OJS Setup and Configuration for Academic Journal

We are seeking an experienced freelancer to set up and configure Open Journal Systems (OJS) for our peer-reviewed academic journal. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of OJS and its functionalities, ensuring a seamless setup process. Responsibilities include configuring the journal's layout, managing user roles, and integrating necessary plugins. The goal is to create a professional and user-friendly platform for authors, reviewers, and readers. Overview I am launching Meridian Scholarly Review, a fee-based, multi-disciplinary peer-reviewed academic journal based in Nairobi, Kenya. The journal will cover all academic fields — sciences, social sciences, humanities, theology, technology, law, economics, and more. It is built on Open Journal Systems (OJS), which is open source software maintained by PKP (Public Knowledge Project). I need an experienced OJS developer to set up, configure, and customise a fully functional journal platform on my existing hosting. The platform must support a complete editorial workflow: submission, peer review, editorial decisions, and publication. Hosting and Environment Hosting: OJS-Services Standard Pro, DirectAdmin control panel, shared hosting OJS version: Latest stable release, already installed by host Domain: To be provided Payment processors: Pesapal and Flutterwave — both via Manual Payment mode with embedded payment links Scope of Work OJS Configuration Set up journal identity: name, ISSN fields, masthead, about pages, and editorial policies Configure 6 journal sections: Sciences and Medicine, Social Sciences and Law, Humanities and Philosophy, Technology and Engineering, Agriculture and Environment, Interdisciplinary Studies Set up submission metadata form with field and keyword tagging Configure double-blind peer review workflow Set up reviewer invitation, assignment, scoring rubric, and deadline tracking Configure editorial decision workflow: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, Reject Set up automated email notifications for all workflow stages Payment Integration Set OJS to Manual Payment mode Embed Pesapal payment link and Flutterwave payment link into the submission instructions page Pesapal covers East and Southern Africa — Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa Flutterwave covers West Africa, North Africa, and broader international card payments Ensure submission approval is gated on payment confirmation Document the manual payment verification process clearly for the editor so I can manage it independently Branding and Design Apply custom visual theme using these specifications: Primary colour: Ink Navy #1B2A4A Accent colour: Scholarly Gold #C5973A Background: Parchment #F4F0E8 Display font: EB Garamond for journal name, headings, and article titles Body font: Source Sans Pro for navigation, abstracts, and metadata Upload logo once provided Style the journal homepage, article pages, and submission portal Ensure full mobile responsiveness Plugins and Integrations Configure CrossRef and DOI plugin — CrossRef account will be provided Set up Google Scholar metadata tags via OAI-PMH structured output Basic ORCID integration PDF article galley formatting Documentation and Handover Editor handbook covering: how to manage submissions, assign reviewers, make decisions, and verify Pesapal and Flutterwave payments manually Reviewer onboarding guide Brief video walkthrough via Loom or similar tool What I Will Provide Hosting access via DirectAdmin credentials Logo files Journal name, ISSN once issued, and editorial policy text Pesapal business account, already verified Flutterwave business account, already verified CrossRef membership details Full branding guidelines as listed above Ideal Candidate Proven hands-on experience setting up and configuring OJS 3.x — please share live journal URLs you have built, not general CMS or WordPress work Familiarity with the OJS plugin ecosystem and PKP documentation Understanding of academic journal workflows: submission, peer review, copyediting, publication Experience with African payment gateways such as Pesapal or Flutterwave is a strong advantage Clear communicator — I need to understand and manage the platform independently after handover Budget and Timeline Budget: Open to proposals. Please quote a fixed price only, not hourly Timeline: 3 to 4 weeks preferred Milestone-based payments preferred in this order: OJS setup and configuration, peer review workflow, payment integration, branding, final handover and documentation To Apply Please include the following or your application will not be considered: Your specific experience with OJS 3.x, not general web development Links to one or two live journal websites you have configured using OJS Your proposed approach to embedding Pesapal and Flutterwave payment links within OJS Manual Payment mode Your fixed price quote and a timeline broken into milestones