Introduction

This temporary assignment is based in the International Labour Review Section (REVUE) of the ILO Research Department (RESEARCH). The International Labour Review (ILR) is the world’s leading multidisciplinary journal of research on labour and employment. It was published by the ILO from 1921 until 2007 and by Wiley since 2008.

Published quarterly in English, French and Spanish, it aims to advance academic research and inform policy debate and decision-making by bringing together the original thinking of academic lawyers, economists, sociologists, political scientists and industrial relations specialists on a wide range of labour market and social protection issues.

The Publishing Coordinator, International Labour Review plays a key role in ensuring efficient, innovative and high-quality production processes. The incumbent is responsible for supporting the Managing Editor in the coordination, work planning and supervision of all production, dissemination and distribution of the ILR such as editing, copy-editing, layout, translation, workflow and production process management, in collaboration with the REVUE team and the Publications Production and Publishing Management Unit (PRODOC), developing and coordinating effective dissemination and distribution methods and approaches, and for upholding the journal’s commitment to an editorial policy that combines accessibility and readability with rigorous, insightful analysis and the highest academic standards.

The position reports to the Managing Editor of the ILR.

Duties

1.    Provide support to the Managing Editor in coordinating the production of the ILR in English, French and Spanish, ensuring effective and efficient use of resources and assets, compliance with all relevant publishing policies and guidelines, and the highest level of service in the production of the publication.
2.    Oversee the editing and copyediting of the journal, ensuring timely and efficient delivery. Liaise with the Senior English Editor to facilitate the process of supporting authors and obtaining approval for edited/translated articles and, where necessary, clarify issues of content and referencing in French.
3.    Coordinate and oversee the services provided by external contractors. Monitor, track and report on supplier performance throughout the contract lifecycle. Ensure that service providers meet contract requirements in terms of quality, schedule, pricing and invoicing. Identify and report discrepancies to the Managing Editor and take corrective actions. Perform continuous benchmarking to ensure REVUE uses the highest quality value-for-money suppliers, in line with the Publications Production and Publishing Management Unit’s (PRODOC) recommended price ceilings.
4.    Oversee the workflow and production process from beginning through to finalisation, notably in cooperation with PRODOC and the publisher for the proof-reading and layout of the journal, ensuring timely delivery of materials. Formulate recommendations for improving the production process and overall editorial quality, particularly in the field of translation, editing and finalisation of manuscripts in the three languages.
5.    Organise regular production coordination and review meetings with internal production services (PRODOC), external contractors and the publisher to ensure compliance with ILO’s publishing, editorial and branding policies and guidelines. Ensure the Review team and external suppliers are briefed accordingly.
6.    Develop and coordinate effective approaches and methods for the dissemination and distribution of the ILR. Liaise with colleagues in the REVUE team and establish and monitor the efficient use of resources and assets allocated to these activities. In close collaboration with the Managing Editor, determine tools, practices, equipment and staffing requirements, including through the optimal mix of internal capacities and external assistance, for the journal website, digital and print production, distribution and dissemination of the ILR.
7.    Prepare concept notes and provide expert technical advice to the REVUE management on innovative practices in journal production, website management, scholarly publishing, distribution, marketing and dissemination, impact measuring, and develop budget proposals accordingly.
8.    Develop a framework to monitor and measure the impact of the ILR, organize the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data accordingly, monitor and report on the performance of the journal.
9.    Keep abreast of innovative approaches and techniques in publishing, including across the UN system, to ensure that the ILR is published in accordance with the latest and cutting-edge practices in journal publishing.
10.    Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in publishing, publications production, communications, labour studies, industrial relations or related field.
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in one of the afore-mentioned fields or other relevant field with an additional two years of relevant experience, in addition to the required experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

At least seven years of relevant professional experience in publishing, including at the international level.

Languages

Excellent command of English and French.

Competencies

In addition to the ILO core competencies, this position requires:

•    Thorough knowledge of different facets of publishing and the scholarly publishing process.
•    Good knowledge of standards and new technologies in publishing, outreach and dissemination.
•    Good knowledge of digital publishing and digital publishing systems, including publishing through an organizational website. Excellent knowledge of editorial production.
•    Excellent project management skills.
•    Ability to communicate verbally and in writing on complex technical subjects in a clear and structured manner.
•    Ability to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines.
•    Experience in the full publishing cycle, including quality control, production of print and digital formats, and dissemination of publications.
•    Demonstrated skills and ability in coordinating publishing activities and formulating guidelines and processes. Demonstrated ability to lead a team and supervise staff.
•    Excellent writing skills.
•    Excellent communication and presentation skills.
•    Good negotiation skills.
•    Knowledge of tools and methodologies to measure the impact of publications.
•    Excellent organizational, supervisory and management skills.
•    Demonstrated ability to effectively monitor and evaluate work programme and resources.
•    Tact and persuasiveness in dealing with people.
•    Ability to develop and maintain effective partnerships and working relations.
•    Ability to foster teamwork and communication within the Unit/the Department and with other departments.
•    Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.