Commissioning Editor, Educational Resources

Would you like to create and publish resources to support science teachers?

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has an opportunity for a Commissioning Editor, Education Resources to join us on a permanent full-time (35-hour week) basis. You will be based at our Cambridge Science Park office (free onsite parking and close to the guided busway and Cambridge North train station), with occasional travel throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

As Commissioning Editor for educational resources you will be responsible for developing a new resources publishing programme and for a portfolio of resources and materials that attracts nearly nine million site users each year and generates approximately £100,000 of revenue for the RSC.

We have developed a new digital platform that brings together all of the RSC’s support and services for teachers, of which our collection of teaching resources is a key part. To exploit the opportunities and capabilities our new platform offers, we are looking to develop a new publishing programme of chemistry teaching resources that align with teaching specifications across UK and Ireland and provide effective support for teachers of chemistry.

You will oversee this programme by analysing our existing content offering; establishing priorities for new content; developing ideas for resources; and commissioning, editing and publishing those resources. You will set up and maintain publishing processes; maintain high quality standards; monitor and report on usage and impact metrics; and constantly improve access to and usability of our content and materials in line with the needs of teachers. You will also be responsible for developing our commercial portfolio of books and merchandise and will develop commercial plans for new and existing product lines; and monitor and report on financial performance.

This role requires a creative and output-driven person motivated to provide the best possible support to science teachers, and someone who is able to work effectively in a dynamic content publishing team and with multiple internal and external stakeholders.

We are looking for:  

Required: 

• Proven experience in education resources publishing.
• Knowledge and understanding of the use of resources in teaching, of the challenges for chemistry educators (ideally across UK and Ireland) and of the structure of the education systems in which they work.
• Excellent written communication skills.
• Experience in managing contractors and budgets.
• Demonstrable ability to influence others, interpret and explain ideas, and engage different audiences effectively.
• Experience gathering and acting on user insights and customer data.  

Desirable:

• Experience of managing a commercial portfolio.
• Teaching at any level, and/or science communication, and/or schools outreach experience.
• Experience developing processes, policies and procedures for long-term customer benefit, with demonstrably high attention to detail.
• A degree in the chemical sciences, or proven ability to develop subject expertise in an unfamiliar domain.
• Understanding of online publishing and modern content management systems. 

 At the Royal Society of Chemistry, we offer a great work environment and excellent benefits.

 If interested in this opportunity, please apply before the end of our closing date.

 Download the full job description here.