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About the Role

HarperCollins Publishers is seeking a strategic, commercially minded, and collaborative Director, Independent Bookstore Sales to lead and grow our Independent Bookstore business across both Adult and Children’s publishing. This role will lead a team of eight field sales representatives and develop and execute sales strategy for the Independent Bookstore channel, combining knowledge of the independent bookselling landscape with data-driven decision-making and people leadership.

Responsibilities

Partner with the VP, Independent Sales & Wholesale to develop and execute strategies that drive revenue growth, market share, and distribution across the Independent Bookstore channel.
Identify opportunities to expand business with existing accounts, develop new accounts, and strengthen HarperCollins’ position within the independent bookselling community.
Use sales performance, POS, market trends, account-level data, and competitive insights to identify opportunities and inform channel strategy.
Translate Adult and Children’s publishing priorities into effective Independent Bookstore sales strategies, ensuring appropriate focus and execution across the field organization.
Contribute to seasonal sales planning, forecasting, inventory planning, promotional strategy, and other key commercial decisions affecting the channel.
Develop and oversee Independent Bookstore programs, promotional opportunities, terms, and seasonal initiatives designed to support booksellers and drive profitable growth.
Represent the Independent Bookstore channel in cross-functional discussions and advocate for its opportunities, priorities, and marketplace needs.
Maintain a strong understanding of the evolving independent bookstore landscape, including emerging accounts, regional trends, competitive activity, and changes in bookseller needs and buying behavior.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of eight field sales representatives, establishing clear goals, priorities, and expectations for performance.
Build a high-performing, collaborative sales culture focused on accountability, communication, commercial thinking, and exceptional account service.
Provide ongoing coaching on account strategy, title selling, territory management, opportunity identification, and business development.
Establish consistent sales priorities and ensure field representatives understand and effectively execute HarperCollins’ seasonal, title, and channel strategies.
Evaluate territory and account performance and work with representatives to identify opportunities for growth and address areas of underperformance.
Partner closely with the Inside Sales Manager to ensure a coordinated approach to account development, new account opportunities, and coverage across the Independent Bookstore channel.
Ensure the field organization is equipped with timely information, inventory insights, selling tools, and marketplace intelligence necessary to maximize sales.
Support the team in navigating complex account situations and serve as a senior point of escalation when appropriate.
Build strong relationships with Adult and Children’s publishing teams, Retail Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and other internal partners to align Independent Bookstore sales strategies with broader publishing objectives.
Provide publishing teams and senior sales leadership with a clear perspective on Independent Bookstore trends, opportunities, challenges, and title performance.
Partner with publishing and marketing teams to identify titles and authors with particular opportunity in the Independent Bookstore channel and develop strategies to maximize their potential.
Develop and deliver compelling presentations on seasonal lists, key titles, channel performance, and marketplace opportunities for internal and external audiences.
Represent HarperCollins and the Independent Sales organization at industry events, conferences, sales meetings, and account visits.

Requirements

7+ years of progressive sales, publishing, bookselling, or related experience, with significant knowledge of the Independent Bookstore channel strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and developing sales professionals.
Strong commercial judgment and demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategies that drive sales growth.
Deep understanding of bookselling, title positioning, account management, and the factors that influence performance in the Independent Bookstore marketplace.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales, POS, inventory, and market data and translate findings into clear business actions.
Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate effectively across functions and organizational levels.
Ability to manage a high volume of competing priorities while maintaining responsiveness, sound judgment, and attention to detail.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven publishing environment.
Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; experience with business intelligence tools such as Power BI preferred.
Established relationships and credibility within the independent bookstore community.
Passion for books, authors, booksellers, and the role independent bookstores play in the publishing ecosystem.
Strong people leader who combines clear expectations and accountability with coaching and development.
Proactive, solutions-oriented approach and willingness to challenge existing ways of working when opportunities for improvement exist.
Strong public-speaking skills and comfort representing HarperCollins with booksellers, industry organizations, and internal leadership.
Curious and innovative thinker with a strong understanding of changing consumer, retail, and bookselling trends.

Skills

Sales strategy development
Revenue growth
Market share analysis
Distribution management
Account management
New business development
Sales performance analysis
POS data analysis
Market trend analysis
Competitive analysis
Publishing sales strategy
Sales planning
Forecasting
Inventory planning
Promotional strategy
Commercial decision-making
Program development
Sales promotion
Sales terms negotiation
Cross-functional collaboration
People leadership
Coaching
Sales team development
Performance management
Sales culture building
Accountability
Communication
Commercial thinking
Account service
Territory management
Opportunity identification
Business development
Sales priority setting
Performance evaluation
Inside sales coordination
Information dissemination
Inventory insights
Selling tools utilization
Marketplace intelligence
Relationship building
Publishing team collaboration
Retail marketing collaboration
Supply chain collaboration
Finance collaboration
Internal partnership
Trend analysis
Challenge identification
Performance reporting
Presentation development
Public speaking
Industry event representation
Conference participation
Sales meeting participation
Account visit participation
Excel proficiency
PowerPoint proficiency
Business intelligence tools (Power BI preferred)

Location

New York City

Work Type

Hybrid
Travel required

Experience Level

Director level

Salary/Compensations

$125,000-$150,000

Benefits

Comprehensive and highly competitive benefits package
Variety of physical health benefits
Retirement and savings benefits
Caregiving benefits
Emotional wellbeing benefits
Transportation benefits
Other benefits
Elective benefits

About the Company

HarperCollins Publishers is a company full of people who are passionate about books.

Equal Opportunity

HarperCollins Publishers is an equal opportunity employer.
HarperCollins Publishers is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities, in our job application and/or interview process.