Job Description

Job title: Senior Editor (Lexicography): Pronunciations

Department: Oxford Languages
Reports to (title): Executive Editor (Lexicography): Pronunciations
Division: Academic
Date: May 2022

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

To perform wide-ranging editorial work researching and creating new pronunciations, and revising
existing ones, for Oxford Languages publications and products, including OED. The job entails work on
both written pronunciation transcriptions and spoken pronunciation audio, which is carried out in
collaboration with the wider pronunciations editorial team and with data specialists in the wider Oxford
Languages team.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES/KEY RESULT AREAS

• Create and check accuracy of pronunciation transcriptions according to specified IPA models,
including British English and US English, and in support of expanding coverage of other global
varieties of English in OED and other Oxford Languages products and publications
• Contribute, as required, to the research and development of pronunciation transcription systems,
including potentially for languages other than English
• Create and check accuracy of audio pronunciations to accompany transcriptions, in collaboration
with voice actors and sound engineer
• Work closely with Oxford Languages’ data specialists to curate, manage, and enhance our
pronunciations data (transcriptions, audio, and metadata)
• Undertake work, as required, to promote and publicize the OED and/or Oxford Languages, such
as writing release notes, contributing to blogs or other public relations, participating in academic
research or conferences, etc.
• Participate in special or cross-team projects to advance the strategic goals of the Oxford
Languages department
• Collaborate with colleagues as required by editorial work and in other activities, and contribute to
building a collaborative, experimental, and inclusive culture
• Develop new skills and competencies as required

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• Specialist phonetic knowledge

• Experience in the practical application of IPA transcription
• Experience of handling and processing data
• (Desirable) Familiarity with computational approaches to language / phonetic data
• Familiarity with linguistics and lexicography
• Good awareness of varieties of English worldwide
• Excellent knowledge of English
• (Desirable) Knowledge of other languages and their phonologies

KEY COMPETENCIES

Behaviour

• Organized and able to prioritize individual tasks

• Collaborative
• Flexible
• Team-orientated
• Respectful of others
• Supportive
 • Receives feedback constructively
• Decisive
• Good written or spoken communicator.

Technical / Functional

• Distinguishes between fine shades of meaning

• Works accurately, logically, and rapidly through complex text
• Writes clearly, unambiguously, and concisely
• Assimilates broad concepts in a wide range of disciplines
• Works to a required rate and to an expected standard.
• Specialist knowledge of lexicographical specialisms, tools, or systems.

Business management

• Knowledge of Oxford Languages brands, and of departmental operating principles and strategic
objectives

KEY INTERFACES

Internal: Supervising editor (Executive Editor): weekly, to discuss and review work and individual
progress, other pronunciation team colleagues: regularly, in editorial partnerships and for informal
consultation, Other OED staff: when necessary, for specific information on subjects about which they
have specialist knowledge,
Other staff in Oxford Languages, OUP staff outside Oxford Languages as required

External: Editorial consultants: for advice on specialist content, External stakeholders such as
academics, journalists, suppliers, licensees etc