Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law
Co-Editor required
Deadline 31 August 2026
About the role
The Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law is seeking a Co-Editor, and would specifically welcome applications from academics with a strong track record in in family law and social policy.
This is an excellent opportunity for a leader who will help shape the journal’s editorial vision, drive the growth of high-quality submissions, and champion excellence within the journal’s community (both researchers and practitioners).
Working alongside your fellow Co-Editor, in this role you will:
- Make final editorial decisions on acceptance, revision, or rejection of submitted manuscripts.
- Direct the peer-review process, ensuring rigorous, fair, transparent, and timely evaluations.
- Lead and expand the Editorial Board, recruiting diverse experts to support emerging research areas.
- Set the strategic vision in partnership with the Publisher to increase citations, impact, and high-quality submissions.
- Commission high-impact content, including themed collections, expert perspectives, and review articles.
- Uphold research integrity, addressing ethical issues in line with COPE guidelines.
- Act as the public face of the journal at international conferences and within the academic community.
Stepping into an editor role is a fulfilling journey that enables you to shape the future of your discipline. You will advance the latest research in your field, expand your professional network, and be recognized as a leading figure in the community.
The role offers:
- Annual honorarium.
- Free access to 100 articles on tandfonline.com.
- 30% discount on books at routledge.com.
- Access to Taylor & Francis editorial resources and training.
- Formal recognition on the journal’s Editorial Board page.
Following a handover period with the outgoing Co-Editor in the latter part of 2026, this role will formally begin from 1 January 2027.
About the journal
The Journal of Social Welfare & Family Law presents research and analysis of social welfare, family law and policy issues from a UK, European and international perspective. The Journal provides an interdisciplinary forum to which academics and professionals working in the fields of social welfare and family law can turn to for information, comment and informed debate.
Key features of the Journal:
- Articles
- Cases
- European Section
- Ombudsman, Tribunals and Administrative Justice Section
- Book Reviews
- Special Issues
Key Skills and Attributes
Ready to apply? Here are the skills and attributes we are looking for in a successful applicant:
- Experience in academic publishing and familiarity with all stages of the process.
- The capacity to devote time each week to the role, and to attend Editorial Board meetings and training sessions as needed.
- The ability to ensure all submitted manuscripts are considered in a prompt, consistent and professional manner.
- The ability to confidently use an online peer review management system and ensure members of the editorial team do the same.
- Experience with working effectively with independent peer reviewers.
- The ability to read, summarize, and make decisions based on independent reviewer reports.
- A commitment to communicating promptly, consistently, and professionally with authors during the peer review process.
- A commitment to engaging promptly and efficiently with Taylor & Francis staff and suppliers to implement necessary processes and improvements.
- A strong commitment to ethical rigour as well as knowledge of the COPE guidelines and commitment to ensure that the journal adheres to strict ethical standards at all times.
- A willingness to proactively lead the journal’s Editorial Board, to include arranging and leading Editorial Board meetings.
- A proven track record as a key opinion leader and known figure within your academic discipline.
- Actively involved in growing and developing your academic networks through conference attendance and experience of networking through social media.
- Knowledge of and commitment to the open access publishing environment.
- A vision and enthusiasm for the continuous development of the journal.
Application instructions
A Role Profile for the Co-Editor is available on request. Applications should include your CV, a Cover Letter and a Vision Statement. Your Vision Statement should be no longer than 1 page and include:
- Where you believe the field is going, and the journal’s place within it.
- How you would work in partnership with the Editorial Board.
- How you would maintain and increase the quality of submissions.
- How you would work with authors.
For any questions or the role profile, please contact the Publisher Alison Campbell on [email protected].
Apply for the role by filling in our formJournal pledge
The journal is committed to ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion within its editorial team and decision making processes. All applications will be treated as strictly confidential, and each will be judged on its merits without bias for seniority of institutional affiliation. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, national origin, religion, or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or protected veteran status, citizenship, or other protected characteristics.
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