Join AJAID: Editor-in-Chief Opportunity for African Research

Organization: Society for AIDS in Africa

Duration: 3 years

Application deadline: June 19th, 2026

Overview

The Editor-in-Chief (EiC) of AJAID is a prestigious voluntary leadership appointment. The EiC will provide the strategic and intellectual direction of the journal, uphold editorial integrity, and champion AJAID’s growth as a leading platform for African-led research on infectious diseases.

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

Provide overall scientific leadership and editorial vision for AJAID, defining its thematic scope, strategic priorities, and publication policies.
Recruit, appoint, and oversee an Editorial Board that is geographically diverse, multidisciplinary, and representative of African expertise.
Manage and supervise the peer-review process, ensuring rigour, fairness, timeliness, and compliance with international editorial standards (COPE guidelines).
Make final editorial decisions on all submitted manuscripts in consultation with Associate Editors and reviewers.
Work closely with SAA leadership to develop and implement the journal’s publication strategy, including indexing targets (PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, DOAJ, AJOL) and open-access policy.
Solicit high-impact special issues, commentaries, and reviews aligned with ICASA themes and continental public health priorities.
Champion research capacity building by mentoring early-career African researchers and supporting their pathway to publication.
Represent AJAID at relevant scientific conferences, including ICASA, and promote the journal to the global research community.
Collaborate with SAA to establish partnerships with institutions, funders, and indexing bodies to ensure sustainability and impact.
Provide regular reports to the SAA Journal Committee on journal performance, editorial metrics, and strategic progress.
Ensure the journal upholds the highest standards of research ethics, equity, and inclusion, including addressing publication bias and promoting authorship from low- and middle-income countries.
Support fundraising and resource mobilisation efforts to sustain the journal’s operations and open-access mandate.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

A terminal degree (MD, PhD, or equivalent) in Medicine, Public Health, Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases, or a closely related field.
Minimum 10 years’ experience in academic research and/or clinical practice in HIV/AIDS, STIs, TB, Malaria, or infectious diseases.
Demonstrated track record of peer-reviewed publications in high-impact international journals (strong h-index preferred).
Prior editorial experience — as Editor, Associate Editor, or Guest Editor — in a reputable peer-reviewed journal.
Deep knowledge of editorial management systems (e.g., ScholarOne, Editorial Manager, OJS) and publishing workflows.
Familiarity with COPE guidelines, research ethics, and open-access publishing principles.
Strong understanding of the African public health landscape and the unique challenges and opportunities of publishing African research.
Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills; ability to manage a diverse Editorial Board.
Having the ability to foster a culture of trust and bring together the members of the editorial board.
Ability to analyse and manage challenges and complex situations with objectiveness; resilience, strong communication, and dignity toward others.
Proficiency in English; proficiency in French is an added advantage given ICASA’s bilingual mandate.
Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, ethical principles and inclusion in scientific publishing.
Affiliation with an academic institution, research organisation, or equivalent professional body.
Having sufficient availability with ability to dedicate at least 30% time to the editorial responsibilities of the role on an ongoing basis.

APPLICATION TIMELINE

08 June 2026	Advertisement published and applications open.
19 June 2026	Deadline for receipt of all applications and supporting documents.
23 June 2026	Longlist review by SAA Journal Committee completed.
25 June 2026	Shortlisted candidates notified and invited for virtual interviews.
30 June 2026	Interviews conducted (virtual, by appointment).
15 July 2026	Final appointment decision communicated to selected candidate.
01 August 2026	Anticipated commencement date for inaugural Editor-in-Chief.