Research Integrity Team Leader

Sage is a global academic publisher of books, journals, and library resources with a growing range of technologies to enable discovery, access, and engagement. Believing that research and education are critical in shaping society, Sara Miller McCune founded Sage in 1965. Today, we are controlled by a group of trustees charged with maintaining our independence and mission indefinitely.

Our guaranteed independence means we’re free to:

Do more – supporting an equitable academic future, furthering disciplines that drive social change, and helping social and behavioural science make an impact

Work together – building lasting relationships, championing diverse perspectives, and co-creating resources to transform teaching and learning

Think long-term – experimenting, taking risks, and investing in new ideas

Our team operates within Sage’s global Journals Editorial Department and collaborates with colleagues across Editorial, Peer Review, Legal, and other publishing divisions. Together, we uphold the quality, credibility, and ethical standards of Sage’s journal portfolio. Trusted by editors, societies, reviewers, and authors, we examine publication ethics concerns, recommend appropriate guidelines, and refine processes that foster responsible research and transparent communication. Our work is cooperative, passionate about solutions, and key to sustaining Sage’s reputation for integrity and independence.

Could you be our new Research Integrity Team Leader? Are you someone who?

Has hands-on experience managing complex research integrity and publication ethics cases within academic or scholarly journals?

Has successfully led managed, coached and developed specialist teams, balancing workloads, priorities and escalated issues while supporting individual growth?

Demonstrates strong knowledge of international research integrity standards, publication ethics guidance and the journal publishing lifecycle?

Builds credibility and trust with a wide range of stakeholders and can influence outcomes in sensitive, complex or challenging situations?

Communicates complex issues clearly and confidently, adapting your approach for different audiences and maintaining professionalism in difficult conversations?

Enjoys analysing information, identifying trends and using data and insight to improve processes, decision-making and operational performance?

Takes a thoughtful, solutions-focused approach to problem solving and can effectively navigate situations involving conflicting priorities or differing viewpoints?

Is passionate about protecting research quality, promoting ethical publishing practices and supporting the continued development of others?

These are our minimum criteria

Your new role:

We're looking for an experienced Research Integrity professional to lead a specialist team responsible for managing publication ethics and research integrity cases across our journals portfolio. This is an opportunity to combine your expertise in research integrity with inspirational people leadership, helping to shape how Sage responds to increasingly complex ethical challenges within scholarly publishing.

You'll oversee the successful resolution of research integrity cases, support the development of colleagues and contribute to the continuous improvement of policies, processes and training that strengthen integrity across our publishing operations. Working closely with the Associate Director and Research Integrity Manager, you'll play a key role in driving operational excellence while protecting the reputation of Sage and the academic record.

In this role, you will:

Lead, coach and develop a team of Research Integrity Associates, creating an inclusive environment where colleagues can grow their expertise and deliver excellent outcomes.

Oversee the investigation and resolution of publication ethics cases, ensuring they are handled consistently, fairly and in line with Sage policies and industry standards.

Act as a trusted escalation point for sensitive, complex or high-risk research integrity issues, exercising sound judgement and managing risk appropriately.

Build strong relationships with Editorial, Peer Review and Production teams to ensure collaborative and effective case management.

Deliver reporting and insights on case volumes, trends and emerging risks, recommending improvements that enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Develop and maintain guidance, training materials and operational resources that support consistent decision-making across the business.

Help shape and evolve Sage's research integrity policies, workflows and processes to address changes within the scholarly publishing landscape.

Monitor emerging threats, industry developments and best practices, ensuring the team remains equipped to respond confidently to new challenges.

Overview of Benefits

25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with 2 additional floating personal days.

Hybrid working up to 2 days per week in office and a home working allowance.

Life assurance, income protection, and travel insurance.

Private medical cover and access to the company doctor.

Tuition scheme and support for pursuing professional qualifications, including access to Sage books and journals.

Variety of snacks and beverages available in the office.

Healthy lifestyle reimbursement and anniversary trips.

Access to Company loans (season ticket loan, rental deposit loan, cycle loan).

We’re a Disability Confident Employer (Level 1). If you’d like to apply under this scheme, please let us know in your application.

We’re committed to making our recruitment process accessible and inclusive. If you’d like to request reasonable adjustments, please email [email protected]. Please note we only accept applications via email if an adjustment has been agreed.

Closing date for applications: Thursday 5th November.

To ensure we can give each application the attention it deserves, we may consider bringing the closing date forward. Therefore, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to ensure it is considered.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At Sage, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and to sustaining a culture that celebrates diversity, encourages authenticity, and builds a deep sense of belonging. We encourage applications from all members of society irrespective of age, disability, sex or gender identity, sexual orientation, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, or belief as crafting value through diversity is what makes us strong.