Academic Journal WordPress Plugin

I’m ready to turn a complete Figma prototype into a working WordPress plugin that streamlines the entire life-cycle of academic articles. The core build will revolve around a custom post type for “Articles”, with fields for DOI, citation string, issue/volume, and any other metadata already mapped in the UI.

Two workflows sit at the heart of the project:
• Authors submit manuscripts and supporting files directly through the front-end screens you will craft to match the design pixel-for-pixel.
• An editorial board approval process then routes each submission through multiple stages—internal screening, reviewer feedback, final editorial sign-off—before publication.

For our journal administrators (the primary users) the back-end must feel native to WordPress while exposing dedicated tabs for open-access file management, status tracking, and quick metadata edits. Public-facing pages will automatically present the final article, its citation, and any downloadable PDFs once the board marks it “Published”.

Deliverables I need from you:
• A clean, well-commented plugin coded to WordPress standards, packaged for one-click installation
• All UI components implemented exactly as in the Figma file, responsive on desktop and mobile
• An editorial board approval workflow that can be configured from the plugin settings screen
• Secure upload and storage of open-access files, with front-end download links generated automatically
• Brief developer documentation covering custom hooks, filters, and any third-party libraries used

If you’ve built editorial or submission systems before—or just love bending WordPress to specialized publishing needs—let’s talk timelines and your preferred approach.