This is an excellent opportunity for an Account Manager to work in sales for HarperCollins Children’s books. The person will have the opportunity to sell the hottest brands in the world, beloved picture book authors and illustrators as well as bestselling children’s fiction.

The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering sales targets, through a high standard of account management, and effective development and implementation of company sales strategies for HarperCollins Children’s Books.

The account portfolio will have a dedicated list of customers across online, high street and supermarkets to create mutually beneficial relationships to ensure sales targets are met and exceeded. The Key Account Manager role is an integral part of the HarperCollins Children’s Books team selling into UK Trade Key Accounts and working in conjunction with account managers from across the HarperCollins sales team. The person will need to be able to work with colleagues across the business to ensure overall business goals are met, as well as demonstrate knowledge of the children’s book market, licensing and trends to ensure a market leading position.

Sales Responsibilities

• Deliver the UK sales and channel strategies for key UK accounts with the objective of driving profitable sales.

• Sell an exciting and vast portfolio of new and established authors across a spectrum of key genres; work on major brands and licences, developing sales strategies that effectively integrate with Group strategy.

• Manage retail budget, adding value and securing optimum promotional space across varied sales environments.

• Promote accounts with internal publishing teams and act as a spokesperson for those accounts internally, maintaining positive and constructive relationships with internal contacts such as publishing teams and business managers.

Customer

• Manage and negotiate the best possible sales terms, protecting HCP margins whilst maintaining positive relations and growth with key customers.

• Cultivate strong customer relationships and partnerships that deliver growth, maximising the opportunities offered to the business by the strategies pursued by customers on frontlist, backlist and bespoke or special product.

• Work with online customers to maximise the discoverability, profile and sales of HCCB titles on digital platforms.

• Assist the business’ position in any group terms negotiations for your customer base; work in day to day partnership with internal teams across Editorial, Marketing/PR and Production.

• Work closely with internal stakeholders to deliver all projects to a high standard and on time for customers.

Skills and Experience

• Experience of publishing account management

• Commercial knowledge or experience of the children’s market

• Knowledge or experience of online accounts

• Experience with e & audio book formats

• Experience of producing sales presentations, manipulating sales data into presentable formats & using Nielsen data essential

• Experience of working in a busy environment and balancing priorities

• Business knowledge or understanding such as margins, profits etc

• Excellent communicator with strong customer service ethic

• Strong organisation skills & ability to use own initiative

• Excellent attention to detail

• Knowledgeable on Excel, Word, PowerPoint

If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to our Senior Recruitment Manager at Kally.simmonds@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.