Publishing Editor

Sage is a global academic publisher of books, journals, and library resources with a growing range of technologies to enable discovery, access, and engagement. Believing that research and education are critical in shaping society, Sage was founded in 1965 and is controlled by a group of trustees charged with maintaining its independence and mission indefinitely.

About the role

Reporting to the Publisher or General Manager, China, the Publishing Editor is responsible for the launch, development, and growth of a Sage flagship journal showcasing transformative scientific discoveries and landmark advances across research disciplines. This role combines journal management, editor relations, content development, and scholarly community engagement to establish the flagship journal as a leading destination for influential research and discovery. The role will have a particular focus on strengthening engagement with the Chinese research community while supporting the journal's global growth and reputation.

Responsibilities

• Journal Development
  • Support the implementation of the journal's editorial development strategy.
  • Monitor journal performance, submission trends, and market developments to identify growth opportunities.
  • Contribute to initiatives that increase the journal's visibility, readership, and author engagement.
  • Work with publishing and marketing colleagues to support the journal's development objectives.
• Editor and Editorial Board Management
  • Serve as a key contact for the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board members.
  • Support the recruitment, onboarding, and engagement of Editorial Board members.
  • Organize board meetings and maintain effective communication with editors.
  • Provide publishing expertise and guidance on journal policies, workflows, and publishing best practices.
• Content Acquisition and Commissioning
  • Identify emerging research topics and influential researchers aligned with the journal's mission.
  • Develop and execute content acquisition initiatives to attract high-quality submissions.
  • Build relationships with leading authors, research institutions, academies, hospitals, and scientific societies.
  • Work closely with the content commissioning team on commissioned content, special collections, and invited article programs.
• Editorial Quality and Publishing Excellence
  • Monitor peer review and editorial performance indicators.
  • Work with editorial operations, peer review, and production teams to ensure an excellent author experience.
  • Support adherence to publishing ethics, research integrity standards, and industry best practices.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement of editorial workflows and journal operations.
• Indexing and Impact Development
  • Drive the journal's indexing roadmap, supporting inclusion in key databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, PMC, DOAJ, etc.
  • Monitor performance against indexing criteria and implement initiatives to enhance journal quality, visibility, citations, and impact.
  • Coordinate indexing applications and work with editors and internal teams to ensure compliance with industry and indexing standards.
• China Community Engagement
  • Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across China's research ecosystem.
  • Represent the journal at conferences, workshops, and academic events.
  • Promote awareness of the journal among leading universities, research institutes, hospitals, and scientific organizations.
  • Identify opportunities to increase participation from researchers in China while maintaining the journal's global focus.

Requirements

• PhD or Master's degree in a scientific, medical, health, or related discipline.
• Experience in scholarly publishing, journal management, research communication, or academic engagement.
• Strong understanding of peer review and scholarly publishing.
• Excellent relationship-management and stakeholder-engagement skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English and Chinese.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with international teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with editors, editorial boards, or other editorial roles.
• Experience commissioning content or developing journal growth initiatives.
• Strong network within Chinese academia, research institutions, or healthcare organizations.
• Knowledge of Open Access publishing and research impact metrics.

About Sage

Sage is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that is representative of all sections of society and to sustaining a culture that celebrates difference, encourages authenticity, and creates a deep sense of belonging. We welcome applications from all members of society irrespective of age, disability, sex or gender identity, sexual orientation, color, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, or belief. As a business and organization with an increasingly agile workforce, we're open to flexible working arrangements where appropriate.