Description:

The Manager, Editorial Boards and Peer Review position serves as the primary point of contact between the Journals Program and the volunteers providing scholarly service in a range of editorial board and peer review roles. To ensure optimal functioning of the journals’ editorial boards, the Manager leverages thorough knowledge of peer review and editorial office best practices to exemplify excellence in author, editor, and reviewer services. Working in a high-growth, rapid turnaround time environment, the Manager is an independent problem solver focused on meeting and anticipating users’ needs, as well as a key part of the team tasked with producing journal issues, special issues and forums, derivative content products, and online information resources. The Manager works closely with vendors and contractors to deploy innovative solutions that promote volunteer engagement and satisfaction and works with program and cluster staff on a regular basis to advance strategic and operational priorities.  

Responsibilities

1. Manages the Editorial Boards of the ASHA Journals

Examples: 

• Works directly with editors-in-chief and editors of the journals to assess editorial board needs and to recruit and orient individuals accordingly.
• Ensures accurate and timely flows of information about individuals serving or seeking to serve on editorial boards, including updates of database records to manage access control and trigger operational processes.
• Creates, updates, and distributes onboarding materials (e.g., training guides and welcome kits) for each editorial board role and holds individual and group orientation sessions as needed.
• Produces and maintains online content about editorial boards and peer review, develops communications that support all aspects of editorial board operations, and manages production of certificates/letters of appreciation and processing of professional development credit for volunteer service.
• Monitors and reports on key measures of editorial board functioning and works with the program and vendor/contractor staff to devise and implement strategies for improvement where needed.
• Ensures timely and accurate handling of all editorial board budget needs (e.g., issuance of stipends and preparation of reports on budget utilization).
• Provides timely, independent handling of inquiries from individuals currently serving or interested in serving on editorial boards or as peer reviewers.

2. Manages the Submission and Peer Review Process for the ASHA Journals

Examples:

• Serves as primary point of contact with submission and peer review platform vendors, troubleshooting technical issues and developing requirements as needed for new or modified functionality.
• Works closely with contractor staff handling day-to-day processing of submissions and peer review to resolve policy questions and procedural issues, and to continually calibrate informational resources.
• Promotes use of reviewer and editor recognition platforms, maintains or enhances them as needed, and guides volunteers on their effective use.

Qualifications

Knowledge typically acquired through:

• Bachelor’s degree and 3–5 years of related experience
• Direct responsibility for meeting the day-to-day needs of volunteers in a scientific, technical, or medical publishing environment 
• Development of multiple types of resources, communications, and training materials in support of volunteer engagement and success
• Experience in a fast-paced, deadline-intensive environment with multiple, concurrent projects and initiatives
• Progressively responsible management of information and records related to volunteer service
• In-depth familiarity with industry standards-setting organizations in peer review and scholarly publishing

Scope and depth of technical skills/knowledge:

• Basic-to-intermediate skill in configuring reports using Excel/.csv data
• Basic-to-intermediate skill in using cloud applications (e.g., Smartsheet) or similar software for managing data from online forms and available via dashboards
• Basic-to-intermediate skill in cloud applications or similar software for creating and updating training resources/assets, including brief webinars or tutorials
• Intermediate skill in communicating, both orally and in writing, to independently compose correspondence and technical documents
• Intermediate skill in use of technology to organize and execute work (e.g., Microsoft 365: Teams, Sharepoint, Word, Excel, PowerPoint; association management systems such as netFORUM; online community platforms such as HigherLogic; and Zoom or similar platforms for virtual meetings)
• Basic-to-intermediate experience with online submission and peer review platforms (e.g., Editorial Manager or ScholarOne Manuscripts)
• Basic-to-intermediate experience with online content creation (e.g., Wordpress and HTML)

Scope and depth of non-technical skills/knowledge:

• Ability to organize and prioritize needs of multiple internal and external constituents
• Ability to manage time effectively to complete multiple projects or deliverables with tight deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to complete work accurately and with attention to detail
• Demonstrated initiative and ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Strong interpersonal skills and willingness to assist others
• Willingness to learn and aptitude for converting complicated policy and procedural information into user-friendly resources