Editorial Project Manager at HSRC

• The Press is seeking a skilled and experienced Editorial Project Manager to join our team. This is a pivotal role within the Press, responsible for driving the quality and timely delivery of our academic and non-fiction publishing programme from manuscript stage through to final print and digital output.
• The successful candidate will bring a strong command of traditional and digital editorial and production workflows, sound project management and financial oversight, as well as the interpersonal dexterity to manage a diverse set of stakeholders — from authors and suppliers to internal commissioning and marketing colleagues.
• This will be a permanent appointment, and the successful incumbent can be based in the HSRC’s Pretoria office.

EDITORIAL PROJECT MANAGER

(Ref. No. EPM 05/2026)

• Pretoria

Minimum Requirements    
Key requirements:

• NQF level 8 in humanities and social sciences: A relevant 4-year undergraduate degree or 3+1(Honours), preferably in publishing, humanities, information science, or a related field.
• A postgraduate qualification will be advantageous.

Experience & Skills

• A minimum of 5 years’ proven experience in editorial and production project management, with a track record of having produced at least ten academic or non-fiction books and/or journals
• Demonstrated ability to manage digital production workflows and publishing systems
• Experience working with printers and overseeing print quality from pre-press through to final delivery
• Exceptional attention to detail and a consistent commitment to producing high-quality outputs
• Excellent command of written and verbal expression in English, and blingual in one South African language other than English would be advantageous
• Proven ability to manage competing deadlines under pressure and to apply sound problem-solving judgement
• Strong, demonstrable project management skills, including planning, scheduling, and resource coordination
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to manage relationships with authors, suppliers, and service providers professionally
• Strong teamwork orientation, with experience briefing and collaborating with commissioning editorial and marketing teams
• Good grasp of academic and scholarly publishing requirements and environment.

Duties & Responsibilities    
Key responsibilities:

• Manage end-to-end editorial projects, ensuring delivery against agreed timelines
• Quality control all production and layout outputs across print and digital formats
• Monitor and control project budgets, tracking expenditure and flagging variances proactively
• Coordinate stakeholder communication across authors, external suppliers, and internal departments
• Maintain accurate project administration records, reporting, and documentation
• Ensure alignment with institutional corporate governance and compliance requirements

Deadline:10th June,2026