Commissioning Editor
2 days ago
Cardiff
About the Role We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Commissioning Editor to take responsibility for the development and performance of Nucleic Acid Insights . This is an exciting opportunity to shape the direction of one of our flagship journals in a rapidly evolving field, driving the impact and growth of the journal. About the Publisher We are a specialist scientific publisher dedicated to advancing progress in cutting-edge fields of biomedicine. Through our portfolio of open access journals, we connect academic research, clinical application, and industry innovation across areas such as gene therapy, cell therapy, immuno-oncology, and nucleic acid therapeutics. Our mission is to deliver high-quality, insightful content that informs, inspires, and supports progress in translational science. We foster a collaborative environment where editorial excellence, innovation, and data-driven decision-making underpin everything we do. Key Responsibilities Commissioning and Editorial Oversight • Commission and develop high-quality content aligned with the journal’s scope and readership needs, • Make final accept/revise/reject decisions, ensuring all content meets rigorous scientific and editorial standards, • Shape the journal’s editorial and content direction through data-driven insights, strategic planning, and awareness of emerging topics and key trends in the sector, • Maintain and strengthen the quality, visibility, and reputation of Nucleic Acid Insights by setting and meeting clear readership growth targets and tracking key journal performance metrics Data-Led Journal Development • Conduct regular performance reviews using analytics and readership data to assess content performance by type, format, and topic, • Define and deliver data-informed commissioning strategies to grow readership and engagement, • Collaborate closely with business development and marketing teams to align the content pipeline with market trends and client objectives Innovation, Visibility, and Sector Awareness • Stay up to date with developments and trends across the nucleic acid therapeutics sector to identify new content opportunities, • Pilot new editorial initiatives (e.g., expert roundups, topical features, newsletters) to expand reach and reader engagement, • Benchmark against competitors to identify best practices that inform future content, partnerships, and promotional strategies, • Build personal and journal presence on professional platforms such as LinkedIn to strengthen visibility and industry connections Skills & Experience Essential • Biomedical background to at least BSc level, • Editorial experience in journal publishing, ideally in nucleic acid therapeutics, RNA/DNA technologies, or a related field, • Excellent relationship management and communication skills, with confidence in working with internal stakeholders and external experts, • Strong understanding of open access publishing processes and business models, • Exceptional organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively across multiple projects, • Minimum of four years’ experience in scientific or academic publishing, with at least part of this in an editorial commissioning or journal management role Desirable • Experience developing and executing commissioning strategies to drive readership or engagement growth, • Strong understanding of emerging trends in nucleic acid therapeutics and related biomedical research, • Experience managing relationships with senior academics, industry experts, or editorial board members, • Proven ability to identify and nurture high-value contributors and content opportunities, • Demonstrated interest in innovation within scientific publishing — new content formats, outreach strategies, or audience development, • Experience managing end-to-end client editorial projects — from commissioning and scheduling to delivery — ensuring deadlines, quality standards, and objectives are consistently met Benefits • Salary: Competitive, • A supportive, rewarding environment where success is recognised, and career progression is actively encouraged, • Comprehensive training and professional development opportunities, • Hybrid/remote working model: typically two days per week in our central London office (Waterloo), • 25 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays, • Additional holiday entitlement based on length of service Please send your CV to Daniel.Taplin@lifescirecruitment.com and I will be in touch to discuss the position in more depth.