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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive growth by managing key accounts and developing new business opportunities.
- Company: Join Hachette UK, a leading creative powerhouse in book publishing.
- Benefits: Enjoy 28 days annual leave, private medical insurance, and generous discounts.
- Why this job: Be part of a thriving industry and shape the future of lifestyle and children's products.
- Qualifications: Proven sales experience, ideally in illustrated or children's book publishing.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with excellent career development and community engagement opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 50000 £ per year.
Overview
Closing date for applications: 3 November 2025
Salary: £48,000 – £50,000 dependent on experience and location (+bonus +benefits)
Location: The role will be based at our London or Sheffield office, with a blend of in-office (3 days) and homeworking (2 days) per week
From managing key accounts and developing new business to shaping sales strategy, you\’ll play a key role in driving growth at one of the UK\’s top publishers.
Hachette UK is a creative powerhouse and the UK\’s second largest book publishing group. Our mission is to make it easy for everyone to discover new worlds of ideas, learning, entertainment and opportunity. We\’re made up of 10 autonomous publishing divisions and over 60 imprints with a rich and diverse history and an incredible range of authors. We\’re also the market leader in e-books and publish a range of bestsellers in audio format, the fastest growing part of our business. It\’s an exciting time to join our business because the publishing market continues to grow and thrive. The UK remains the largest exporter of physical books in the world and book adaptations for film and TV are the foundation of the UK\’s creative industries.
What you\’ll be doing
We are looking for a commercially focused sales professional to join an enthusiastic and driven non-trade (NT) team. Working across the whole of the HUK Group on a wide portfolio of books, games, gifts and stationery but with a specific focus on lifestyle and children\’s products you will have the opportunity to create and shape product for the non-trade market. There will be direct account management but you will also be actively seeking out new business within the UK discount market and developing brand partnerships and business-to-business (B2B) opportunities.
The successful candidate will be responsible for:
- Seeking new accounts within the UK discount retail market
- Researching and developing new business opportunities for brand partnerships and B2B
- Managing the sales and profit margin for intellectual property (IP) and custom projects to discounter and promo sales channels
- Building relationships with key editorial contacts to drive profitable custom projects across group for UK NT customers and channels to ensure we deliver and exceed budget
- Attending key divisional meetings, as appropriate, to optimise non-trade opportunities including acquisitions and print sign-offs
- Working alongside relevant team leads for brands, backlist and series to find new opportunities for existing authors and titles through non-trade channels including backlist reissues, custom publishing and IP projects
Who we are looking for
We are looking for someone who is excited about selling with a proven track record of commercial success, ideally with a strong background in illustrated or children\’s book publishing. You will have a solid understanding of the publishing process, preferably within a non-trade or special sales team. You will need to actively engage with a wide range of internal stakeholders, to be proactive and forward thinking making the most of every situation and able to implement change if required. With a good understanding of consumer trends and relevant market knowledge, you will be able to develop product for key brands across multiple formats.
What we offer
Our staff are our greatest asset, and our benefits reflect this:
- 28 annual leave days per year, increases to 29 days after 2 years\’ service and goes up to 30 days after 5 years\’ (+ bank holidays)
- Private medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Generous pension schemes
- Rent deposit loans
- 2 community days per year
- Summer hours (finishing at 1pm on Fridays during the summer months)
- Retail discounts through Hachette rewards
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Eye care vouchers
- Wide-ranging training library
- Development programmes (including mentoring)
- Up to 70% off book purchases
- A charity bookshelf
- 12 Staff-led employee networks that are voluntary, including AgeWise, Gender Balance, Thrive, Pride, All Together, Wellbeing and religious networks
- Season ticket loans
- And much more!
Our commitment
The Book Trade Charity offers financial support to people looking to enter the book trade but who may struggle to afford the costs of attending interviews and undertaking junior roles. For more information visit www.booktradeentrysupport.org
Hachette employs people on the basis of their abilities. We aim to attract and develop talent from a base as broad as the world of readers we want to reach, with a wide and representative range of age, faith, disability, race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic, regional and cultural backgrounds. If you are shortlisted and need us to make any adjustments to help you attend for interview, please let us know.
Please state in your application that you found this role through Creative Access.
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Key account director - non-trade employer: Hachette UK
Contact Detail:
Hachette UK Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Key account director - non-trade
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the publishing industry, especially those who work at Hachette UK. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that might just land you that key account director role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its products. Knowing the ins and outs of their lifestyle and children's offerings will show you're genuinely interested and ready to contribute to their growth.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with the role. Highlight your commercial success and how you can drive new business opportunities in the non-trade market.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team at Hachette UK.
We think you need these skills to ace Key account director - non-trade
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Key Account Director role. Highlight your experience in sales, especially in illustrated or children's book publishing, and showcase any relevant achievements that align with our mission at Hachette UK.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should tell us why you're excited about this role and how you can contribute to our non-trade team. Be sure to mention specific skills or experiences that relate to managing key accounts and developing new business opportunities.
Showcase Your Market Knowledge: Demonstrate your understanding of consumer trends and the publishing process in your application. We want to see how you can leverage this knowledge to develop products for key brands across multiple formats.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This ensures your application gets to the right people and helps us keep track of all applicants. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hachette UK
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into Hachette UK's portfolio, especially their lifestyle and children's products. Familiarise yourself with their recent releases and market trends. This will not only show your enthusiasm but also help you discuss how you can contribute to their growth.
✨Showcase Your Sales Savvy
Prepare specific examples of your past successes in sales, particularly in the publishing industry or similar fields. Be ready to discuss how you've managed key accounts and developed new business opportunities. This will demonstrate your commercial focus and ability to drive growth.
✨Build Connections
Highlight your experience in building relationships with internal stakeholders. Discuss how you’ve collaborated with teams to optimise sales strategies. This is crucial for the role, so be prepared to share stories that illustrate your teamwork and relationship-building skills.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
At the end of the interview, have a few thoughtful questions ready about the company's future projects or their approach to non-trade sales. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you gauge if the company aligns with your career goals.
