Manager, Editorial Product Systems

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)

• Develops and executes a comprehensive product roadmap for editorial technology systems that aligns with organizational goals and emerging trends in scholarly publishing, including AI/ML applications, open peer review models, and preprint integration.
• Serves as primary product owner for all editorial systems including submission platforms, peer review systems, and editorial workflow tools. Defines product requirements, prioritizes feature development, and ensures successful implementation of system enhancements. Oversees vendor selection, contract negotiations, and relationship management for all editorial technology platforms. Evaluates new technologies and manages potential transitions to new systems while ensuring business continuity.
• Designs and optimizes user experiences for all editorial system stakeholders (editors-in-chief, managing editors, reviewers, and authors). Conducts user research, gathers feedback, and implements improvements that enhance satisfaction and efficiency.
• Provides strategic leadership and manages the peer review team, to help ensure consistency across journals, compliance with editorial policies, and maintenance of rigorous peer review standards.
• Collaborates closely with Managing Editors, Editors-in-Chief, Operations Managers, and production systems leadership to ensure seamless integration between editorial and production workflows and alignment of system capabilities with user needs. Leads cross-functional projects to implement new editorial system features and integrations. Ensures collaboration among editorial, production, online publishing, and IT staff.
• Establishes and monitors key performance indicators for editorial systems including user satisfaction scores, system adoption rates, feature utilization, and successful launch metrics. Analyzes data to identify areas for improvement and drives continuous enhancement.
• Maintains deep knowledge of industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies in editorial systems and peer review. Brings innovative ideas to ASM Journals and participates in industry forums, conferences, and working groups as a thought leader.
• Develops and maintains comprehensive product documentation including system specifications, feature requirements, user guides, and training materials. Ensures knowledge transfer and documentation standards across the editorial technology ecosystem Oversees testing protocols for all editorial system changes and new feature implementations. Ensures quality assurance processes are followed and systems meet user requirements before launch.
• 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)

• 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.
• 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.
  
  

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
  
  

Supervisory Responsibility

• For employees reporting directly to this position, the incumbent is responsible for making hiring decisions, managing the annual performance appraisal process, coaching, mentoring, and providing approval for vacation & time-off requests.
• All facets of this position are self-directed within the policies and procedures approved by the Chief Publishing Officer, and guidelines established by the department’s Senior Director in partnership with the organization’s Senior Leadership team.
• This position is responsible to the Senior Director, Publishing Operations, or their designee, and the department’s fiscal management and, in this capacity, rules on the allocation of expenditures.
• In partnership with the department’s Senior Director, this position is responsible for departmental decision-making regarding personnel actions, the acquisition and utilization of resources, procedures, and control systems.
• This position supports the department’s Senior Director in overseeing the development of budgets for all existing programs and new proposals, providing signatory approval for expenditures, contracts, subcontracts, and personal service agreements.
  
  

Physical Demands

This is largely a sedentary role and may sit or use PC for long periods of time. Bending, reaching, or stooping may be necessary for use of filing cabinets or other office cabinets or office machines. This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computer, phones, copiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Travel Requirements

Expected to travel approximately 10% of time to ASM meetings, vendor meetings, and industry conferences for professional development and thought leadership activities.