Editorial Assistant

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth)

. Administer journal manuscripts through submission, peer review, revision, editorial decision and publication stages .

Posted 11/5/2026full-timeLondon • United KingdomMid-LevelSenior💰 £29,895 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in academic publishing processes, including manuscript administration, peer review coordination, and publication ethics. Proficient in providing administrative support while maintaining high attention to detail and effective communication with authors and stakeholders.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Academic Publishing ExperienceManuscript AdministrationMicrosoft Office Suite ProficiencyAttention to DetailCustomer Service Commitment

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Manuscript ManagementSubmission TrackingOperational ReportingWorkflow ImprovementPublication Ethics Knowledge

Soft Skills

Clear Communication SkillsProblem-Solving AbilityInterpersonal SkillsOrganizational SkillsJudgment and Escalation

Tools & Technologies

SNAPP Manuscript SystemContact Relationship Management SystemDocument Management Systems

Industry Keywords

Clinical Guidelines DevelopmentPeer Review ProcessResearch IntegrityEquity and Diversity Commitment

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Administer journal manuscripts through submission, peer review, revision, editorial decision and publication stages
Provide administrative support for the development and publication of clinical guidelines
Provide first-line support to journal authors, reviewers, editors and Editorial Board members
Maintain accurate records, correspondence templates, guidance and operational documentation
Undertake accepted-manuscript checks and support manuscript transfer to production
Coordinate accepted manuscripts and approved guidelines through publication processes
Monitor submission queues, deadlines, mailboxes and outstanding actions, escalating complex issues to the Managing Editor
Contribute to workflow improvement, performance monitoring, SNAPP manuscript system implementation and development of Eye and Eye Open
Identify and refer publication-ethics, research-integrity, authorship and complaints issues
Act as first point of contact for routine enquiries and provide guidance on submission and tracking systems
Liaise with editors and reviewers to progress manuscripts through peer review and editorial decisions
Allocate submissions, invite reviewers, monitor responses and check decision correspondence
Administer appeals and check provisionally accepted manuscripts for completeness and compliance
Coordinate guideline communications with authors, development groups, reviewers and consultation participants
Arrange Editorial Board and clinical guideline meetings, prepare agendas and papers, attend meetings and take minutes
Maintain meeting records, action logs and documentation, monitoring deadlines and follow-up actions
Maintain information and records in manuscript management, document management and College systems
Assist with operational reporting on submission activity, review timescales and publication progress
Identify administrative efficiency improvements and maintain standard operating procedures, templates and guidance
Provide flexible administrative support across the Quality Improvement and Research team
Collaborate with other College departments and use the Contact Relationship Management system to support the College strategic plan

Requirements

What you’ll need

Experience of working in an academic publishing role
Experience providing accurate administrative support in a deadline-driven environment involving a high volume of detailed work
Knowledge and experience of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
Confidence in learning and using specialist online systems
Committed to providing excellent customer service
Clear and accurate written and communication skills
Strong attention to detail and ability to identify inconsistencies or missing information
Ability to identify issues and solve problems logically
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build rapport and work effectively with staff and stakeholders
Ability to deal professionally and tactfully with authors, reviewers and senior clinical or academic stakeholders
Ability to contribute new ideas and suggest improvements to ways of working
Ability to organise and prioritise a varied workload, manage competing deadlines and follow work through to completion
Ability to recognise matters requiring escalation and exercise appropriate judgement within defined procedures
Commitment to equity and diversity and understanding of how this applies to own area of work
Committed to own continuing professional development
May occasionally be required to work some evenings and work away from home in the UK
Understanding of publication ethics, research integrity or academic publishing standards is desirable

Benefits

Comp & perks

Hybrid working: two days in the office and three from home
25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days with length of service, plus bank holidays and office closure between Christmas and New Year
One day of paid leave to move house
Enhanced parental leave
Employer pension contributions up to a maximum of 12%
Learning and development opportunities
Comprehensive e-learning package
Study loans
Season ticket loan
Cycle to work scheme
Summer Fridays: staff can finish 90 minutes early from mid-July to the end of August
Enhanced Employee Assistance Programme with access to free counselling sessions
Health Cash Plan