Introduction to the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the successful International Sales Team at HarperCollins, working across the HQ, Pavilion, 4th Estate and William Collins imprints.

The Sales Executive role will involve supporting the Heads of International Sales and managing accounts directly.  It will require an extremely high level of organisation, communication and attention to detail. It requires an ability to swiftly learn new systems and confident use of Microsoft Office applications. The successful applicant will exhibit outstanding relationship management and be able to problem-solve.

We’re looking for a personable, bright individual who can learn quickly and use their own initiative. The candidate will ideally have some experience in a client-facing role with excellent interpersonal skills.  The candidate must be able to think creatively and take immediate responsibility for/ownership of specific projects and customer relationships.

As well as being heavily customer-facing, the role will sit across some of the most exciting, bestselling authors and brands in the market, so a love of reading and talking about books is essential.

Core Responsibilities

• Provide exceptional administrative support across international territories, including but not limited to:

  • Collating numbers for print runs and managing print meeting process

  • Collating numbers for proofs and samples and supplying when necessary

  • Creating internal and external PowerPoint presentations

  • Generating order forms

  • Managing meeting schedules for Heads of International Sales and wider team

  • Minuting meetings and circulating actions in a timely manner

  • Managing and maintaining database of sales and marketing assets

  • Creating sales reports

• Manage relationships with key export partners, ensuring all communication is prompt and professional

• Take ownership of the administrative management of the Indian and South African markets

• Resolve internal and external queries quickly and efficiently, liaising with customers and credit services when required

• Promote and sell HarperCollins’ titles, always looking for new ways to reach more readers

• Represent International Sales at internal and external meetings

• Liaise effectively with other divisional teams and departments including Production, Marketing, PR, Editorial, Finance, Inventory etc.

Experience required

• Sales, administration, account management or customer service experience

• Microsoft Office – intermediate to advanced capability for Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel and Word

• Knowledge of and a keen interest in books

Skills required 

• Must have excellent attention to detail

• Exceptional customer service and communication skills

• Confidence with learning new systems and processes

• Organisation – the ability to prioritise and manage workload effectively

• Proactiveness – use initiative and problem-solve

• Professional, reliable, able to work quickly under pressure

  Benefits

• Hybrid working model (3 days in the office)

• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays (option to buy and sell holiday days) 

• Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave 

• Private healthcare cover and life assurance 

• Summer Hours  

• Free access to HeadSpace, employee assistance programme (24 hour helpline), mental health first aiders, and a wellbeing portal 

• Season ticket loans (from day 1 for entry level) and cycle to work scheme 

• Relocation Rent Support Loan  

• Employee networks: HC All In (open forum), Elevate (for ethnic minority colleagues), HarperParents, Menopause at Work, Pride at HC, Social Mobility Network and Neurodiversity at Work

• Unlimited training on our Learning and Development portal, management courses (up to MA level) and mentoring programmes 

• Virtual GP and eyecare vouchers 

• Gym membership discount 

• Onsite physiotherapy (London only) 

• Charitable donation matching and 2 volunteering days 

• We're a certified Carbon Neutral company

• Green Electric/Hybrid Car Benefit Scheme (salary sacrifice)

• With Trees for Life we plant a tree in the Highlands of Scotland for every permanent hire

• Free e-books and audiobooks, digital newspaper subscriptions and discounts on books 

• Subsidised canteen and retail discounts 

• Onsite prayer room 

• 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 internships or entry level positions. For more information visit  https://www.btbs.org/

• If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to stephanie.jemmett@harpercollins.co.uk with subject heading ‘Vacancy Query’ plus the job title and we will aim to get back to you within 5 working days.

• Please note, if you are interested in the role you would need to submit your application via Applied. We do not accept email applications.