Sales Manager | Independent Non-Fiction Publisher | Remote UK | Part-Time | Permanent
Are you an experienced UK Sales Manager who knows the book trade and enjoys spotting new commercial opportunities? Read on if you’re looking for a flexible, hands-on role where you can shape sales activity, build relationships, and make a direct impact within an independent publishing business.
Our partner: Our partner is an independent publisher specialising in high-quality non-fiction for both general and specialist audiences. Its varied publishing spans areas including history, wildlife and nature, travel and adventure, alongside academic and professional subjects such as architecture, engineering, and the geosciences. With an established backlist, international distribution, and a growing publishing programme, this is a small, entrepreneurial business with plenty of commercial potential.
Responsibilities:
- Develop business across major UK trade accounts, independent bookshops, specialist outlets, and less traditional retailers, while re-engaging previous customers and identifying new opportunities for frontlist and backlist titles.
- Identify practical opportunities to grow sales directly to readers and customers, working with the wider team to test new approaches and build sustainable revenue.
- Grow print and digital sales across specialist publishing, developing relationships with institutions, professional bodies, academics, practitioners, and other relevant customers.
- Identify opportunities across overseas markets, particularly the US, developing existing distributor and partner relationships, and finding new routes to market internationally.
- Work directly with authors and colleagues to identify and support events, talks, promotional activity, and other opportunities that can increase awareness and drive sales.
Experience and skills that will deliver success in this new role: The right candidate will be a proactive, commercially minded book sales professional who enjoys the flexibility and informality of an independent publishing environment. You’ll be comfortable taking ownership of agreed priorities, working independently, and keeping colleagues informed of progress, opportunities, and challenges. You don’t need experience across every channel; strong expertise in key areas, combined with curiosity and a willingness to develop, is equally welcome.
Essential:
- Experience in book sales, with a good understanding of the UK book trade and the ability to identify and develop commercial opportunities.
- Confidence building existing customer relationships and approaching new accounts, customers, and potential partners.
- A proactive and self-motivated approach, with the ability to work independently, take responsibility, and contribute practical ideas.
- Clear and effective communication skills, with the confidence to work collaboratively with colleagues, authors, customers, and distribution partners.
- Strong organisational, financial, and digital skills, with the ability to keep track of contacts, sales, invoicing, and follow-up activity.
Desirable:
- Experience developing sales across a combination of trade, direct-to-consumer, academic, professional, and/or international channels.
- Knowledge of specialist or non-fiction publishing markets and an understanding of how to reach audiences beyond traditional book retail.
- Experience developing international distributor relationships or growing sales in overseas markets.
- Experience working directly with authors to support events, talks, promotional opportunities, and other sales-driving activity.
The opportunity: This role offers something that can be difficult to find in publishing sales: genuine scope to shape what you do and see the impact of your work. As a new position within a small independent publisher, you’ll have the freedom to use your existing industry knowledge to identify where the strongest opportunities lie, whether that’s developing established accounts, opening new routes to market, or finding fresh potential within an extensive backlist. It should particularly suit someone who enjoys autonomy, variety, and being close to the commercial results of their work.
What’s on offer:
- Salary: £40-45k full-time equivalent, depending on experience
- Working pattern: 3 days per week, working remotely within the UK.
- Reports to: Managing Director
Applications: Click the button below.
If applying via email, please use the following as the subject line: Sales Manager | JobID: ZR_383_JOB
Don't delay in applying if this is the job for you! We're not working to a fixed closing date, so we're keen to hear from you as soon as possible.
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