Key Account Manager, Children's Sales
Simon & Schuster UK Children’s is currently one of the most successful and fastest growing children’s lists in the UK, the winner of many prestigious awards with strong sales. The list includes bestselling brand authors Sophie McKenzie, Darren Shan, Becca Fitzpatrick, Steve Cole, Michelle Harrison, Philippa Gregory and fiction series such Doctor Proctor by Jo Nesbø and the Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renee Russell. Stars on the picture book list include the Underpants series by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort, Princess Evie’s Ponies and bestselling picture books by Sue Hendra and Sara Ogilvie. The character and licensed list includes Mike the Knight, The Octonauts, Minions and Miffy.
Job Profile: We have an exciting vacancy for a children’s sales professional to join our fast-pasted and dynamic team. Reporting to the Children’s Sales Director, you will work across a number of the UK’s highest profile key accounts, including the high street, supermarkets, and internet retailers.
Your Role: You will have responsibility for driving sales and creating strategies for growth with children’s UK key accounts. Taking into account changes in the physical market, you will identify growth opportunities and tailor product / create bespoke product to meet the needs of those retailers. You will be responsible for managing the customer support budget for your accounts and for negotiating discounts in order to both deliver sales targets and protect company profitability. Along with the Children’s Sales Director, you will be a focal member of the children’s publishing team, liaising clearly with other departments and providing excellent market and competitor feedback in order to inform both book acquisition and jacket design decisions. You will also be responsible for liaising with customer service departments to ensure that logistics of delivery requirements are adhered to and correct prices are invoiced. You will have a strong flair for numbers and will input into the sign off and reprints process.
The Candidate’s Profile: We are looking for a driven individual who can demonstrate thorough understanding of key accounts, preferably of the children’s market.
You will be an analytic thinker, have an eye for detail and have proven understanding of margins, profits and sales data. Your customer relationships should be second to none and you should have strong interpersonal and presentation skills. You should always be willing to take on new challenges, be flexible and determined to succeed. You will have a prowess for multi-tasking and innovative thinking and be able to work on your own and as part of a team. A creative flair and understanding of the publishing process when it comes to custom publishing would give you an advantage. Passion for books and interest in children’s entertainment is essential.
Contact Details:
Please apply by email to Jessica.Harris@simonandschuster.co.uk attaching your CV and covering letter with details of your current salary and expectations.