Vacancy: editorship of English

The English Association is seeking to renew the editorship of English, its flagship journal, from 1 January 2021 for a 5-year term. English was founded in 1936 and is published by Oxford University Press, producing four issues each year. Its circulation covers academic institutions and individuals worldwide. English provides a forum for people who think hard and passionately about literature and who want to communicate those thoughts to a wide audience. It includes scholarly essays and reviews on all periods of literary history alongside new work by contemporary poets.

Further details may be found on http://english.oxfordjournals.org.

The role

The role of editor is challenging and rewarding. You will have the opportunity to support emerging scholars with their first submissions to an academic journal; read research from a wide range of specialisms and countries; develop special collections; and build your own intellectual network.

How to apply

The English Association is open to various models of editorship, such as a cross-institutional team, a group of editors with differentiated responsibilities (articles, reviews, poems), or a departmental editorship. The editorship must be made up of multiple people. The editors should bring commitment and vision to the journal and ensure that it remains at the intellectual heart of English Studies, reflecting the current state of the subject and serving its broad international readership. Applicants from a team spread across multiple institutions should make the rationale for this make-up of the team in the application.

Bidders are encouraged to take a view on the future direction of the journal, both in intellectual and commercial terms. The editorial team will receive financial support from the Association of £500 per issue.

Applicants should submit a two-page vision statement for the journal and a summary of all applicants' CVs by 31 January 2020.

Your vision statement must be accompanied by a clear declaration of support from your home department which details the specific support offered to the editor/editorial team. This may include: a commitment to teaching relief; admin support; recognition of your commitment to the journal in your department’s workload model.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel made up of the Chair of the English Association, the Chief Executive Officer of the English Association, and the Chair of the English Association’s Higher Education Committee.

Interested parties should feel free to discuss ideas with Dr Rebecca Fisher, the English Association’s Chief Executive Officer, in advance of the deadline (rebecca.fisher@le.ac.uk).

Detailed role description

Role title             Editor of English

Role purpose To lead the strategic development of the journal, with support from the publisher and the English Association; to ensure that every issue of the journal English is produced on time

Start date 1 January 2021 (the successful applicants will be expected to shadow the current editorial team from summer 2020 to December 2020)

Knowledge, skills and experience required

• Evidence of experience in reviewing for journals and/or publishers
• Demonstrable networks (to help with strategic commissioning)
• Demonstrable understanding of journals
• Confident IT and social media skills to support promotion online
• Ability to work to strict deadlines
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to communicate with tact

Key responsibilities

• To manage the peer review process efficiently and with integrity
• To maintain the journal’s reputation for  timely support to authors throughout the revision and production process
• To develop and implement an effective strategy for attracting high quality submissions to the journal from authors around the world
• To copy-edit material
• To deliver each issue on time
• To develop and maintain a positive working relationship with the publisher and the English Association
• To produce and deliver annual reports at the English Association’s summer meeting of the Board of Trustees
• To maintain the journal’s social media presence

Communications and working relationships

The publisher at Oxford University Press; contributors; the English Association team.

Timeline