The European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) is looking to appoint the next Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis (JCF).
The current Editor-in-Chief, Gerd Döring, will complete his mandate on December 31, 2013. It is anticipated that the next Editor-in-Chief will shadow the incumbent from June 2013, assuming full responsibility in January 2014. The ECFS is seeking candidates with the following qualities for this challenging position: previous international editorial experience, organisational ability, leadership skills, prestige in the field, willingness to devote time to the JCF and ECFS, and the ability to communicate clearly.
A more detailed job description for the role of the JCF Editor-in-Chief can be found below.
To apply, please send a CV and a covering statement of suitability for the post to the ECFS office info@ecfs.eu by the deadline of 31 December 2012.
Job Description
The Journal of Cystic Fibrosis (JCF) is the official journal of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) and published in the English language on a bi-monthly basis. The JCF is the sole peer-reviewed journal entirely dedicated to Cystic Fibrosis worldwide. JCF has an impact factor of 3.190. It includes original articles, perspectives, reviews, series, editorials and correspondence of the highest quality from professionals on a worldwide scale. On an ad hoc basis, there may also be a requirement to publish ECFS announcements in the Journal.
The Journal receives approximately 300 submitted manuscripts each year and utilises a well-established online submission platform through which all peer-review processes will take place.
The JCF is an ECFS membership benefit, with the primary delivery format being online, with paper copies sent to eligible ECFS members. Libraries and institutions may also subscribe to JCF, and this increases its global reach. The Journal is hosted online on the ScienceDirect platform, which offers huge scope for development of resources.
The Editor-in-Chief’s position has a 4-year mandate with the possibility of an extension of 2 years by mutual agreement with the ECFS Board. The Editor-in-Chief is appointed by the ECFS Board but editorial decisions are independent from the Board and other ECFS committees. This is a non-salaried post although financial support to the Editorial office will be made by Elsevier. Administrative and technical support is provided by Elsevier.
Editorial independence and responsibilities
The Editor’s duty is to produce the best journal possible for readers. By this, we mean relevant, accessible and timely content to the field of Cystic Fibrosis.
a) The Editor-in-Chief must be a member of the ECFS.
b) The JCF abides by the WAME (World Association of Medical Editors) statement on Editorial freedom, duties and responsibilities (http://www.wame.org/wamestmt.htm)
c) The Editor-in-Chief will abide by the COPE code of practice for Editors (http://www.publicationethics.org.uk/guidelines)
d) The Editor-in-Chief will join the ECFS Board and will be expected to attend at least one Board meeting each year. The Editor-in-Chief will submit an annual report of the Journal’s activities and will make a short presentation at the ECFS AGM.
e) The Editor-in-Chief will follow Elsevier and ECFS policies on, for example, supplement publication and display advertising.
f) We encourage the Editor-in-Chief to add value to the Journal, for example by (but not limited to) commissioning Editorial commentaries and analysis, review and lighter pieces as modern readers want more than simply original research. Proposals for new types of content or variations to existing types must be discussed in advance with the Publishers
g) The Editor-in-Chief may seek the advice of the ECFS at any time deemed necessary. In addition, Elsevier will draw attention to Editorial developments and offer advice on how the Journal might possibly be developed.
1. Journal management
a) The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for accepting a limited number of manuscripts per issue (the range will be confirmed by Elsevier as soon as the data are available; it is based on the number of pages per issue, which is determined in advance). Contributors will submit their papers via the “Elsevier Editorial System (EES)”. The entire peer review and submissions system is driven by EES and the Editor-in-Chief must use the system. Full training and support will be given. The Editor-in-Chief is also responsible for ensuring that sufficient accepted copy is delivered to the production Editor on schedule. The Editor-in-Chief needs to be aware of the amount of copy required for each issue. If more copy is accepted than can be accommodated in the page budget, then Elsevier should be alerted at an early stage so that unacceptable publication delays are avoided. Equally, Elsevier needs to be aware if there is a dearth of suitable material so that appropriate steps can be taken.
b) Authors of articles that will not be sent for peer-review should be informed within 1 week. The Editor is expected to manage the peer-review process so that a first decision on articles that go out for peer review is made within 6 weeks.
c) The Editor-in-Chief will ensure all accepted articles are available as epublications as soon as possible.
d) The Editor-in-Chief will have access to the individual article proofs. These proofs may help when deciding the order of articles in an issue, to view page layout or to help with commissioning accompanying or further comment. It is not the Editor-in-Chief’s responsibility to read these proofs in detail.
2. Statistical advice
Statistical errors are known to be common in medical journals, and we urge the Editor-in-Chief to seek statistical advice on articles including statistics or statistical analysis.
3. Editorial board and board meetings
The function of the Editorial Board is to assist, support and advise the Editor-in-Chief on Editorial policy and content, both proactively and by reviewing past issues of the Journal. The Editor-in-Chief appoints and contacts the Editorial Board and as many associate or deputy Editors as required and appropriate to meet the needs of the Journal. It is essential to define the roles and responsibilities of the Editorial Board members; ECFS and Elsevier are available to advise the Editor-in-Chief in this regard. Successful journals are international so we would wish a number of the Editorial Board members to be based outside of Europe. Usually, Editorial Board members are appointed for three year terms which may be renewed by mutual agreement.
4. Training
Elsevier will provide the new Editor-in-Chief with training to support them in carrying-out the processing of manuscripts. The new editor will also be invited to an Elsevier Editor’s conference to provide information on the wider issues involved with being an Editor-in-Chief, which will be paid for by Elsevier.
5. Remuneration
This is a non remunerated position although financial support is provided for the editorial office by Elsevier. It is expected that the Editor-in-Chief will spend 8 hours/week on JCF activities.