About Springer Nature

Springer Nature is one of the leading publishers of research in the world. We publish the largest number of journals and books and are a pioneer in open research. Through our leading brands, trusted for more than 180 years, we provide technology-enabled products, platforms and services that help researchers to uncover new ideas and share their discoveries, health professionals to stay at the forefront of medical science, and educators to advance learning. We are proud to be part of progress, working together with the communities we serve to share knowledge and bring greater understanding to the world. For more information, please visit about.springernature.com and @SpringerNature.

About the Role

This role is primarily externally focused, effectively an ‘ambassador’ role, and is responsible for sustaining and enhancing Springer Nature’s Research business presence in USA with a focus on growth, outreach and promotional mechanisms, engaging and influencing US government agencies, institutional leaders, and senior researchers to strengthen Springer Nature’s Research business and address any threat. Our critics claim we are a German/European publisher taking advantage of American research. This isn’t the case, we want to change the perception of SN to be a global publisher with a substantial US presence that is a trusted partner to the US research ecosystem.

We have relationships in the govt, with funders, and with thousands of institutions. This role is about building on top of that, as a senior SN ambassador that can take the senior meetings in govt and elsewhere, that could be used as a media spokesperson , appear on panels etc. It should be noted that we already have teams obtaining timely policy updates, with an info network with key govt officials, providing insights etc…this role will be additive to these.

Some specific example areas to champion include institutional relationships, research funding, transition to public access and open data, strengthening research integrity, maintaining research security, improving research assessment, and editorial independence.

Areas where this role should work with colleagues in USA potentially include compliance with government, federal and legal requirements in USA, engaging with research institutions to secure greater share of their budgets, take-up of TAs, ‘renewable’ eBook deals, attracting more US based authors, editors and peer-reviewers, and exploring growth and development opportunities with research-based corporations in USA.

The President, NA is responsible for of protecting, maintaining and enhancing the organization’s profile and reputation amongst USA government stakeholders, US institutions, the US research community and other key influencers in America.

Springer Nature is set-up as a matrix with global functions acting as the primary vertical axis. The President, NA role is regional and horizontal in nature, so does not have direct reporting lines. Instead, the President, NA will chair the US Leadership Council where all externally facing US functions are to be represented by their leaders. This is the primary means of leading and coordinating strategy, plans and execution in USA.

Responsibilities:

This role operates mainly at 3 levels, Government, Institutions and Researchers in North America:

• Be the leading external media and PR spokesperson for the Research business in USA based on external stakeholders / our business / our publishing sector / our market
• Lead and develop an external events program and participate in wider US promotional activities to enable us to attract more US based researchers as submitting authors, recruiting more US based external editors to our journals, and increasing the number and loyalty of US based peer-reviewers
• Support, grow and develop the Springer Nature business in USA, focusing on US government funded areas (for e.g. inputs and awareness of institutional acquisition budgets, US federal funding for research, public access and APC policies, and related policy frameworks and implementation), advocating for properly funded OA and library budgets in institutions
• Look beyond the core to build understanding, access and publishing at US foundations, and in the US research based corporate sector to enable Springer Nature to target further growth opportunities.
• Work with colleagues in Government Affairs and Academic Affairs to achieve an effective set of relationships with US Government Agencies, US Federal Research Funders and US Institutional leaders to inform Springer Nature’s strategy in USA and its successful execution and influence.
• Build on above and extend relationships with other stakeholders such as US state governments, US trade bodies, US foundations, and US academic societies, placing SN in a position of high visibility and recognition to boost its influence.
• Consider and advise the SN Exco on US policies and regulations that may impact the company’s business.
• Identify any opportunities and threats arising from developments in US Government, US public bodies and wider society in USA, develop appropriate responses and influencing strategies as needed.
• In all the above, work with colleagues across Springer Nature to align with our global positioning and policies and deliver local impact and success in USA. To enable this, create and chair the US Leadership Council comprising the function heads in USA. This is where our USA strategy, plans and execution are developed and coordinated. Additionally, when needed, work with global function heads to achieve this.

In above specific areas where this role should take an external lead in USA

• SN’s mission and strategy
• Funding research and the trusted communication of research
• Public Access (OA) to research and the use of TAs (Read & Publish deals)
• Open Research techniques via PIDs, Open Data, Open Code and Open Protocols
• Research integrity and trust in science
• Artificial Intelligence, its benefits and risks
• Research security, cybersecurity and anti-piracy
• Research assessment, metrics and social-economic impact
• Editorial Board Member recruitment for SN journals
• Early Career Researchers and how best to support them
• SN’s editorial independence, explaining and defending it when needed