Head of Books

Reporting to our Director of Publishing, you will be responsible for delivering our digital books strategic plan. Our books programme is undergoing a transformation to digital-first content, products and sales models. With recent investment in our customer-facing publishing platform and new book product launches, we are looking for someone to lead the expansion of our audience and rejuvenation of our business. You will ensure ambitious commissioning and publishing targets are met, work closely with colleagues in sales to deliver new digital sales models and channels and manage our strategic partnerships with our vendors and suppliers. This role will involve influencing and liaising with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels and across all departments. The ideal candidate will be a strong commercial business leader with management and strategic thinking skills, excellent decision-making and organisational skills, a proactive style, and the ability to use their initiative. In this role it is expected that you will attend the office 2 days per week. If you need flexible working arrangements, please outline this in your application.

• Significant academic books publishing experience, including strategic development and a broad understanding across editorial, production, technology, marketing and sales.
• Demonstrable experience of delivering digital book products, sales models, distribution channels or partnering to achieve these.
• Good understanding of all aspects of commissioning, peer review, editorial policy, procedures and practice, and experience of overseeing quality standards and expectations for content.
• Broad knowledge of digital publishing and technology solutions, ability to leverage current and new technology suppliers and their systems and websites to deliver business outcomes.
• High degree of staff management skill at a senior level and must apply this to recruitment, training, supervision, motivation and development of staff., As a part of the Disability Confident Scheme, we endeavour, where possible, to offer an interview to candidates meeting the essential criteria of the role, who has a substantial physical/mental impairment which impacts their ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.
  
  At the RSC we embrace flexibility and offer hybrid working, which means our teams come together when they need to collaborate.
Although this role is contractually based at our Cambridge office, you will be able to work from home within the UK, with the expectation that you will attend the office as needed for your role. About the RSC As a not-for-profit publisher, we reinvest surplus funds back into the global scientific community, supporting our mission to help the chemical science community make the world a better place. We have been publishing books since 1968 and have over 1,700 titles in our list, with 1,500 available as eBooks.

The Royal Society of Chemistry is looking for an engaging and successful academic book publishing professional to lead our books programme on a full-time, 12-month fixed term contract basis.