York Medieval Journal

Join the Board

As we are entering the 2026/7 academic year, YMJ is looking to appoint a new Board to spearhead our new edition. The Board is responsible for overseeing the development and distribution of YMJ’s yearly issue. If you are interested in learning about the process of academic publishing, keep reading!

All Board Members should demonstrate and value a high level of teamwork and initiative. YMJ’s success depends on a Board who are willing and able to collaborate on all aspects of the issue. Although Board Members have individual responsibilities, decisions ought to receive full Board clearance before implementation (for example, issue themes or Deputy Editor selection). The workload of a Board Member is variable: you should be willing to complete work as it arises, and understand that at times you may be expected to complete more tasks to ensure the success of the issue. Being on the Board is a year long commitment which requires constant communication, weekly meetings and organisation alongside the Master’s program.

Please find below the roles and job descriptions that need to be filled for the YMJ 2026/7 Board. 

Editorial Lead (x2)

Editorial Leads are responsible for overseeing the development of abstracts into full manuscripts that are ready for publication. Their responsibilities include (but are not limited to): 

  • Creating and selecting an issue’s theme 
  • Selecting abstracts through a blind peer-review process 
  • Create selection tasks for Deputy Editors  
  • Select and manage teams of Deputy Editors
  • Working in a 1-1 capacity to edit and develop author’s abstracts 
  • Establish and ensure teams adhere to an editorial timeline
  • Maintaining style guides as necessary 

If you have prior experience or are interested in student journalism, editing, and management, this role may be a good fit for you. It is well-suited to organised individuals with a keen eye for detail, and a willingness to work longer hours in the run up to publication. 

It is recommended that the Board has two Editorial Leads due to the position’s heavy workload and collaborative nature. 

Social Media and Website Manager

The Social Media and Website Manager is responsible for YMJ’s online presence. Their responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

  • Creating and posting on the YMJ instagram to keep followers aware of relevant public-facing information (issue theme, publication date, article topics)
  • YMJ website maintenance 
  • Uploading all final articles into the website in PDF form
  • Monitoring the online archive of articles
  • Ensuring the correct citation of any images used in promotional material 
  • Writing and proofing any content for the website and social media (ie. author and board profiles, upcoming website news)

If you have experience or are interested in graphic design, Canva (and other similar platforms), and are comfortable navigating online platforms, this role may be a good fit for you. It is well-suited to creative individuals with an understanding of how to reach a breadth of audiences over the internet. 

Ethics and Compliance Officer

The Ethics and Compliance Officer is responsible for the procedural aspects of YMJ. Their responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

  • Ensuring all policy documents remain up-to-date
  • Ensuring Board members, editors, authors, and anyone else involved with YMJ remains in compliance with our policy documents
  • Ensure a safe and generative environment is maintained for all associated with YMJ 
  • Handling complaints and liaising with CMS staff members where necessary 
  • Managing and overseeing the blind peer-review selection of abstracts to ensure fairness 

If you have experience or are interested in administration and compliance work, this role may be a good fit for you. It is well-suited to individuals with communicational clarity and an ability to de-escalate conflicts.

Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for the organisational and communicative aspects of YMJ. Their responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

  • Organising weekly Board meetings (online or in-person) 
  • Creating minutes documents for all Board meetings and taking minutes
  • Liaising with the CMS office to circulate YMJ information in the bulletin 
  • Ad hoc administrative and communicative tasks to ensure the smooth progression of the issue 

If you have experience or are interested in administrative roles, management, or communication, this role may be a good fit for you. It is well-suited to individuals with email confidence, strong organisational skills, and problem-solving abilities. 

Apply to be a Board Member

If any of the above roles appeal to you, please fill out the following application form, and the current Board will get back to you!

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