Guardian Jobs
Publications Manager, POLITICAL STUDIES ASSOCIATION
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
PSA Publications Manager
The PSA Publications Manager supports and develops the PSA’s publishing operations, which encompass a suite of academic journals (currently four highly regarded journals and a quarterly magazine, Political Insight), wider marketing activities, and a variety of research reports and other ad hoc outputs.
The role works closely with the wider staff team, the four editorial teams, key trustees, PSA members, and external partners, including our publishing partner, SAGE Publishing, to develop and deliver an ambitious publishing programme. The Publications Manager advances the PSA’s strategic priorities and promotes Political Studies as an academic discipline by:
- Working closely with our publisher, SAGE, to ensure the suite is published to the highest standards and profitability
- Supporting the development and implementation of the PSA’s publishing strategy to ensure the continued success of the suite and value for money
- Overseeing relationships with editorial teams, external freelancers, and other partner publishers
- Providing practical support of all kinds to journal editors and to the Publications Sub-committee as required
- Developing new publishing operational approaches to reach different audiences, including innovations in marketing activities and content
- Providing specialist publishing advice and services to the organisation as a whole.
Immediate Operational Priorities
- In partnership with staff, trustees, and editorial teams, developing a PSA academic publishing strategy, including a clear identity and unique selling point for each journal
- Working with SAGE Publishing to strengthen cross-journal collaboration and retain high quality submissions within the PSA suite
- Scoping and developing a new editorial operating model in consultation with editorial teams and SAGE
- Leading on publishing innovation including scoping and, if viable, launching a new journal or special issues
- Supporting academic publishing activities outside the core SAGE contract
- Reviewing marketing, engagement, and communication activities to ensure impact, quality, and value for money.
Team Structure & Context
The post reports to the Head of Operations & Finance, who delegates to the post-holder as appropriate. The role works closely with the Operations & Finance team on governance, budgeting, grants and awards, digital systems and delivery, and liaises closely with the PSA’s publishing partner (SAGE Publishing), the journal editorial teams and boards, the Publications Sub-committee and Trustees, and external providers. In addition, the post-holder will be required to work in collaboration with the PSA’s Membership, Events, and Communications team to deliver impactful marketing and engagement activities and may be required to line manage editorial and content staff or contractors.
Main Responsibilities
Managing the PSA’s publications activity
- Ensuring continued improvement in publishing operations and exploring the potential of new operating models to ensure impact and value for money
- Developing and implementing PSA’s publishing portfolio strategy and operations
- Maintaining and developing publication standards (including editorial style guides and branding guidelines) and ensuring their consistent application across the PSA’s publishing activities
- Developing and maintaining relationships with internal and external partners and stakeholders
- Maintaining an overview of issues, debates, risks, and developments in publishing, in particular around open access, AI, increased litigation, and the availability of peer reviewers and editors
- Ensuring the PSA’s work is informed by the latest trends in publications design, production, and dissemination, and that good practice is followed and shared across the PSA’s office team and committees
- Potentially, supporting the work of the Publications and Digital Content Officer and delegating appropriately
- Maintaining the PSA’s publications archive and records
- Delivering value for money by periodically tendering for services from designers, printers, and other suppliers.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Overseeing the PSA’s journals portfolio
- Managing day-to-day contractual relationships with publishing partners, liaising with editorial teams, production, and marketing teams to meet each journal’s objectives
- Providing and managing support for the editors of our journals, including monitoring their use of the budget and wider support, and helping to develop and deliver special issues, awards, workshops, and other initiatives
- Providing secretariat and other support to the Publications Sub-committee, in partnership with PSA trustees
- Ensuring the PSA’s Publications Sub-committee and Trustees have effective oversight of the journals portfolio and performance, through regular reports, meetings, and consultations
- Working with PSA leaders and publishing partners to formulate strategies to develop and future-proof the PSA’s journal portfolio in response to new developments in the publishing landscape
- Identifying and pursuing opportunities to market and promote the journals, including at events and conferences, and supporting the editors to this end
- Overseeing and supporting the recruitment of new journal editors and editorial board members as necessary.
Managing the PSA’s wider publishing activities
- Working alongside the PSA’s Membership, Events, Communications team to ensure the best use of communication channels to market the academic publishing activities
- Liaising with the academic editor(s), external suppliers, and freelancers to develop innovative content
- Commissioning and/or overseeing the publication of reports and other outputs arising from key PSA activities, including research arising from our grants, other commissioned research, events, and reports
- Liaising with others to ensure the PSA website is up to date and has the necessary content.
Innovation & development
- Developing and implementing a new publishing strategy and operating model to ensure the growth and sustainability of the PSA suite and wider activities
- Ensuring best practice and new initiatives are appropriately adapted across the suite
- Developing innovative ways to reach new and existing audiences.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Other duties and responsibilities
- The above role description is not exclusive or exhaustive, and the post-holder will be required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post. All members of staff are required to be professional, co-operative, and flexible in line with the needs of the post and the organisation.
- On occasion, this may entail supporting colleagues in work areas outside of this job description.
- There is some requirement to work outside normal office hours to support PSA events and publication deadlines as well as, on occasion, travel around the UK.
- These duties are subject to change from time to time as determined by business priorities. As and when duties and responsibilities change, the job description will be reviewed and amended in consultation with the post-holder.
- The post-holder is expected to provide general support in running the PSA offices.
- Compliance with PSA policy, including absence, appraisal, and health & safety, as well as the GDPR.
Person Specification
To be successful in this role you will need a thorough understanding of academic and professional publishing and the changing publishing environment. You will be highly organised, an excellent communicator, and confident in engaging with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including senior academics, editors, service providers, and partners.
Please download Job Description for further specification requirements and return an Equal Opportunities Monitoring form with your application.
Your Application
By applying for this role, you are confirming that you have the right to work in the UK; proof of this will be required before a final offer is made. We will also require all employees to have a basic DBS check. If you would like an informal conversation about the role, please email eva.kestner@psa.ac.uk and we will respond as soon as possible.
First interviews will be held via Teams in the week beginning 27 July 2026. If there are any dates you cannot attend, please let us know in your application.
Terms of Employment (stated on a full-time basis)
- If performed full-time, the role is 37.5 hours a week, excluding lunch. You may occasionally be required to work evenings and weekends (including taking part in the Annual Conference), for which you will earn time off in lieu. No overtime payments will be made in these circumstances.
- If performed full-time, you will be entitled to 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays and days between Christmas and New Year.
- Employer pension contribution (10% for an employee contribution of 5% of salary).
- Employee assistance services.
- The role is based at the PSA’s offices in Camden, with all staff supported to work flexibly and from home. The whole team endeavours to collaborate in the office regularly, especially on Wednesdays.
This role is offered on a 0.6 FTE basis (3 days per week), with salary and annual leave pro-rated accordingly. Other FTE arrangements may be discussed.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills