BOOK BUYER – Adult Fiction / Children’s Books

Full-time – permanent – homeworking available

The Fiction and Children’s buyer roles can be split part time between two specialist candidates

Postscript is a flourishing mail order and ecommerce book company established in 1987 based near Newton Abbot in Devon. We sell a broad mix of subjects across history, the arts and humanities, general interest and academic titles, through our Postscript catalogue mailed out monthly to  individuals mainly in the UK, and via www.psbooks.co.uk and ecommerce channels. The company is well positioned in the current economic situation and is expanding extremely rapidly.

We are seeking an experienced and knowledgeable buyer who has specific experience in both Fiction and Children’s books to source titles and negotiate and manage reprints and run-ons of publishers’ new and backlist titles.

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will work collaboratively with the Catalogue and Marketing teams and liaise closely with suppliers, publishers and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with the main buyer on title availability
• Negotiate purchases and terms
• Manage the supply chain in conjunction with departments, ensuring delivery to deadlines
• Track and report on sales forecasts and performance data to relevant stakeholders
• Identify and source new markets and new suppliers
• Investigate publishers’ backlists for possible reprint candidates
• Negotiate run-ons with publishers, on both backlist and front list titles
• Liaise closely with the Sales and Marketing Departments on campaign requirements
• Develop mid- and long-term purchase strategies
• Research and report on industry trends
• Manage and maintain budgets
• Undertake any further duties commensurate with the role

Skills & Experience

• Educated to degree level or higher
• Minimum 5 years book buying experience in Adult Fiction and/or Childen’s (ages 1 to YA)
• Robust negotiating skills
•  A strong business acumen, ideally with experience in an ecommerce environment
• Excellent communication skills
• A professional attitude in dealing with confidential and commercially sensitive information
• Acute attention to detail
• Strong Excel and Microsoft Office knowledge
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines

Benefits

• 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Discretionary company bonus scheme
• Flexible start and finish times
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff benefit scheme
• Free parking

This ideal candidate(s) will be based near our offices in South Devon, but homeworking will be considered, in which case there will be some requirement to come into the office, but this will be kept to a minimum. 

Salary range £30k to £35k per annum depending on experience (pro rata if the roles are split)

Apply with full CV to recruitment@postscript.co.uk