Director, Independent Bookstore Sales (NYC Hybrid)

Overview

HarperCollins Publishers is seeking a strategic, commercially minded, and collaborative Director, Independent Bookstore Sales to help lead and grow our Independent Bookstore business across both Adult and Children’s publishing.

 

Reporting to the VP, Independent Sales & Wholesale, the Director will lead a team of eight field sales representatives and play a key role in developing and executing sales strategy for the Independent Bookstore channel. This individual will combine strong knowledge of the independent bookselling landscape with data-driven decision-making, exceptional people leadership, and the ability to translate publishing priorities into effective marketplace strategies.

 

The ideal candidate is an experienced sales leader who can move comfortably between high-level channel strategy and title-level execution, develop a high-performing field sales organization, identify opportunities for growth, and serve as a strong advocate for independent bookstores across HarperCollins.

Responsibilities

Independent Bookstore Strategy & Growth

• Partner with the VP, Independent Sales & Wholesale to develop and execute strategies that drive revenue growth, market share, and distribution across the Independent Bookstore channel.
• Identify opportunities to expand business with existing accounts, develop new accounts, and strengthen HarperCollins’ position within the independent bookselling community.
• Use sales performance, POS, market trends, account-level data, and competitive insights to identify opportunities and inform channel strategy.
• Translate Adult and Children’s publishing priorities into effective Independent Bookstore sales strategies, ensuring appropriate focus and execution across the field organization.
• Contribute to seasonal sales planning, forecasting, inventory planning, promotional strategy, and other key commercial decisions affecting the channel.
• Develop and oversee Independent Bookstore programs, promotional opportunities, terms, and seasonal initiatives designed to support booksellers and drive profitable growth.
• Represent the Independent Bookstore channel in cross-functional discussions and advocate for its opportunities, priorities, and marketplace needs.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the evolving independent bookstore landscape, including emerging accounts, regional trends, competitive activity, and changes in bookseller needs and buying behavior.

Field Sales Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of eight field sales representatives, establishing clear goals, priorities, and expectations for performance.
• Build a high-performing, collaborative sales culture focused on accountability, communication, commercial thinking, and exceptional account service.
• Provide ongoing coaching on account strategy, title selling, territory management, opportunity identification, and business development.
• Establish consistent sales priorities and ensure field representatives understand and effectively execute HarperCollins’ seasonal, title, and channel strategies.
• Evaluate territory and account performance and work with representatives to identify opportunities for growth and address areas of underperformance.
• Partner closely with the Inside Sales Manager to ensure a coordinated approach to account development, new account opportunities, and coverage across the Independent Bookstore channel.
• Ensure the field organization is equipped with timely information, inventory insights, selling tools, and marketplace intelligence necessary to maximize sales.
• Support the team in navigating complex account situations and serve as a senior point of escalation when appropriate.

Publishing & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Build strong relationships with Adult and Children’s publishing teams, Retail Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and other internal partners to align Independent Bookstore sales strategies with broader publishing objectives.
• Provide publishing teams and senior sales leadership with a clear perspective on Independent Bookstore trends, opportunities, challenges, and title performance.
• Partner with publishing and marketing teams to identify titles and authors with particular opportunity in the Independent Bookstore channel and develop strategies to maximize their potential.
• Develop and deliver compelling presentations on seasonal lists, key titles, channel performance, and marketplace opportunities for internal and external audiences.
• Represent HarperCollins and the Independent Sales organization at industry events, conferences, sales meetings, and account visits.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive sales, publishing, bookselling, or related experience, with significant knowledge of the Independent Bookstore channel strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and developing sales professionals.
• Strong commercial judgment and demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategies that drive sales growth.
• Deep understanding of bookselling, title positioning, account management, and the factors that influence performance in the Independent Bookstore marketplace.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales, POS, inventory, and market data and translate findings into clear business actions.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate effectively across functions and organizational levels.
• Ability to manage a high volume of competing priorities while maintaining responsiveness, sound judgment, and attention to detail.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven publishing environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; experience with business intelligence tools such as Power BI preferred.

Preferred Attributes

• Established relationships and credibility within the independent bookstore community.
• Passion for books, authors, booksellers, and the role independent bookstores play in the publishing ecosystem.
• Strong people leader who combines clear expectations and accountability with coaching and development.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented approach and willingness to challenge existing ways of working when opportunities for improvement exist.
• Strong public-speaking skills and comfort representing HarperCollins with booksellers, industry organizations, and internal leadership.
• Curious and innovative thinker with a strong understanding of changing consumer, retail, and bookselling trends.

Additional Information

• Hybrid work schedule requiring three days per week in the New York City office.
• Travel required for account visits, industry events, conferences, and sales meetings.

HarperCollins Publishers is a company full of people who are passionate about books.  When you apply for a position, we want to know why you want to work here, and why you are interested in the job. That’s why cover letters are strongly preferred.

  

The salary range for this position is $125,000-$150,000. We recognize that attracting the best talent is key to our strategy and success as a company. As a result, we aim for flexibility in structuring competitive compensation offers to ensure we are able to attract the best candidates. The quoted salary range represents our good faith estimate as to what our ideal candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on the selected candidate's experience, industry knowledge, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the interview process.  

 

In addition to cash compensation, the company provides a comprehensive and highly competitive benefits package, with a variety of physical health, retirement and savings, caregiving, emotional wellbeing, transportation, and other benefits, including "elective" benefits employees may select to best fit the needs and personal situations of our diverse workforce.     

  

HarperCollins Publishers is an equal opportunity employer.

 

HarperCollins Publishers is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities, in our job application and/or interview process. If you need assistance or accommodation in completing your application, due to a disability, email us at [email protected]. Note: we will only respond to accommodation requests.