Reports to: Associate Director Salary range: £50,000 - £60,000 per annum depending on skills and experience Location: Hybrid, with at least two days a week in RUSI’s London office Contract: Permanent, full time About the Team The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) is the world’s oldest and the UK’s leading independent think tank engaged in cutting edge research in defence and security. Its mission is to inform, influence and enhance public debate on a safer and more stable world. The RUSI Journal is the Institute’s leading peer-reviewed academic journal, founded in 1857 and currently published by Taylor and Francis. Main Purpose of Post The Editor of the RUSI Journal is responsible for overseeing the full publication cycle, including commissioning and manuscript assessment, peer review, copyediting and proofing. In particular, they will be responsible for seeking out new contributors and ideas, assessing both commissioned and unsolicited submissions, liaising with authors and peer reviewers, organising and overseeing the delivery of special issues and features, coordinating and commissioning book reviews, and liaising with the editorial board and advisory board. The Editor will line-manage an Assistant Editor and supervise the work of our Graphic Designer to ensure the timely publication of the RUSI Journal to a high standard. The Editor will also manage the commissioning and delivery of RUSI’s monograph series, the Whitehall Papers. The RUSI Journal is published seven times a year, and the Whitehall Papers once a year. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter with contacts in the defence and security sector, able to immediately begin commissioning articles and reviewing submissions, to ensure we deliver editions of the RUSI Journal to members on schedule and to a high standard. Key tasks Research and commission research articles, commentary articles, interviews, features and other appropriate formats to reflect the latest debates in defence and security. Lead on manuscript assessment and peer review. Complete tasks at issue level, including defining the running order and cover, and write the editor’s note and section introductions or other issue-level material as needed. Lead the RUSI Journal team, including line-managing the Assistant Editor, to ensure copyediting, design and proofs are delivered to a high standard and on schedule. Build and manage relationships with authors, peer reviewers and other contributors. Liaise with the Book Reviews Editor to ensure the book reviews section remains wide-ranging and relevant in coordination with the rest of the offer. Lead Editorial Board management and communication and set the agenda for and chair Editorial Board meetings. Support the Assistant Editor in managing the operational relationship with our external publishing partner. Support the Director of Publications in managing the strategic relationship with our external publishing partner. Represent the RUSI Journal at conferences and other public events, both at RUSI and externally. Liaise with our Communications and Membership teams to promote the RUSI Journal and Whitehall Papers to existing and potential members and readers. Lead the commissioning and delivery of the RUSI Journal Radio podcast – including selecting topics and guests, agreeing scripts, working with the Assistant Editor to research and prepare episodes, and working with the Communications team to plan and promote each season. Commission and deliver the Whitehall Papers. The above list of duties is not exhaustive. The post holder will be required to undertake such duties that may reasonably be expected within the scope and grade of the role. Person specification Essential skills and experience A strong interest in and understanding of international affairs, defence and security, ideally evidenced through education at PhD level or equivalent work experience, or both. Proven experience of working on peer-reviewed journals, including sourcing and managing peer reviewers. Proven experience of commissioning written content and assessing manuscripts for an academic title and/or on current affairs. Contacts in the international affairs, defence and security sector and the ability to bring new ideas, authors and approaches to the RUSI Journal. The ability to line-manage, supervise and guide a team to ensure publications meet the high standards expected by the Institute. Excellent communication, interpersonal and negotiating and influencing skills, including the ability to communicate effectively and manage relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Excellent organisational and time-management skills and the ability to multi-task, juggling simultaneous tasks and managing competing deadlines and demands while remaining calm under pressure. Proven experience of public speaking at live and/or recorded events such as conferences or podcasts, for both specialist and non-specialist audiences – ideally including interviewing skills. Desirable skills and experience A PhD or equivalent in a related field, such as international relations, defence studies, war studies or similar. Experience of copyediting and proofreading, including checking sources. Podcast or other audio-visual content experience. Experience instructing and working with suppliers including printing and distribution houses, graphic designers and freelance editors. An understanding of how to design and deliver membership offerings to meet member needs. Our expectations We expect all staff to abide by and promote our RUSI’s Vision and Values https://rusi.org/content/values and Equal Opportunities Statement. Benefits 25 days annual leave (rising with service) Additional days off during Christmas - RUSI Christmas closure days Generous pension contributions at 6% employer contribution, Access to 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme Season ticket loan Free access to RUSI's world leading programme of events and conferences, research materials and library Trained Mental Health First Aiders *Enhanced sick pay *Enhanced maternity and paternity leave *Depending on length of service Application Process To apply, please click on the apply button and follow the instructions. You will be asked to include: Your CV; Cover letter of no more than one page. Closing date: 5pm UK on 9 June 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the closing date brought forward if needed. Early application is encouraged. Please note that all short-listed candidates will be asked to take a written test. Equal Opportunity and Values At RUSI you will be appreciated and valued. Our stakeholders, transactions, and projects are international and diverse, so we work hard to create inclusive teams that support our efforts and each other. We are committed in promoting equality and diversity in our workforce and make it as diverse as the communities we serve. Our recruitment data helps us monitor the effectiveness of our recruitment practices in order that we can continue to improve on creating a more diverse workforce. We are aware that the questionnaire may not capture the rich complexities of our backgrounds and identities, so we apologise if these are not best described. Please note that this data will be kept confidential and separated from your job application. If you are uncomfortable sharing, choose "Prefer not to say" or skip the questions entirely. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]