The Royal Musical Association invites applications for the post of Reviews Editor for both the Journal of the Royal Musical Association and Royal Musical Association Research Chronicle, following the completion of the five-year term of Dr Amanda Hsieh in December 2025.

• The Journal of the Royal Musical Association (JRMA) is one of the major international refereed journals in the discipline. Founded 150 years ago (as the Association’s Proceedings) to advance ‘the art and science of music’, JRMA maintains a wide-ranging, inclusive interpretation of music studies that encompasses historical, cultural and critical musicology; theory and analysis; ethnomusicology; gender and sexuality; popular music and jazz studies; pedagogy; audiovisual media and practice-led research. Its editorial policy is to disseminate outstanding work across the evolving discipline, to communicate specialist perspectives to a broad readership, and to prompt new scholarly debate. Research articles published in JRMA have undergone rigorous double-anonymous peer review after initial screening by the Editors for quality and fit with the journal’s objectives.
• The Research Chronicle’s aim is to publish submissions from all areas of music research that make extensive use of primary sources such as recordings, digital-borne files, results of ethnographic work, and/or archival materials. The journal is published online, and submissions of any length (with a recommended length of up to 15,000 words), are considered, including short essays, position papers, forums and roundtables, and material in non-written formats such as video and audio. Submissions that make use of extensive apparatus such as indexes, catalogues, inventories and calendars are also welcome and can be in addition to the recommended article length. All articles published in the Research Chronicle undergo rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and refereeing by at least two anonymous referees.

Further information about the aims and scope of the journals are available from the RMA website and the JRMA and RMARC pages of the Cambridge University Press website.

Job Description

The Reviews Editor is responsible for soliciting and editing reviews, review articles and related features for both JRMA and RMARC. The key responsibilities and duties comprise:

• Seeking, commissioning and developing reviews, review articles and related features for both journals, maintaining the highest quality in both content and form and demonstrating vision and leadership in developing this material for both journals
• Evaluating submitted reviews, review articles and related features to ensure their suitability for publication in the intended journal
• Whenever appropriate, ensuring that appropriate external readers are found for submitted review articles, and that the review process proceeds as smoothly as possible
• Communicating feedback to review-article authors clearly and in a timely manner, and guiding the progress of such material through the revision process
• Editing reviews, review articles and related features
• Working constructively with authors, the Assistant Editor and the journals’ production teams at CUP to produce finished content of the highest quality, including by checking proofs
• Attending RMA Publications Committee meetings three times each year (currently January, May and September), producing progress reports in advance, as requested by the Committee Chair

The Reviews Editor reports to and is a member of the Publications Committee of the RMA.  He or she is expected to be a member of the RMA during their tenure (though not necessarily at the time of application).

Person Specification

The Reviews Editor will be able to demonstrate the following essential knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications:

• A higher degree in musicology
• An appreciable and on-going record of publications in musicology
• A broad-ranging knowledge of musicology and related disciplines and subdisciplines, and an awareness of emerging directions in musicological scholarship
• Knowledge and awareness of the wider academic community
• Experience of editing of academic content
• Excellent attention to detail, accuracy and consistency appropriate for the highest standards of academic writing
• Excellent communication skills and experience in applying such skills in both academic and professional working environments
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

The new Reviews Editor will be appointed for a 5-year term from January 2026, preceded by a handover period during the final three months of 2025. The post attracts an annual honorarium of £1,007, which will be payable pro rata from the start of the handover period and then annually from the beginning of the full 5-year term.

Informal enquiries should be directed to the Chair of the RMA Search Committee, Professor Caroline Rae (rae@cardiff.ac.uk).

Applications should be sent to Prof. Rae by email marked ‘Application for Reviews Editor’  and should comprise the following:

• A curriculum vitae (maximum 4 sides A4)
• A covering letter outlining details of the candidate’s relevant experience and expertise in relation to the job description and person specification, and their vision for the development of the reviews sections of both journals
• Names and contact details of two referees

The deadline for applications is 12 noon on Monday 22 September 2025. Interviews will be held online (date tbc in early October).

We particularly encourage applications that reflect the full diversity of music studies and from individuals who self-identify as members of groups that are often under-represented in the RMA and music academia more broadly.