Short Term Technical Assistance – Publications Manager

The Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) programme is one of the UK government’s flagship conflict research programmes. XCEPT brings together world-leading experts and local researchers to examine conflict-affected borderlands, how conflicts connect across borders, and the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour. Funded by UK aid, XCEPT offers rigorous, actionable research to inform policies and programmes that support peace. A key component of the programme is the XCEPT Research Fund (XRF). This is XCEPT’s flexible, responsive research commissioning platform, delivering journal-quality policy-relevant research. XCEPT seeks a short-term Publications Manager to support research publication. Supervised by the XCEPT Senior Publications Manager, the Publications Manager will work with the XCEPT research team, Fund awardees, and editorial and graphics contractors to prepare research publications for dissemination, including peer-reviewed research papers, policy briefs, blogs, articles, briefing presentations, and a variety of research reports and other ad hoc outputs. The Manager also will support the XCEPT team in research communications and event organisation, as needed. Key Responsibilities: • Collaborate with the XCEPT team to prepare research papers, policy briefs, research presentations, blogs, articles, and a variety of research reports and other ad hoc outputs for publication and dissemination, ensuring adherence to quality standards. • Ensure consistent application of XCEPT publication standards and branding across XCEPT outputs (publications and events). • Provide editorial and graphic design support, taking the lead on editing and designing projects when required. • Work closely with the editorial and graphic consultant pools to ensure the highest quality outputs. • Collaborate with the communications team to ensure the XCEPT website is up to date and contains relevant content. • Develop materials for XCEPT private and public events, including refining draft invitations and agendas and preparing communications materials, in coordination with XCEPT research team. Person Specification: • Demonstrated experience managing a publication process, including tendering, commissioning, quality assuring, and overseeing production, with strong attention to detail. • Proven track record in tailoring research products to policy audiences. • Proven track record of having written, edited, and published content for a range of different audiences. • Demonstrated experience in maintaining and enhancing publication standards. • Strong project management skills with the ability to oversee multiple publications simultaneously. • Proficiency in editorial and graphic design tools. • Communication skills, both written and oral, including the ability to convey complex information in a clear and understandable way. Duration: 40 days (January – March 2025) Daily Rate: to be negotiated