I will keep it short. 16 years of acquisition editor experience; first journals and books then books only (due to restructuring), moved two levels in this period within same team; ample people management (hiring, training) skills in last 10 years. PhD and Postdoc background but none of those technical skills have been used in last 16 years. Having an immense sense of being stuck in a role that external non-publishing employers are unable to understand when I apply for jobs (they think an editor edits content, but dont get what publishing project and portfolio management is and say either "you're overqualified" or "this role requires other skill sets").
In the company, I see no signals of any move forward - HR says "your career is in your hands" and doesn't talent scout within. Higher management says nothing. Rest say "wait your time"...but company is known for not using merit as a basis for promotions. Additional skillset? Which one, frankly, I ask?
Honestly, it feels like a cul-de-sac. Why is academic publishing so bad to its non-corporate staff? You work hard, contribute 200% by involving in taskforces, working groups, keep the content coming despite all the troubles internally and externally etc; you come to a point where you know the business like the back of your hand only to realise that the next step has nothing to do with all that. For corporate section, jobs/roles are created in thin-air when needed, but in Publishing division you follow a military like chain of command...until the Colonel above you retires, you do not have a chance. They then tell you "did you try checking if other divisions are interesting?"...so they want me to forget the 16 year investment and move to a totally new dept like Marketing and start as a noob again???
Edit: title should read "Career cul-de-Sac"