Publisher: Scholarly Books

Location: Durbanville, Cape Town, South Africa Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time Work Arrangement: Office-Based (Durbanville)

About AOSIS

AOSIS is a scholarly publisher committed to advancing research, education and knowledge dissemination through high-quality open-access publishing.

We are seeking an experienced and commercially aware Publisher: Scholarly Books to take accountability for our Scholarly Books publishing programme. The successful candidate will develop the publishing pipeline, evaluate proposals, build strategic scholarly relationships, oversee peer review, make sound editorial decisions and safeguard the quality and integrity of our publications.

This is a senior publishing role requiring independent judgement, programme leadership and the ability to build trusted relationships with authors, volume editors, series editors, universities, research institutions and other scholarly partners.

About the Role

The Publisher is accountable for the quality, development and sustainability of the Scholarly Books programme and serves as the principal editorial decision-maker for book publications.

You will identify and develop publishing opportunities, evaluate proposals, manage important author and institutional relationships, oversee scholarly peer review and provide final editorial and publication approval. You will work with publishing operations colleagues and specialist contractors to ensure that approved titles progress through production in accordance with AOSIS quality, ethical and publication standards.

The role is suited to an experienced scholarly publishing professional who can combine editorial judgement with relationship development, strategic thinking and personal accountability.

Key Responsibilities

Publishing Programme Development and Acquisitions

• Develop and maintain a sustainable pipeline of scholarly books, edited volumes and thematic series.
• Identify suitable publishing opportunities aligned with the strategic direction of AOSIS.
• Evaluate book proposals for scholarly quality, programme fit, feasibility and publication potential.
• Commission appropriate new titles and support the development of suitable proposals.
• Build relationships with authors, volume editors, series editors, researchers and scholarly communities.
• Identify opportunities for institutional publishing partnerships and new scholarly series.
• Contribute to annual publishing programme objectives and growth priorities.
• Represent AOSIS in relevant scholarly and publishing networks, conferences and events when required.

Editorial Leadership and Decision-Making

• Take editorial ownership of assigned scholarly book projects.
• Guide authors and editors from proposal development through peer review, revision and final editorial approval.
• Define the expertise required from peer reviewers and approve reviewer selections.
• Evaluate manuscripts, peer-review reports and author responses.
• Make or recommend decisions regarding revision, acceptance or rejection.
• Approve manuscripts for progression to production.
• Assess and approve material changes to scholarly content.
• Apply sound, consistent and well-documented editorial judgement.

Peer Review and Publishing Ethics

• Oversee scholarly peer review in accordance with publishing policies and recognised ethical standards.
• Safeguard the independence, integrity and credibility of editorial decision-making.
• Identify and manage conflicts of interest.
• Address authorship concerns, research integrity matters and other publication ethics issues.
• Resolve complex editorial, policy and scholarly disputes.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality throughout proposal evaluation and peer review.
• Support continuous improvement of peer-review and publishing quality policies.

Author, Editor and Institutional Relationships

• Serve as a senior publishing contact for authors, volume editors, series editors and institutional partners.
• Establish clear expectations regarding editorial requirements, responsibilities and publication standards.
• Provide constructive guidance to authors and editors throughout the publishing process.
• Manage difficult or sensitive conversations professionally.
• Maintain productive long-term relationships with key scholarly stakeholders.
• Balance stakeholder expectations with the editorial independence and standards of AOSIS.

Publication Quality and Final Approval

• Maintain oversight of the scholarly and editorial quality of each publication.
• Confirm that manuscripts have completed the required editorial, ethical and peer-review processes before publication.
• Work with publishing operations colleagues and specialist contractors to resolve material quality concerns.
• Review substantive content changes arising during production.
• Participate in reciprocal quality assurance for assigned titles.
• Provide final publication approval once all required quality controls have been documented and completed.
• Ensure that publications comply with applicable publishing, licensing, metadata and open-access policies.

Open Access and Scholarly Communication

• Support the development of sustainable open-access scholarly book publishing.
• Apply appropriate Creative Commons licensing and copyright principles.
• Promote responsible and equitable dissemination of scholarly knowledge.
• Support the discoverability, accessibility and research visibility of AOSIS publications.
• Remain informed about developments in scholarly communication, research integrity and digital publishing.

Policy and Continuous Improvement

• Maintain and improve publishing, peer-review and scholarly quality policies.
• Approve material exceptions to publishing policies where appropriately authorised.
• Identify opportunities to improve publishing quality, author experience and programme effectiveness.
• Use publishing information and stakeholder feedback to inform decisions.
• Contribute to the strategic development of the Scholarly Books programme.

Minimum Requirements

• At least five years' relevant experience in scholarly, academic, educational or professional publishing.
• Demonstrated experience managing scholarly book projects from proposal through publication.
• Experience evaluating publishing proposals and manuscripts.
• Practical experience overseeing scholarly peer review.
• Experience working directly with authors, editors and reviewers.
• Strong understanding of publishing ethics and editorial decision-making.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.
• A relevant postgraduate qualification or equivalent scholarly publishing experience.
• Experience with continuous improvement of digital publishing workflows and publication processes.
• Experience in digital publishing, scholarly communication and online dissemination practices.
• Experience in AI use in digital publishing

Advantageous Experience

• Open-access book publishing.
• Acquisitions and publishing programme development.
• Commissioning scholarly titles or developing academic series.
• Developing relationships with universities, scholarly societies or research institutions.
• Creative Commons licensing and copyright management.
• COPE-aligned editorial and publication ethics.
• Scholarly metadata, discoverability and digital dissemination.
• Working with independent editors, designers and other publishing specialists.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent editorial judgement.
• Strong acquisitions and relationship-development capability.
• Strategic and commercially informed thinking.
• Exceptional

Requirements

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Please submit:

• A detailed CV.

• A short motivation letter explaining your suitability for the role.

• The names, email addresses and telephone details of three referees whom we may contact.

• Examples of scholarly books, publishing programmes, academic series or comparable publishing projects you have managed, where available.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not receive feedback within six weeks of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• All shortlisted candidates may be required to participate in relevant skills assessments and psychometric tests as part of the selection process.

• Applications will only be considered after the closing date and if candidates meet at least the minimum requirements for the position.

• For application-related enquiries, please contact Ms Hannah Boast at hannah@personastaff.co.za

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• AOSIS is committed to equality, employment equity and diversity. In accordance with the Employment Equity Plan of AOSIS and its Employment Equity goals and targets, preference may be given, but is not limited, to candidates from under-represented designated groups.

• All candidates who comply with the requirements for appointment are invited to apply.

• All candidates agree to undergo verification of personal credentials and criminal and credit checks, where applicable.

• AOSIS reserves the right not to fill the advertised position.

• Applicants should be South African citizens, permanent residents with a bar-coded ID, or possess a valid South African work visa or permit.

SELECTION PROCESS

Shortlisted candidates may be required to complete:

• A scholarly proposal or manuscript evaluation exercise.

• An editorial decision-making scenario.

• A written communication assessment.

• Relevant skills assessments and psychometric tests.

• Reference and qualification verification checks.

• Other appropriate pre-employment screening processes.