Adult Book Buyer

→ ADULT BOOK BUYER - Phoenix / Tempe Location

Reports to GM/Buying Director. Hours: 40-45 per week
Pay rate: $44,000-$65,000 / $21.15 - $31.25 per hour.Pay will be set based on book-buying experience and the buying department's makeup.  Benefits package includes store discounts, paid time off, and access to company partially-subsidized health, vision, dental, and other insurance options. Simple IRA contributions with up to 3% matching funds.

Changing Hands Bookstore (CHB), established in 1974, has two Arizona locations—Phoenix and Tempe—and in its combined 20,000 square feet carries new, used, and sale books, plus a large assortment of gifts. The Phoenix location houses First Draft Book Bar, a beer / wine / coffee bar. CHB hosts author and community events. The combined staff totals approximately 80 employees. CHB also has a location at Sky Harbor Airport through a licensing agreement.  We do not buy for the airport location.

Job Description:

Job Requirements:
BUYING

• Buy and reorder new books for up to two locations of Changing Hands Bookstore.
• Purchase books working with large and small publishers and their reps. Knowledge of Edelweiss+ and familiarity with publishers large and small.
  • Assistant buyer supports buyer(s) by going through frontlist catalogs when possible and assisting with other responsibilities as assigned.
• Manage assistant buyer and backlist buying team.
• Maintain good relationships with publishers and reps.
  • Stay apprised and in communication with publisher reps regarding policy changes, discount schedules, special offers, changes in imprint distribution rights, etc. Share this information with the appropriate teams.
  • Along with the staff recs coordinators, ensure that staff book recommendations go through Edelweiss+ and those go to Indie Next, reps, and publishers.
  • Send notes to sales reps regarding our bestsellers, staff recs, responses to their queries about what is selling, etc.
  • Create frontlist and backlist publisher orders and wholesale orders. Assistant buyer/backlist buyers assist with backlist buys.
  • Manage assistant buyer and backlist buying team.
  • Track all orders and follow up with reps on the status of orders.
  • Check stock at both stores and transfer overstock as needed.
• Oversee all business-to-business orders, adult event orders, and special orders and assist the Kid's team as needed with Educational Sales and event book orders.
• Oversee the buying and inventory of yearly calendars and planners.
• Research and communicate new trends in the industry.
• Research discounts and offers with wholesalers and publishers.
• Stay apprised of important titles such as “Hot Title” and “Remarkable Reads”

INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

• Responsible for new book inventory and overseeing receiving and returns operations. Able to serve as backup for book receiving as needed.
  • Working with the buying team, coordinate bi-annual publisher culls.
• Check stock at both stores and transfer overstock as needed.
• Coordinate Above the Treeline and POS reports, analyze turns in various departments.
  • Work in collaboration with kids and gift departments.
  • Allocate space based on sales for each department as well as subject.
  • Assist with overall store merchandising and communication to keep the store looking fresh and interesting and, most importantly, sell the books you’ve ordered.
• Meet with buyers across departments to increase cross-department communication.
• Work with used books manager on trades, training, and monitoring inventory.
• Work with the remainder manager to discuss trends, monitor incoming stock and coordinate with new and used books inventory levels.
• Monitor online sales and stay up-to-date on popular titles, inventory levels and orders. Check INET sales to stay apprised of online book orders.
• Stay apprised of monthly inventory and sales reports generated by our accounts payable manager so that you know if inventory is increasing, or decreasing, and how it is tracking in both of the stores.
• Oversee store physical yearly book inventory.
  • Work in collaboration with store management to prepare for inventory.
  • Work with IT in preparation and during to troubleshoot any potential problems.
  • Oversee organization of staffing and scanning during inventory.
  • Research and reconcile any inventory variances and make needed corrections.
• Assist the receiving team with invoices and help report missing title claims.
  • Troubleshoot any receiving issues and concerns.
  • Communicate with receivers about important laydown dates and ensure important titles get priority.
  • Back-up receiver and returns for both stores.

MARKETING & PROGRAMMING

• Work with marketing to coordinate opportunities for programs and events.
  • Help build online campaigns to create virtual handselling opportunities and increase awareness of authors, books, and store programs.
  • Coordinate rep picks events for the public and staff.
  • Help make content and suggest titles for promotions.
  • Do occasional media interviews when requested to promote books on TV, radio, and print.
  • Help procure authors for store visits by working with the marketing and events teams on publisher grids and follow-up.
  • Work with the events team to order books for in-store and offsite events.
  • Oversee and ensure all event book orders for adult author appearances are completed and on track.
  • Investigate backlist possibilities at events.
• Work with store managers on hand selling and customer service training.
• Update staff on new releases and title-specific industry news to educate staff on bestsellers and discovery titles to increase handselling opportunities.
• Occasionally introduce authors at events, moderate panels, and/or host community book talks.
• Community Outreach
  • Serve on local non-profits or industry boards when appropriate.
  • Be aware and up to date on Local First initiatives, retail environments, bookstore industry news, etc., so that the store can reposition itself if necessary.

Qualifications include:

• Book buying experience.
• Able to lift 50 pounds.
• Knowledge of budgets.
• Familiarity with the publishing industry.
• Read across genres, including fiction and nonfiction
• Exhibit the capability to organize and prioritize competing daily and long-term demands.
• Proactive, hands-on, strategic thinker with sharp analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Possess robust interpersonal and communication skills both spoken and written.
• Demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and a positive demeanor that motivates others.