Ed. Board Structure and Position Descriptions

The Rock and a Hard Place Executive Board includes senior editorial positions within the Press -- Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Contributing Editor. The function of this Executive Board is to oversee the business operations of the Press, with the appropriate advice and input from the entire editorial team. This Executive Board is authorized to enter into contracts on behalf of the Press, to develop and certify annual budgets, to ensure proper fiscal reporting, and to act as a clearinghouse for business decisions and matters affecting the operations of the Press. The Rock and a Hard Place Executive Board shall meet weekly, or as necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the Board.

The Rock and a Hard Place Editorial Board is inclusive of all editorial positions within the Press -- senior level editorial positions on the Executive Board, as well as other positions, such as Associate Editor, Art Director and Online Content Manager.  The function of the Editorial Board is to provide content oversight of the works published under the imprimatur of the Press.  The Editorial Board selects pieces for publication, provides editorial direction in collaboration with the content creators, and generates new content ideas.  The members of the Editorial Board may provide input in Executive Board decisions upon request, and may, from time to time, be promoted to senior editorial positions to participate in Executive Board decision-making.  The Rock and a Hard Place Editorial Board shall meet bi-monthly, or as necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the Board, and will otherwise communicate through digital means (email, Twitter or Facebook Messaging) as necessary between Board meetings.

The Editor-in-Chief of Rock and a Hard Place Press provides editorial and business leadership for the organization.  The Editor-in-Chief serves as the primary contact for artists, authors, and content creators interested in submitting their work for publication.  The Editor-in-Chief is also responsible for managing editorial timelines and deadlines, and for serving as the primary public-facing representative and spokesperson on behalf of the Press.  In addition, the Editor-in-Chief carries all other editorial duties and responsibilities and serves as the final arbiter if either the Editorial Board or Executive Board becomes deadlocked on a decision.

The Managing Editor of Rock and a Hard Place Press provides operational leadership for the organization.  The Managing Editor serves as the Treasurer of the Executive Board, and produces reports on the fiscal health of the Press.  The Managing Editor oversees opportunities for fiscal growth, with the advice and consent of the Executive Board, and with feedback and input from the Editorial Board as a whole.  The Managing Editor also oversees Production and Distribution of Rock and a Hard Place Press’s publications, and maintains all other editorial duties and responsibilities.

The Contributing Editor of Rock and a Hard Place Press provides content leadership for the organization.  The Contributing Editor is responsible for the development of sales and promotional copy.  The Contributing Editor oversees the submissions selection process, ensuring that each submission receives, at minimum, two editors’ feedback.  The Contributing Editor maintains all other editorial duties and responsibilities, and is responsible for assisting the Editor-in-Chief on the resolution of any disputes regarding the selection of submissions for publication.

The Associate Editor(s) of Rock and a Hard Place Press are responsible for providing input and creative direction for the content published under the Rock and a Hard Place imprimatur.  They will be responsible for reading and providing feedback on submissions as part of the submissions selection process.  They will promote Rock and a Hard Place Press through their personal social media channels and existing relationships with authors, artists and content creators.  They will provide copy-editing on pieces selected for publication, and they will advise on editorial and business decisions of the Press, as appropriate and requested.

The Guest Editor(s) of Rock and a Hard Place Press will be solicited from time-to-time to provide editorial leadership of a specific publication, such as a themed anthology.  They will serve in the function of Associate Editor of their assigned publication, with the added responsibility of being the final decision-maker on the selection of pieces to appear within their assigned publication, with the feedback and input of the entire Editorial Board.  They will be responsible for promoting their assigned publication on social media channels, and will serve, along with the Editor-in-Chief as a spokesperson or representative of their respective publication assignment.

The Art Director (currently unfilled) of Rock and a Hard Place Press will serve as the primary visual arts content manager for the Press’s publications.  The Art Director will be responsible for branding, graphic design, cover design, logotypes and logo placement of Rock and a Hard Place graphics assets.  In collaboration with the Managing Editor, they will contribute to the production and layout of publications.  They will also work collaboratively with the Online Content Manager to ensure consistent and creative visual feel of the various Rock and a Hard Place social and online channels.  The Art Director will be responsible for recruiting visual artists, for overseeing and developing visual arts content (i.e. photo essays, visual storytelling), and for providing other feedback and input, as necessary and requested, regarding Editorial Board and Executive Board decisions.

The Online Content Manager (currently unfilled) will be responsible for developing and overseeing the Rock and a Hard Place digital presence across social media and online channels.  The Online Content Manager will be responsible for maintaining digital content calendars, for recruiting and overseeing online content, and for developing online-first and digital-only strategies to promote Rock and a Hard Place as a digital learning community.  The work of the Online Content Manager may include, but not be limited to: organizing online writing workshops and virtual readings, developing and managing the Rock and a Hard Place newsletter from curated and original content, creating and soliciting online content (fiction and non-fiction / writers’ craft), developing social media posts, and overseeing social media promotional campaigns.  The Online Content Manager will collaborate with the Editorial Board for editorial support of online content, and with the Art Director for visual elements of their work.