Global Sales Manager - Penguin Press (7-month FTC)

Penguin Books Ltd.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Penguin Press is seeking a Global Sales Manager to cover a parental leave FTC from December 2026 to July 2027. You will combine hands-on account management with strategic global product leadership across the UK and international markets.

You’ll build strong relationships with buyers and booksellers, support cross-functional teams, and help maximise the reach of our list worldwide. The role reports to the Sales Director and requires a proactive, commercially minded leader.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of the book market and publishing landscape.
• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with retailers and buyers.
• Strong communication and influencing skills to promote titles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the account management of our fiction portfolio with Waterstones.
• Oversee the full Penguin Press list across Waterstones-owned brands, including Foyles, Blackwell's and Hatchards.
• Build and maintain relationships with buyers and booksellers across key retail partners.
• Act as the primary contact for the Independents Publishing Liaison Manager and brief the field sales team.

Skills

Book market knowledge

Relationship building

Influencing & communication

Commercial awareness

Opportunity identification

Proactive & solutions-focused

Job description

Global Sales Manager - Penguin Press (7-month FTC)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Global Sales Manager to join the Penguin Press Sales team to cover a period of parental leave starting December 2026 through to July 2027.

About Penguin Press

Penguin Press is the home of Allen Lane non-fiction, Penguin Classics, Pelican & Particular books. Publishing authors such as Michael Lewis, James Rebanks and Naomi Klein, whilst Penguin Modern Classics, Black Spine classics and Clothbound Classics host the literary canon and the best contemporary classics. Penguin International Writers host contemporary talent in translation.

Penguin Press hosts the Allen Lane imprint named after Penguin’s founder and is the standard bearer for the quality of publishing he sought to deliver whilst also bringing new writers and ideas to readers.

Role Summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join a collaborative and passionate sales team at the heart of one of publishing's most respected divisions. As Global Sales Manager, you will play a key role in driving the success of Penguin Press titles across both the UK and international markets. Combining hands‑on account management with strategic global product leadership, you will build strong relationships with key retail partners, connect colleagues across multiple departments, and help maximise the reach and impact of our list worldwide.

The successful candidate will report into the Sales Director and deputise in their absence with responsibilities such as print fixing, budgeting and reporting.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the account management of our fiction portfolio with Waterstones.


• Oversee the full Penguin Press list across Waterstones-owned brands, including Foyles, Blackwell's and Hatchards.


• Build and maintain strong relationships with buyers and booksellers across key retail partners, providing feedback to your sales colleagues and the publishing division.


• Act as the primary contact for the Independents Publishing Liaison Manager, briefing them and the wider field sales team on Penguin Press titles.

International Sales:

Serve as the Product Lead for Penguin Press within the International Sales function. Acting as the strategic link between Penguin Press and International Sales teams.

Work closely with editorial, marketing and publicity colleagues to identify and maximise key commercial opportunities.

Ensure International Sales teams have the knowledge, tools and support required to successfully sell Penguin Press titles globally.

What you’ll bring

• Excellent knowledge of the book market, with a genuine passion for literature and publishing.


• The ability to champion and communicate the value of market-leading titles to a range of audiences.


• Strong influencing and communication skills, with the ability to inspire colleagues and customers.


• A proactive and solutions-focused approach, with the confidence to identify opportunities and drive results.


• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to translate market insights into sales opportunities.


• Proven relationship‑building skills, with the ability to develop and maintain effective partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.

Use of AI tools

Here at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity. When you apply for a position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice. Throughout our recruitment process, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills. This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to our team. We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself! While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses reflect you.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt‑in on their application form. The essential criteria for this role are listed as part of the ‘What you’ll bring’ section. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview.

We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing [e-mail]. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable with, for us to support your request.

While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you will work from our office in London 2-3 days a week as required.

Circa £53,000dependent on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits.

Application deadline: 11:59pm on Sunday 11th October

Additional Information

Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data:

Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated. The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG.

The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process. You can find these here .

You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address.

Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here .