace in the heart of the city.

Closing Date

Applications will close on 24th June 2026.