UK Sales Director, HQ, Mills & Boon, Pavilion, Avon

Employment Type: Full time

Location: Hybrid · London, UK

Team: Group Sales

Seniority: Senior

Closing: 11:55pm, 29th Aug 2024 BST

Job Description

With a heritage stretching back nearly 200 years, HarperCollins is one of the world’s foremost English-language publishers, offering the best-quality content across the spectrum, from enduring classics to cutting-edge contemporary fiction; from digital dictionaries to online curricula; and pretty much everything in between.

This brand-new role will oversee the sales teams and strategies for some of HarperCollins’ most exciting commercial publishing:

Specialising in commercial fiction, non-fiction and innovative digital publishing, HQ is a young, ambitious, and award-winning imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, publishing debuts and key brands and Sunday Times Bestsellers such as Sarah Morgan, Adele Parks, Colleen Hoover, June Sarpong, Caroline Hirons and Davina McCall.

Established in 2007, Avon is a commercial fiction division of HarperCollins and publishes predominantly crime, thrillers, suspense, feel-good general fiction, and historical fiction, including C.L. Taylor, J.M. Hall, Sue Moorcroft and Esha Patel.

Pavilion Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers specialising in illustrated non-fiction. The enviable roster of high-profile authors on the list includes MOB Kitchen founder Ben Lebus; Italian chef and TV personality Gennaro Contaldo and Sunday Sessions YouTuber Big Has.

And finally, sweeping women off their feet for over 100 years, Mills & Boon is the UK’s #1 publisher of romantic fiction.

The successful candidate will be accountable and responsible for driving the divisional sales across the UK trade channel, reporting to the Sales Strategy Director, and working closely with the Group Sales Director and Commercial Director to hit the sales and profit targets for each budget year. This role is responsible for the Divisional Sales Team and works alongside the International Head of Sales and Digital Sales team, ensuring sales strategies are closely aligned and coordinated in partnership with the marketing, PR, publishing, and other key divisional stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the Sales Strategy Director, Group Sales Director and Commercial Director to set and deliver the short-term and long-term UK Print and Digital sales strategies for the divisions

• Manage, lead and develop the HQ , Mills & Boon, Pavillion and Avon Key Accounts Team

• Delivery of the UK divisional sales and profit targets

• Maintaining excellent UK industry relationships and networks

• The role will also be required to work closely with the digital team, as well as establish strong working relationships with the international, Irish and sales development teams

• Work with the Retail Director in providing market intelligence to help the division make appropriate acquisition decisions

• Provide the division with immediate market feedback to help them make the most of the titles in the market

• Work closely with Marketing, Publicity, Editorial and other in-house departments

• Attend internal meetings and chair meetings as required

• Manage the stock and print program, work closely with the division attend jacket and schedule meetings

• Take responsibility for managing the retail spend budget for each year

  Skills and Experience

• In Depth understanding of the UK adult book market

• Excellent communication skills – both verbal and written

• Proactive and forward-thinking – making the most of every situation and ability to implement change if required

• Track record of experience of working with multiple stakeholders, internally and externally

• Established and advanced relationships at a senior level in retail

• Solid experience of managing, motivating and directing others

• Proven experience of developing business strategies and successful implementation

• Excellent influencing skills along with the ability to build relationships, even in challenging situations

• An individual with confidence in their own abilities, and who inspires trust and confidence in others

• Genuinely enthusiastic about the list and able to generate enthusiasm in others

Benefits

• Hybrid working model (3 days in the office)

• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays (option to buy and sell holiday days) 

• Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave 

• Private healthcare cover and life assurance 

• Summer Hours  

• Free access to HeadSpace, employee assistance programme (24 hour helpline), mental health first aiders, and a wellbeing portal 

• Season ticket loans (from day 1 for entry level) and cycle to work scheme 

• Relocation Rent Support Loan  

• Employee networks: HC All In (open forum), Elevate (for ethnic minority colleagues), HarperParents, Menopause at Work, Pride at HC, Social Mobility Network and Neurodiversity at Work

• Unlimited training on our Learning and Development portal, management courses (up to MA level) and mentoring programmes 

• Virtual GP and eyecare vouchers 

• Gym membership discount 

• Onsite physiotherapy (London only) 

• Charitable donation matching and 2 volunteering days 

• We're a certified Carbon Neutral company

• Green Electric/Hybrid Car Benefit Scheme (salary sacrifice)

• With Trees for Life we plant a tree in the Highlands of Scotland for every permanent hire

• Free e-books and audiobooks, digital newspaper subscriptions and discounts on books 

• Subsidised canteen and retail discounts 

• Onsite prayer room 

  If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to stephanie.jemmett@harpercollins.co.uk with subject heading ‘Vacancy Query’ plus the job title and we will aim to get back to you within 5 working days.

  Please note, if you are interested in the role you would need to submit your application via Applied. We do not accept email applications.