Sales Manager in London

Are you a publishing Sales Manager with experience overseeing and developing a field sales team and managing wholesaler accounts to drive commercial success? If you're looking for a varied leadership role within a collaborative environment, this 12 month contract could be the perfect opportunity to gain experience at a leading publisher of illustrated non-fiction. Part-time (4 days/week) or full-time is considered.

Our partner is a globally recognised publisher with a long-standing reputation for creating high-quality illustrated books for readers of all ages. Collaboration, creativity and customer focus sit at the heart of the business, making this an excellent opportunity to lead a successful sales team while working closely with colleagues across sales, marketing and publishing to support independent booksellers and key wholesale partners.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach and develop a team of three regional Field Sales Representatives, supporting their continued success across independent bookshops, local wholesale accounts, festivals, educational customers and selected non-traditional sales channels.
• Manage a Wholesale Key Account Manager, providing commercial support and maintaining oversight of an important wholesale customer to deliver sustainable sales growth.
• Work closely with Sales Operations, Marketing, PR and other cross-functional teams to coordinate sales materials, customer campaigns, reporting and commercial initiatives that support the field sales team and independent booksellers.
• Manage relationships with key industry partners, including the Booksellers Association, coordinating communications and ensuring relevant information and resources are shared effectively.
• Maintain bookseller-facing online resources, oversee publication information and represent the voice of independent booksellers internally while contributing to sales strategy, customer presentations and new business opportunities.

Experience and skills that will deliver success in this role:

• The right candidate is a commercially minded sales leader and skilled people manager with experience developing sales people of all levels to facilitate the building of strong customer relationships.
• Previous experience managing a consumer book sales team, ideally including both Field Sales Representatives and Wholesale or Key Account Managers.
• A proven track record of successfully coaching, developing and motivating sales professionals at different stages of their careers.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with experience analysing sales data, forecasts, budgets and performance to inform decision-making and identify growth opportunities.
• Experience working collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including Sales Operations, Marketing, PR and other business leads, to deliver shared commercial objectives.
• Excellent relationship-building, communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to influence a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to prioritise multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.

The opportunity:

This is an opportunity to take on a broad and influential leadership role where you'll have a genuine impact on both people and commercial performance. You'll lead an established team, work closely with colleagues across the business and play an important role in strengthening relationships with independent booksellers and key industry partners. It's an ideal position for an experienced sales leader who enjoys balancing strategic thinking with hands-on team development.

What’s on offer:

• Salary: Competitive salary + bonus (DOE)
• Working pattern: Part-time (4 days/week) or full-time / Hybrid (London office)
• Benefits: Excellent benefits + bonus
• Reports to: Head of Sales

Applications:

Click the button below. Alternatively, send your CV to Annika at annika@wonderfulideasproject.com. If applying via email, please use the following as the subject line: Sales Manager | JobID: ZR_372_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.

At Wonderful, we are dedicated to promoting diversity in all its forms. We are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable environment that promotes equal opportunities for wonderful people. We actively encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply and warmly welcome all individuals with exceptional abilities, irrespective of their background.