Associate Managing Editor

Job Description

About our Team: The Journal's Editorial Management team at Sage India is a dynamic group of publishing professionals responsible for the operational and strategic management of academic journals across disciplines. We work closely with editors, authors, reviewers, societies, and cross-functional teams globally (including Sage offices in the UK and US) to ensure smooth workflows and high-quality, timely publications. We are committed to upholding Sage’s reputation for academic excellence and editorial integrity, while actively contributing to the growth and visibility of our journal portfolio through indexing, impact factor optimization, and global outreach. What is our team’s key role in the business? Our team plays a critical role in the end-to-end publishing lifecycle—from onboarding newly acquired journals to managing established titles. We ensure that each journal meets the highest editorial standards, adheres to peer-review best practices, and remains competitive in global academic markets. By closely monitoring journal performance and supporting editorial boards, we contribute directly to the scholarly impact, readership growth, and revenue objectives of the business. In essence, we serve as the bridge between content development and publishing success—driving operational excellence while enabling academic communities to thrive. Job Purpose: This role involves end-to-end oversight of the journal publishing process, ensuring timely and high-quality publication. The incumbent will act as a central point of contact for journal editors, reviewers, authors, and internal teams across SAGE India, UK, and US offices, handling escalations and supporting the development and growth of the journal portfolio. Key Responsibilities: Editorial and Publishing Management: Manage assigned journals within the Sage India portfolio independently. Oversee the transition of journals from acquisition to editorial, ensuring seamless onboarding and operations. Regularly correspond with internal and external stakeholders to address queries and issues raised by editors, reviewers, or authors. Support journals in achieving indexing and abstracting goals, including Impact Factor (IF) acquisition and improvement. Strategic Development: Identify journal-specific requirements related to workflow, timeliness, abstracting & indexing (A&I), and other publishing metrics. Collaborate with editorial teams to streamline publishing pipelines and bring delayed journals back on track. Provide guidance to editors on A&I strategies, peer review workflows, and performance optimization. Marketing & Promotion: Coordinate with marketing teams to execute journal-specific promotional activities such as Calls for Papers, special issues, IF announcements, and article-level campaigns. Support conference-related promotional efforts by creating or facilitating journal advertising materials. Reporting & Analysis: Prepare and maintain regular reports on journal and personal KPIs. Create and present publisher reports for both internal and external stakeholders. Monitor journal performance trends and contribute to strategic planning based on data insights. Contracts & Legal: Assist in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating journal contracts, renewals, and addendums, in collaboration with the legal team. Stakeholder Management: Foster strong relationships with editors, authors, reviewers, and internal staff to ensure a collaborative and productive publishing environment. Act as a point of contact for journal-specific queries, escalating issues as required. Qualifications & Experience: Postgraduate degree in Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, or related fields. 2–3 years of experience in academic journal publishing within a managing/editorial capacity. Strong understanding of end-to-end journal management, peer review systems, and editorial processes. Hands-on experience with abstracting and indexing applications and familiarity with indexing parameters (e.g., Scopus, Web of Science). Knowledge of publishing contracts and business models in academic publishing. Skills: Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, Outlook). Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to work independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams. Familiarity with peer review management systems (e.g., ScholarOne, Editorial Manager) is an added advantage. Proactive mindset with the ability to adapt to emerging trends in academic publishing. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion At Sage we are 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 creating value through diversity is what makes us strong. As a business and as an organization with an increasingly agile workforce, we're open to flexible working arrangements where appropriate.