Editorial Services Director

Informa is a leading academic publishing, business intelligence, knowledge, and events business, creating unique content and connectivity for customers all over the world. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100. Taylor & Francis is one of the world’s largest publishers of high-quality, peer reviewed scholarly journals, books, e-books and reference works. We empower learners, thinkers and doers with trusted knowledge that advances research and enriches lives. We bring together diverse people, ideas and opinions to validate and publish the experts, theories and truths that matter. And we’ve been doing this in an unbroken arc since 1798. Our purpose is to foster human progress through knowledge.  We strongly believe that this requires us to encourage and examine different ideas and voices, so that any work that meets our exacting levels of quality deserves to be included in our publications. This requires open minds, the opportunity for robust debate, and the courage to defend perspectives that stand up to scrutiny, even if they conflict with our personal beliefs or values. Because that’s the only way to find the best obtainable version of the truth and, ultimately, foster human progress. If you agree, then we’d love to hear from you. Reporting to the VP of Strategic Programmes & Delivery, the role holder is accountable for the strategic direction, service performance, successful development and day to day operations of the Editorial Services function, in order to drive and deliver centralised processes in a standard, efficient manner. Key Accountabilities: - Design and deliver strategic direction for the Editorial Services function providing clear business planning and objectives for the team on e.g. process and efficiency improvements and customer satisfaction for Editors. - Ensure effective and consistent service delivery across the Editorial Services function, establishing appropriate service levels and performance measures and maintaining oversight of operational performance, quality, capacity and customer experience to ensure services meet agreed business needs. - Maintaining a strong leadership presence and being an exemplar role model of high standards. - Provide oversight of service performance and operational risks across Editorial Services, working with Editorial Services Managers to address performance issues, capacity constraints and service risks, and escalating or initiating corrective action where required. - Maintain oversight of demand, capacity and capability across Editorial Services, ensuring resources are aligned to business priorities and taking action to address material or emerging service risks. - Define the governance arrangements for process and efficiency improvements for Editors in close liaison with the Head of Programmes & Process Improvement and Books Editorial Directors. - Use service performance data, customer feedback and operational insight to identify opportunities for continuous improvement, ensuring that changes deliver measurable improvements in service quality, efficiency and customer experience. - Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders in the business to ensure process and efficiency improvement strategies for Editors are understood, that stakeholders are engaged through all parts of the operational excellence process, and that the work supports the wider business strategy and priorities. - Deliver effective change management through active engagement with the business and use of change management techniques working closely with business stakeholders to provide effective solutions to overcome challenges and resistance to change. - Assess the expected outcomes and estimated benefits of process improvement programmes and projects, and track business and financial impacts against these objectives. - Proactively monitor the progress of initiatives, resolving issues and initiating appropriate corrective action, supporting and empowering the Editorial Services Managers to clear blocks to progress. - Provide strong coaching style leadership to the Editorial Services Managers with a particular focus on coaching for process improvement and agile skills to ensure that process improvement delivery standards and good practices are adhered to and that process improvement progress is clearly communicated to stakeholders. - Working closely with the VP of Strategic Programmes and Delivery to develop strategies and plans to develop the Editorial Services team in line with business demands - Take the lead on large, strategic or more complex project work as required. -  Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (or very experienced Green Belt already working towards Black Belt level). - Trained in Agile methodologies. - Specific qualification in project management or project methodologyThe ideal candidate will have: - Demonstrated experience in managing process delivery teams, preferably at an Academic Publishing Organisation. - Understanding of processes involved in managing improvement/ change projects, programs and portfolios. - Demonstrated experience of managing large and/or complex change projects. - Experience of working with senior stakeholders and an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the customer needs of Editors an internal stakeholders. - Demonstrated use of appropriate technology and reporting mechanisms to share process progress and promote improvement impacts. - Expertise and in-depth understanding of Kaizen. - Experience of leading, coaching and performance managing large scale teams. - Experience of working in a global context. - Broad commercial and technical knowledge.Skills and Behaviours Required - Strong interpersonal, negotiation and persuasion skills. - Ability to form and manage key stakeholder relationships at senior levels across the business. - Strong leadership, coaching, team building and motivational skills. - Adaptable; responding quickly to change. - Excellent organizational and planning skills. - Good judgement when choosing between theory and pragmatism. - Collaborative approach to analysis and identifying solutions. - Driven to achieve and deliver quantifiable results. - Proven ability to network and build relationships. - Demonstrated ability to solve problems, resolve conflicts and overcome obstacles using positive approaches. - Strong numerical and verbal reasoning skills; ability to use metrics to demonstrate delivery of business value. - Committed to adding value to the business and our customers through solving business problems. - Excel and SigmaXL skills, comfortable using data. - Comfortable using Kanban boards and project management software. Closing Date: Friday 6th November 2026. This role is based in India and you must have the right to live and work in India to be considered. The successful candidate will be able to utilise our balanced working model. We ask that candidates live within a commutable distance of our offices to ensure that as a balanced worker they can make it to our office locations to collaborate as required. There is an expectation for a minimum of 3 days per week in-person time, with those 3 days a week spent in our office in New Delhi, India. What we offer in return: - 30 days annual leave - 4 volunteering days annually - Day off for your birthday - Pension contributions - Medical insurance for self and dependents; life cover and personal accident cover for self - Seasonal social and charitable events - Training and developmentIf you’re excited about working with Taylor & Francis to foster human progress through knowledge, we invite you to apply even if your existing skills and experience don’t fit every item listed above. At Taylor & Francis, we are at our best and most successful when colleagues can be themselves and make a contribution regardless of their identity or background. As a colleague, you will have the opportunity to further innovate and develop in areas that you are passionate about. Our goal is to empower you with the resources, incentives, and flexibility you need to enjoy success at work and to live a healthy, balanced life.  Taylor & Francis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in and value diversity of people and thought, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where all colleagues can learn and succeed as their true selves. Taylor & Francis recruits, develops, and retains colleagues without regard to any protected personal characteristics or other non-merit based factor.  We want all our candidates to shine in our recruitment process. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to ensure you are able to show us your best self. This could include having the application form in a different format, more time for questions, or anything else – please ask us, we are happy to be flexible! Please contact [email protected]