Project Manager (0.60FTE): Open Access Publishing
Employment type: Fixed Term
Duration: up to three months, available to start from 1st February 2026
This is a 3-month, part-time maternity cover appointment, to support the Copim Open Book Futures project, a major international, multi-institutional project led by Lancaster University and focused on developing infrastructures and practices to underpin the expansion of open access (OA) academic book publishing. The project builds on the pioneering work of the Community-led Open Publication Infrastructures for Monographs (COPIM) project. These two projects have had a major impact on the field of open access publishing, including launching initiatives such as the Open Book Collective, Thoth Open Metadata, the Opening the Future revenue model, as well as work to enhance ebook accessibility and the archiving and preservation of open access works, and exploring new approaches to experimental open access publishing.
We are looking to appoint a Project Manager to the project, to cover a period of maternity leave until the end of the project, at the end of April 2026. You will be jointly appointed to the Department of Organisation, Work and Technology and the Faculty of Arts, and will also collaborate with colleagues in Lancaster University Library. You will be working closely with the project Principal Investigator Professor Joe Deville, as well as the wider project team. This team comprises colleagues working in UK Universities, as well as non-academic partners including open access book publishers, infrastructure providers, and advocacy groups. Many partners are based outside the UK, including in the European Union, South Africa, and the USA.
The Project Manager, in dialogue with the Principal Investigator, will lead the final stages of project delivery, including ensuring that the project remains on track throughout, that project milestones and deliverables are met, as well as liaising with and reporting to funders. Depending on start date, it should also be possible for the current Project Manager to provide a period of shadowing and handover.
You will possess a relevant degree level qualification, excellent project management skills and have experience of responsible administrative or managerial roles in a complex organisation, such as a university. You will have excellent communication, negotiation and persuasion skills with an ability to engage with staff across a range of contexts. You will also have excellent writing skills, with experience of writing for different audiences. Proven financial and budget management skills would also be beneficial.
You will be able to work some of your time remotely, with the exact proportion of remote working to be determined in discussion with the line manager and in accordance with University guidelines. We welcome applications from people in all diversity groups and can support family-friendly and flexible working policies on an individual basis.
For colleagues based at Lancaster, we welcome applications for taking on this role as a secondment from an existing role.
Please upload a cover letter with your application.
This varied and challenging role offers wide scope for personal and professional development. Informal enquires may be directed to Dr. Claire McGann at c.mcgann1@lancaster.ac.uk
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