This role presents an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, well-organised and confident communicator with excellent time-management skills and attention to detail to work within our fast-moving UK Sales department.
Sales Assistants perform a key support role within the wider UK Sales team working across all Bloomsbury Consumer and Special Interest titles. The role will include assisting on the day-to-day administration and operations of the team and our customers. This particular appointment will support one specific area of publishing in the main i.e. Special Interest and our Field Sales Team.
The role will report in to the UK Sales Director, Special Interest and will be working closely with the whole of the UK sales team and with Special Interest Marketing, Publicity and Editorial to support them. Based in our Oxford office this will be a hybrid-working position.
This is a superb opportunity to join a high performing UK Sales team of a top 5 UK publisher and to work in a vibrant and successful publishing sales environment.
The role
- Processing customer, author and event orders and standing orders each month
- Liaising with distributor and other suppliers to ensure customer satisfaction, following up on delayed deliveries, shortages or other customer queries.
- Arrange invoicing and direct deliveries for custom publishing projects and regular orders and ensuring deliveries meet customers’ expectations.
- Ordering and managing the sending out of book and game samples, proofs, spinners, display racks, catalogues and other promotional material.
- Checking cover proofs and templates for Osprey books, games and Shire titles.
- Managing stock levels for key selling titles to anticipate stock requirements for key customers.
- Ordering of stock for office use, conferences, fairs, or other events.
- Utilising internal and external systems to generate sales reports, including setting up and circulating daily, weekly and monthly sales trackers as well as ad hoc sales figures requests.
- Updating internal systems, including Biblio, Sales Force and Adestra to ensure information, including customer contact details, is correct, up to date and compliant with GDPR regulations.
- Creating and circulating order forms each month for various Special Interest lists.
- Compiling and circulating monthly newsletters and updating mailing lists.
- Providing admin support to the Special Interest Sales Director and Bloomsbury Sales team, including Area Sales Managers, when required, and running reports for publishers and M&P departments.
- Compiling both print and electronic versions of the AI packs and any other sales material required by Area Sales Managers, agents or in-house sales staff.
- Producing promotional sales sheets for use by Area Sales Managers and other Sales staff using Adobe software.
- Preparing and circulating materials and managing meeting invites for the quarterly Launch and Review Meetings and Sales Conferences.
- Coordinating dates for sales meetings and arranging accommodation and travel for Area Sales Managers.
- Staying up to date with events and publicity schedule to ensure stock is ordered and received on time where appropriate.
- Looking after a selected number of gaming customer customers.
Knowledge, skills and experience
- Excellent communicator who is confident with dealing with people at all levels, particularly on the phone and over email/video.
- Strong numerical skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent attention to detail and focus on efficiency at all times.
- Excellent time management, prioritisation and organisational skills, with a close eye for detail and keen awareness of deadlines.
- Experience of multi-tasking and prioritising a busy work-load with competing demands on your time.
- Strong IT skills, particularly Microsoft Excel skills track record of working with Word, PowerPoint and Teams.
- Proficient with systems such as Biblio, Nielsen, Cognos and Vista would be helpful.
- Some knowledge/experience of Abode software, mainly InDesign and Acrobat would be helpful.
- A self-motivated approach and the ability to work well both individually and as part of a team.
- Ability to adapt to daily changing tasks.
- Experience in publishing or book trade environment helpful.
Additional information
The role is a full-time permanent position with a salary of £22,000
The role is based at our Oxford office, Kemp House, Chawley Park, Cumnor Hill, Oxford OX2 9PH on a hybrid working pattern of 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred). Allocated office days for this role are: Wednesday and Thursday
Please apply with a CV and covering letter addressed to Human Resources (Word or PDF format only) via the ‘APPLY NOW’ button detailing how you meet the requirements outlined above for this role by Friday 16th September 2022.
Bloomsbury reserve the right to close the role early if we exceed the required number of applications
Bloomsbury Benefits
As well as a fantastic opportunity to join a global award-winning organisation, Bloomsbury offers the following competitive benefits package:
Holidays
- 25 days holiday
- 3.5 days Christmas company holiday
- 2 Personal Wellness Days
Other Benefits:
Flexible Fridays – take Friday afternoon off by working an additional 3 hours and 45 minutes earlier in the week
Season Ticket Loan
Sharesave Scheme
In-house Doctor
Eyecare Voucher Scheme
That Day – access to complementary wellness workshops
Company culture! – Employee Voice Meetings, Staff Networks (BAME, Disability, Mental Health, LGBTQ+ and Parents, Guardians and Carers), 12 Mental Health First Aiders trained across the UK offices, Publishing Events and access to free Publishing Resources
For additional benefits see below
Bloomsbury is a place where anyone of any background, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender identity, age, ability, or socio-economic status can thrive, feel comfortable, and be heard and accepted. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.
We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please flag to the recruitment team if required
Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.
The Company
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Bloomsbury Publishing is a leading independent publishing house, established in 1986, with authors who have won the Nobel, Pulitzer and Booker Prizes, and is the originating publisher and custodian of the Harry Potter series. Bloomsbury has offices in London, New York, New Delhi, Oxford and Sydney. Within Bloomsbury’s Academic division, it publishes under Bloomsbury, as well as under a number of prestigious and historic imprint names. Read Our Story for how it all began.
Bloomsbury is committed to creating a working environment that stimulates creativity and collaboration, is respectful of difference, is inclusive and ethical in its practice, and promotes well-being. We are determined to nurture and develop our employees to reach their highest potential, and we know that our success is down to the passion, commitment and hard work of our talented people. We recognise the urgent need to attract and support applicants from all backgrounds and identities to become part of the global publishing industry, allowing diverse voices to reflect and shape our culture and society.
Please read more on our Missions and Values here.
Please read our environmental policy here.
