Associate Director Client Sales, Independent Retail Team

Simon & Schuster was named to Forbes magazine list of America's Best Mid-Size Employers 2022. Simon & Schuster is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world's most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Pocket Books, Adams Media, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

Simon & Schuster’s Independent Retail Team is looking for an Associate Director of Client Sales for our dynamic and collaborative team that sells to independent bookstores. 

This position serves as the primary contact and liaison between the Independent Sales Team and our Client Publishers and Distribution Services Team, and works directly with the client publishers themselves, focusing on sales, operations, logistics, customer service, and general Client Publisher support. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of independent bookstores and the publishing industry; proven experience in sales or account support management in a mid-size or large publishing company; and exceptional communication skills. A successful candidate will thrive in a quickly changing business environment, be creative and flexible, and enjoy new challenges.

Responsibilities include:

• Attending seasonal Client sales conference as a representative and advocate of the Independent Channel, and other meetings as needed
• Identifying frontlist focus titles and priorities for each Client Publisher every season, and entering sales estimates for the channel
• Organizing seasonal catalogs and creating seasonal markups in Edelweiss for all Client Publisher titles
• Handling ad hoc requests from the Indie Team, Client Services, and Client Publishers
• Working closely with Operations, Client Services, and Client Publishers to provide sales materials, including manuscripts, Edelweiss features, and sell sheets for Independent Team focus titles
• Creating and discussing sales opportunities with Client Publishers, such as promotions, signed copies, and events
• Overseeing and growing opportunities for Client Publishers at Regional Trade Shows
• Communicating publicity hits and creating Hot Title eblasts to the Independent Channel
• Creating collections and sales reports to grow Client sales backlist and frontlist sales in the Independent Channel and to support on-boarding new Client Publishers

Qualifications:

• Minimum 5 years sales experience, account support management, or equivalent experience in a mid-size or large publishing company
• Strong understanding of independent bookstores and the publishing industry, including market trends, key players, and distribution channels
• Efficiency in multitasking and prioritizing tasks to meet deadlines
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Independent bookstore experience a plus
• Proficient in Edelweiss
• Avid, passionate reader
• Creative, flexible, self-starter