Simon & Schuster's Independent Sales Team is looking for a Field Account Manager in New England
Simon & Schuster is looking for a Field Account Manager on the Independent Bookstore Team based in the Boston area to sell our complete list—Wholly-Owned Children’s, Adult, Audio, and Distributed Client titles—to an account base of 40+ independent bookstores in New England (CT, MA, NH, ME, RI and VT).
The position is your accounts’ primary point of contact with Simon & Schuster. You will establish strong relationships with your accounts, provide open and timely communication, and use all your knowledge of your customers and our titles to maximize sales frontlist and backlist sales. You’ll collaborate closely with sales and publishing colleagues and maintain ongoing communications between them and your accounts regarding popular titles, backlist opportunities, and market trends. This position reports to the Director of Independent Sales, East.
Responsibilities include:
- In-person seasonal sales calls, as well as frequent, regular in-person visits to stores to connect with buyers, events managers, and frontline booksellers
- Attend Regional Trade Shows and participate in in-person Rep Nights at bookstores
- Collaborate with marketing and publicity to help determine tour stops and promotional opportunities.
- Work with accounts to maximize promotional placement in-store and online
- Maximize backlist exposure through inventory reviews as well as seasonal, thematic, and regional opportunities
- Build strong relationships with accounts
- Support entry of non-electronically submitted orders (including seasonal, backlist, event, B2B)
- Handle account inquiries (including publicity contacts, stock checks, events orders, and tracking) and provide support to ensure customer satisfaction
- Actively participate in seasonal sales conferences and weekly team calls, as well as share feedback to sales management and publishers about activities and opportunities in the territory
- Provide in-person author care, including attending events, providing support for drop-by signings, attending pre-publication dinners and Simon & Schuster Selects events
Qualifications:
- Minimum 5 years sales experience in a mid-size or large publishing company, or equivalent experience
- Must be based in the Boston area
- Strong understanding of the publishing industry, including market trends, key players, and distribution channels
- Strong ability to persuade and negotiate, with a focus on building relationships with accounts
- Capability to assess market data and sales metrics to identify opportunities for growth
- Efficiency in prioritizing tasks to meet deadlines and handle multiple accounts
- Excellent verbal and written communication for presenting books and effectively conveying information.
- Independent bookstore experience a plus
- Edelweiss savvy
- Avid, passionate reader
- Flexible, self-starter, attention to detail