Job Overview

Job Title: Head of Publishing Operations        

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £69,632 - £77,370 (DOE)

Location: London/ Hybrid

Application Closing Date: Friday 31st October 2025

Job Purpose: 

We’re looking for a proactive and innovative professional to join BMJ in a brand-new role focused on transforming our editorial workflows. You’ll collaborate with key stakeholders both within BMJ and externally to plan and implement improvements across the entire publishing process, from pre-submission to post-publication. By driving the adoption of best practices, you’ll play a pivotal role in boosting editorial efficiency while ensuring an outstanding experience for editors, authors, and reviewers alike.  

Responsibilities

• Drive Operational Excellence: Use data-driven insights to enhance cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and quality across BMJ’s end-to-end journal workflows, delivering continuous improvement and innovation that elevate the experience of authors, reviewers, and editors.
• Lead Workflow & Systems Projects: Manage workflow improvement and system implementation projects from inception to delivery, on time, within budget, and with strong stakeholder alignment.

• Optimise Resource Management: Oversee resource planning and allocation to ensure financial objectives and publication timelines are consistently achieved.
• Strengthen Vendor Partnerships: Contribute to the oversight of vendor and partner relationships, ensuring compliance with service level agreements and seamless collaboration.
• Champion Automation & Scalability: Lead initiatives to automate, standardise, and scale editorial workflows while safeguarding publication ethics and maintaining high editorial standards.
• Coordinate Cross-Functional Teams: Collaborate with internal departments, including Editorial, Publishing, Research Integrity, Production, Product, Platform, and Technology and external partners to design and implement optimised workflows that boost productivity and satisfaction.
• Enable Change & Innovation: Apply effective change management practices to promote the successful adoption of new processes, systems, and technologies.
• Stay Ahead of Industry Trends: Monitor and assess developments in the publishing industry, particularly the use of AI and machine learning, identifying opportunities to enhance BMJ’s editorial and publishing operations.
• Measure Performance: Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs), providing actionable insights and reports to inform strategic decision-making across BMJ.
• Manage Risk & Continuity: Identify operational risks and challenges, developing and implementing mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity.
• Foster a Culture of Innovation: Encourage the exploration of emerging tools, processes, and technologies that enhance operational effectiveness and deliver measurable impact.

Skills, Experience & Qualification

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in operations within STM publishing or a related industry.
• Proven record of process improvement, efficiency delivery, and team management.
• Strong background in scholarly publishing, with knowledge of STM publications preferred.
• Experience in project and change management; Lean Six Sigma or similar an advantage.
• Deep understanding of editorial and production workflows, business models, and the scholarly publishing landscape.
• Skilled in workflow analysis, problem-solving, and strategic decision-making.
• Experience with publishing software, workflow automation, and digital platforms.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Strong organisational abilities with capacity to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools (MS Office, Google Suite) and peer review platforms (e.g., ScholarOne).

Why work for us

Help us create a healthier world. We are a global healthcare knowledge provider. We publish The BMJ, one of the world’s most impactful medical journals and over 70 influential speciality journals. We offer digital tools to help health professionals worldwide tackle critical healthcare challenges. Find out more about us here.

Flexible Work and Workplace Perks

• We’re committed to flexible working that supports both your needs and the requirements of the role.

Generous benefits

• Generous double-matching employer pension contribution, up to 12%

• Discounted dental and travel insurance

• Seven x salary life assurance cover and a generous income protection package

• Discounted gym membership, cycle-to-work and season ticket loan

• Discounts for retail and leisure products through yourReward 

Work-life balance and wellbeing

• Twenty-five days holiday + bank holidays + a BMJ Day off.

• Additional holiday through long service; buy up to 5 additional days 

• Leave for moving house, volunteering or getting married

• Concierge service Seniorcare by Lottie

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion are not buzzwords to us, but fundamental company priorities

• We believe that a diverse workforce brings unique strengths and insights, enabling us to better serve our customers and drive positive change in our industry. 

• If you are from an under-represented or historically marginalised community, we are particularly interested in hearing from you. 

• Join our employee-led networks focusing on Gender, Race and Cultural Diversity, Sexual Orientation, Mental Health and Well-being, Parents and Carers and Age.

• Disability Confident Committed employer

Learning & Development

• Personal development plan 

• Mentoring scheme

• Career Coaching

• Opportunities to pursue professional development

• Strengths-based development