Vacancy
JOURNAL AND ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
Type: Full-time, permanent
Salary: £34,000 – £37,000 (dependent on experience), plus pension contribution of 10%
Location: Working from home, but with requirement to attend 3-4 in-person meetings and conferences in the UK annually
Hours: 5-day week of 37.5 hours
Holiday: 25 days annually (extending to 28 days after 2 years’ employment, and to 30 days after 5 years’ employment), plus public holidays
Reports to: Chief Operations Officer
Application deadline: 09:00 BST, Tuesday 14 April 2026
About the BOU
The BOU is a vibrant community society with an international membership. As one of the world’s oldest ornithological societies (founded in 1858), we are a globally-respected organisation.
Our mission is to promote ornithological science across the international scientific community, support the individuals who contribute to that science, and grow understanding of that science among a wider community. We do this through a range of activities, including the publication of excellent science in our journal IBIS, delivering a programme of in-person and online conferences, and awarding grants and bursaries.
We are a registered charity in England and Wales (249877) and Scotland (SCO44850) and are administered by a Council of Trustees that is elected by our membership. The day-to-day activities of the BOU are undertaken by two staff members (the Chief Operations Officer & Journal and Engagement Manager), overseen and supported by the BOU’s Management Group, Council and Standing Committees.
Job description
This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of a global ornithological membership society, playing a central role in delivering our mission through our journal IBIS and by engaging with our members and the wider ornithological community.
There is potential for the role to be adapted to suit the interest and abilities of the successful applicant. A core duty will be digitally managing IBIS, where you will work with our Editorial Team to ensure that our international journal of avian science continues to publish at the forefront of ornithology. You will work with speed and efficiency to manage manuscripts through the submission and peer review process, operating at the interface between BOU and our publisher Wiley. With support from the IBIS Editor-in-Chief (EiC), you will be responsible for making initial decisions on manuscripts and professionally managing manuscript progression through the system. You will work closely with the EiC, our five Editors and our team of Associate Editors.
Engaging with BOU members and the wider ornithological community will also be central to this role. You will be the main point of contact for all BOU supporters, including current, lapsed and potential future members. You will engage with members during their enrolment into the society, on their annual renewal, and throughout the year, seeking to understand what they value from BOU membership and what the BOU can do to improve their membership experience. You will also be a face of BOU at our in-person conferences. Here you will have the opportunity to interact with existing members and generate interest among potential new members. You will work closely with the Chief Operations Officer and in supporting the day-to-day delivery of BOU activities, will be called upon to evaluate the efficacy of systems and processes.
Main duties
IBIS
- Manage manuscript progression through peer review, from submission to publication.
- Manage the editorial office and assist the editorial board.
- Facilitate communications with our publisher.
BOU engagement and membership
- Engage with BOU members at events, both online and in-person.
- Attend conferences in-person to support delivery.
- Explore ways to recruit new BOU members from the wider ornithological community and seek to understand reasons behind lapsed membership.
- Act as main point-of-contact for BOU members, during membership sign-up, renewal and throughout their membership term.
BOU Council, Standing Committee and office support
- Assist with servicing of Council and Standing Committees as required, including attending and minuting meetings.
- Manage conference bookings.
- Assist with banking and accounting items as required.
- Assist with website updates and maintenance as required.
- Support the Chief Operations Officer as required.
- Review systems to ensure streamlined and efficient processes are in place.
See here for a detailed list of duties.
Person specification
Essential skills, knowledge and experience:
- Knowledge and understanding of scientific journal publishing.
- Experience in organising and/or delivering online and in person meetings.
- Highly self-motivated with a pro-active and supportive approach.
- Excellent inter-personal and communication skills, with a warm and welcoming persona.
- Advanced organisational and time management skills, with an ability to work at pace and to tight deadlines.
Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:
- Experience working with membership organisations and engaging with their members.
- Experience with web-based journal management platforms for manuscript submission and peer review (BOU uses ScholarOne / Research Exchange).
- Knowledge of the BOU and its activities and/or the wider ornithological community.
- Subject-specific ornithological knowledge.
- Experience with some of the web, membership and payment systems BOU uses (e.g. WordPress, MemberPress, Stripe, GoCardless), or equivalents.
- Experience in organising and/or delivering ecologically-related conferences.
- Experience in people engagement and social media.
How to apply
Applicants should apply by emailing their completed application form and CV to recruitment@bou.org.uk, taking care to detail within these how they meet the above person specification and why they are interested in the role.
Details of two referees should be included on the application form. Referees will be contacted at the job offer stage.
Application deadline: 09:00 BST, Tuesday 14 April 2026
Interviews: Week beginning Monday 27 April 2026
Start date: From 1 June 2026