Publishing Assistant

Who are we?

Founded in 1807, we are the oldest geological society in the world. Today, we are a world-leading communicator of Earth science – through publishing, library and information services, cutting-edge scientific conferences, education activities and outreach to the general public. We also provide impartial scientific information and evidence to support policy-making and public debate about the challenges facing humanity.

We have a membership (Fellowship) of c. 12,000, more than 2,000 of whom are based outside the UK. Approximately 3,000 are Chartered Geologists or Chartered Scientists – professionals who have demonstrated a high level of technical competence in their field and a commitment to professional ethics.

We have been a major publisher within the community since 1811. An independent and international publisher, we are dedicated to providing a high-quality service to geoscientists globally and any surplus is invested to support our discipline. We publish a diverse range of books and journals on the Lyell Collection, with over 10,000 pages of new peer-reviewed geoscience literature being made available every year.

Our strategy …

– Advance multidisciplinary Earth science to inform global issues
– Be the inclusive and collaborative home for UK Earth scientists and increase our international orientation
– Support professional development, careers and education in Earth science
– Become a dynamic and responsive organisation with a strong digital identity

The essentials …

Permanent, full-time
£26,000 – £27,500 (depending on experience)
Hybrid working with 2 days per week in the Bath office

Overall purpose of the role …

– To provide wide-ranging administrative support to the Head of Publishing Development and Commissioning Editor.
– To provide routine administration of the Society’s online submission and tracking system.
– To prepare book titles for production by ensuring all necessary information is present, including manuscript files, author information and necessary permissions for secondary-source content.
– To collate relevant data and conduct project-based research to guide colleagues and external editors on editorial and business decisions and to drive development.

Specific own responsibilities …

– Performing specific checks on manuscripts
– Handling editor, author and reviewer queries
– Accurate record-keeping for data related to publication of books

Major accountabilities …

1. Liaise with and provide support for authors, editors and reviewers using the Society’s online submission systems and autonomously undertake routine checking and chasing to ensure there are no delays, as specified by the Head of Publishing Development.
– Help authors, editors and reviewers with their queries
– Extend deadlines in conjunction with editors
– Support the Commissioning Editor in gathering feedback from external collaborators on a regular and timely basis
– Assist in the maintenance of the relevant parts of the online submission system and seek to continually improve processes and efficiencies
– Send Editor links

2. Work with authors/editors to ensure adherence to ethical policies and to secure timely delivery of outstanding material.
– Undertake initial quality check of manuscripts upon submission including running an iThenticate report, co-author verification and identifying conflicts of interest.
– Assess manuscripts for any content that may require written permission for reuse, and work with authors and editors to ensure this is provided ahead of the article being ready for production.
– Record any outliers that may impact future licencing.
– Support the Society’s publishing permissions workflow by fielding, assessing and responding to requests, and liaising with colleagues, as necessary

3. In collaboration with colleagues, work to ensure the effective and efficient operation of workflows connecting editorial and production teams by providing general administrative support to editorial and production staff.
– Monitor page extents for new submissions and books nearing production and communicate outlying cases to editors and colleagues
– Calculate length estimates of books nearing production
– Complete prompt and accurate upload of accepted articles to the production management system within timeframes
– Initiate production process and support flow of relevant information (editorial to production) within agreed timescale, including keeping of accurate notes on manuscript information within Editorial Manager
– Post-publication administration of records, to include book folders, closing records in Editorial Manager, and related tasks, as necessary

4. Provide administrative assistance to the Head of Publishing Development and Commissioning Editor.
– Providing administrative support for commissioning process
– Bespoke reports for partners, specialist groups, and other collaborators
– Preparation of standard documents relating to new titles

5. Provide assistance to other colleagues as required.
– Assist in the administration of publishing fees, relating to Open Access and others

6. Any other tasks that can be reasonably requested.

Person specification …

– Educated to A-level or degree level.
– Good IT proficiency (particularly spreadsheets) and full familiarity with the normal range of office software.
– Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
– Excellent administrative, organisational and time management skills.
– Some general knowledge of, and interest in, the publishing process would be helpful.

A bit about us …

The Geological Society is a registered charity and employs just under 60 staff at its offices in London and Bath. The Society Publishing House is based in Bath, from where we provide a full publishing service to an international geoscience community across a portfolio of books, journals, and associated products.
As an employee conscious company, we invest in our staff by emphasising training, growth and progression in every role. We firmly believe in creating a positive workplace wellbeing culture and offer a range of benefits to our staff including:

– 25 days basic holiday entitlement you start, increasing up to 30 days with continued service (pro-rated for part-time staff)
– Option to purchase up to 2 days extra holiday days per year
– Contributary pension scheme with 10% employer contribution
– Access to 24/7 online GP with mental health & wellbeing counselling
– Free premium Headspace account for you and 2 members of friends/family
– Discounts and recognitions scheme
– Cycle to Work scheme
– Season Ticket Loan scheme
– Life Assurance and Income Protection schemes
– Free access to Royal Academy exhibitions
– Free Geological Society Fellow membership for qualified staff

The Society is committed to fostering an inclusive culture that promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a harmonious inclusive environment in which the rights and dignity of all its members visitors and staff are respected. We are an equal opportunities employer and the post-holder will be expected to adhere to and support the Society’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.

How to apply …

To apply for this position, please forward a copy of your CV together with a cover letter to recruitment@geolsoc.org.uk. Please ensure that your cover letter highlights your experience in no more than 500 words.

As part of our inclusive recruitment initiative, we have introduced the concept of anonymous recruiting in order to evaluate applicants solely on their skills and experience. With this in mind, we encourage you to:

– Anonymise your application by stating only your initials in your CV (including your file name) and cover letter.
– State your initials only in the subject line when sending your application.
– Ensure that you have included your contact email and number, as well as dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the indicative timetable.

First round interviews will take place remotely. Please let us know if you will require any special provisions to be made should you be called for an interview. We regret that unsuccessful applications will not be contacted.

All applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Deadline to submit applications: 11th June 2025