Overview

Join us and be part of a mission-driven, independent publisher. You’ll work with a diverse group of people who share a passion for empowering researchers, educators, and institutions to shape the future.

About Sage:

Sage is a global academic publisher of books, journals, and library resources with a growing range of technologies to enable discovery, access, and engagement. Believing that research and education are critical in shaping society, Sara Miller McCune founded Sage in 1965. Today, we are controlled by a group of trustees charged with maintaining our independence and mission indefinitely.

Our guaranteed independence means we’re free to:

• Do more – supporting an equitable academic future, furthering disciplines that drive social change, and helping social and behavioural science make an impact
• Work together – building lasting relationships, championing diverse perspectives, and co-creating resources to transform teaching and learning
• Think long-term – experimenting, taking risks, and investing in new ideas

About our Team:

• Join our growing open access publishing team, offering robust review and serious support to our authors to develop their research to be the best it can be. We are proud of the quality research we publish and the impact that open research has on society.
• We are in growth mode, investing in new roles and areas of innovation across our cross functional group to grow our program and the impact we have.

Could you be our new Director of Open Access Strategy? Do you have:

• Significant previous experience working as an Open Access leader, and a passionate open access advocate
• Significant previous experience in a business intelligence role with a focus on strategy development based upon data analysis and insights
• Experience building and leading a high functioning business intelligence department of data scientists and analystsAbility to develop relationships and positively influence key, strategic position holders across locations and functions
• A change leader with experience successfully leading teams (either directly reporting in to you, or into peers) through change
• Strong expertise in data analysis and interpretation and data visualisation, with proficiency in using BI tools like Tableau, Power BI, etc.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex data in a clear and concise manner to stakeholders at various levels.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to lead multiple projects simultaneouslyKnowledge of the publishing industry's business models and trends, especially regarding open access
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with a proven track record in driving growth through data-driven strategy

Your new role:

This role will be a member of the Open Access Leadership Team and instrumental in shaping strategy, driving the strategic growth and business performance of the open access portfolio. The role is responsible for driving a data driven approach to managing our OA business – developing technical solutions to data access & analysis and leading cultural changes across our Editorial team. This individual will work closely with our Editorial teams to define strategic priorities, identify areas for investment, solve complex challenges, identify opportunities for productivity gains and drive business growth. They will leverage data and analytics to provide actionable editorial and operational insights and decision support to the leadership team.

Key Accountabilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a comprehensive business intelligence strategy that aligns with the company’s objectives and its open access publishing growth strategy, improving author experience, reducing time to publish, informing editorial strategy, driving submissions and driving team productivity.
• Editorial Strategy: Work with the VP Innovation to define and evolve the OA strategic 3 year plan, defining key growth drivers including pricing, acquisitions, launches based upon sophisticated analysis of our business in the context of the wider funding landscape and competitor market
• Data Analytics: Apply quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods and data science skills to interpret data and generate original insights, fostering data-driven decision-making processes.
• Performance Tracking: Develop and maintain KPIs, dashboards, and business performance reports to monitor the performance of the Gold Open Access Journals portfolio together with operational insights dashboards for team members to review performance targets and progress and each level of the team structure.
• Forecasting: Collaborate closely with Finance to model projections based upon an in-depth understanding of our Editorial strategy and business data.
• Implementing strategic priorities & improvements: this individual and their team will be responsible for working through change across editorial teams to resolve problems identified and meet strategic goals.
• Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define and coordinate strategic initiatives to grow the OA program, including as Hybrid Editorial, Marketing, Finance and IT.
• Market Research and Intelligence: Stay up-to-date with the trends and best practices in the publishing industry, especially related to open access journals and market benchmarks. Use these insights to forecast future trends and inform strategic planning.
• Lead cultural change work to bring the OA group to take a data driven approach to decision making – support awareness and skills development of the wider team to a data driven approach to the management of the program
• Team Management: Potential to build and lead a team, contingent on business case. Form, lead, mentor, and develop a team of business analysts and data scientists, promoting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement

Overview of benefits:

• 25 days holiday excluding bank holidays full-time/pro-rated for part-time roles
• 2 additional ’floating days’ of personal leave, in recognition that each of us has cultural, religious, or family commitments that fall at times when the company is not closed.
• Life assurance
• Income protection
• Access to Sage books and journals
• Tuition scheme and support for pursuing professional qualifications
• Hybrid working arrangements - In office 20% of contracted hours. We work flexibly and most staff can choose to work from home for up to 80% of their contracted hours.

Other benefits, which may change include:

• Sage lunches held weekly in the office
• Variety of snacks and beverages available in the office
• Home working allowance
• Travel insurance
• Healthy lifestyle reimbursement
• Access to the company doctor
• Access to Company loans (season ticket loan, rental deposit loan, cycle loan)
• Anniversary trip

If you are an individual with a disability and you need any support during the application process, please email our Human Resources department humanresources@sagepub.co.uk. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

A cover letter is important to us, this offers the hiring manager valuable insights into how your skill set aligns with the role, what unique contributions you can bring to the team and why you are interested in this position. Therefore, when applying for this role online, please upload your cover letter and CV as one document .

Applications without a cover letter may regrettably not be reviewed.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At Sage we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that is representative of all sections of society and to sustaining a culture that celebrates difference, encourages authenticity, and creates a deep sense of belonging. We welcome applications from all members of society irrespective of age, disability, sex or gender identity, sexual orientation, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief as creating value through diversity is what makes us strong. As a business and as an organisation with an increasingly agile workforce, we're open to flexible working arrangements where appropriate.