Vice President, Nature Research Journals Portfolio

Job Title: Vice President, Nature Research Journals Portfolio

Location(s): New York or Berlin or Heidelberg - Hybrid Working

Closing date: June 15th 2024 

About the Role 

The Vice President, Nature Research Journals Portfolio is a new position in the Nature Portfolio leadership team responsible for the strategic development of the Nature Research Journals. The VP Nature Research Journals Portfolio will proactively drive the ongoing market position and commercial success of the Nature Research Journals by overseeing their editorial and publishing activities and build the future success of the Portfolio through journal development, workflow innovation, and strategically aligned new launches.  This is an exciting opportunity to play a key leadership role in the market-leading Nature Portfolio and help drive its overall contribution to the research enterprise.

Responsibilities:

Drive the success of the Nature Research Journals Portfolio

• Lead, motivate and inspire the journal teams to deliver on Nature Portfolio’s reputation for high-quality research publishing

• Develop a strategic roadmap to guide the cohesive development of the Portfolio and ensure future commercial success
• Strengthen our publishing and editorial activities, delivering excellent author service and ensuring editorial integrity by overseeing the activities of a global internal editorial team

• Work closely with other Springer Nature functions (e.g. Production, Marketing, Legal) to maximize journal performance and minimize risk
• Agree annual targets for journal publication levels and ensure that these targets are met
• With the relevant Commercial teams, take joint responsibility for the financial performance of the Portfolio

• Take responsibility for achieving goals and for reporting back on progress within Nature Portfolio and to the Executive team and Board

• Establish a customer-focused approach, using insights from researcher engagement to improve journal performance
• Identify new opportunities, test their viability in an agile way, and roll out to the broader portfolio as appropriate
• Engage with the leaders and teams of the Nature-branded Publishing Unit to ensure coordinated development of the entire Nature Portfolio

Effectively lead a high-performance team that embraces change

• Create a positive and energetic team environment
• Establish a culture that balances the need to maintain Nature Portfolio quality with commercial goals
• Ensure that the strategic and tactical goals for your Portfolio are understood, owned and applied within the Nature Research Journals team and beyond
• Engage the team in testing, launching and iterating new ways of working that build consistency across the Research Journals Portfolio
• Support managers within the group in establishing change competence throughout the team to fuel a culture of continuous improvement
• Work with VP Nature Portfolio and Portfolio Chief Editors and Editorial Directors to track performance and take action as needed
• Optimize resource allocation to support ongoing Portfolio growth
• Role-model Springer Nature values and ways of working and ensure that these are incorporated into the day-to-day activities of the team

Experience, Skills, and Qualifications:

• Required: Advanced degree in a research area covered by the Nature Portfolio or extensive experience working in research-related environment

• Full understanding of the Editorial/ Publishing landscape, particularly of editorial processes and practices
• A strong understanding of the needs and challenges of publishing high-quality Research Journals
• Editorial experience working on high-quality journals would be advantageous
• Proven track record for delivering growth
• Experience managing a business area, including financial management
• Substantial experience in managing change
• Track record of working across geographies and with different nationalities and cultures
• Experience of working within a complex global matrixed environment would be advantageous

• Entrepreneurial mindset and approach, and strong commercial acumen
• A data-informed approach and the ability to apply data to strategic thinking
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build both internal and external relationships
• A collaborative mindset and approach

To apply for the position, please submit a CV and a cover letter outlining your key ambitions in the role, including your salary expectations and notice period.