UK Sales Director, HQ, Mills & Boon, Pavilion, Avon

HarperCollins; London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the publishing industry is seeking a UK Sales Director to drive sales and manage a dynamic team across multiple key divisions. This pivotal role includes developing sales strategies to enhance UK market presence and encompasses considerable relationship building with industry stakeholders. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in the book market and have a solid track record in sales management. Enjoy competitive benefits including 28 days holiday, private healthcare, and hybrid working.

Benefits

28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity, and adoption leave

Private healthcare cover and life assurance

Unlimited training and development opportunities

Virtual GP and eyecare vouchers

Charitable donation matching and 2 volunteering days

Qualifications

• Depth understanding of the UK adult book market.
• Experience developing business strategies and successful implementation.
• Confidence in own abilities; inspires trust and confidence in others.

Responsibilities

• Oversee sales teams and strategies for divisions like HQ, Mills & Boon, and Avon.
• Manage and lead the divisional sales team to meet profit targets.
• Establish relationships with key stakeholders and provide market intelligence.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Proactive and forward-thinking

Solid experience of managing, motivating and directing others

Track record of experience of working with multiple stakeholders

Excellent influencing skills

Job description

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UK Sales Director, HQ, Mills & Boon, Pavilion, Avon, London

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Client:

HarperCollins

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

5cab67cc00e2

Job Views:

7

Posted:

22.06.2025

Expiry Date:

06.08.2025

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Job Description:

Employment Type: Full time

Location: Hybrid · London, UK

Seniority: Senior

Closing: 11:55pm, 29th Aug 2024 BST

Job Description

With a heritage stretching back nearly 200 years, HarperCollins is one of the world’s foremost English-language publishers, offering the best-quality content across the spectrum, from enduring classics to cutting-edge contemporary fiction; from digital dictionaries to online curricula; and pretty much everything in between.

This brand-new role will oversee the sales teams and strategies for some of HarperCollins’ most exciting commercial publishing:

Specialising in commercial fiction, non-fiction and innovative digital publishing, HQ is a young, ambitious, and award-winning imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, publishing debuts and key brands and Sunday Times Bestsellers such as Sarah Morgan, Adele Parks, Colleen Hoover, June Sarpong, Caroline Hirons and Davina McCall.

Established in 2007, Avon is a commercial fiction division of HarperCollins and publishes predominantly crime, thrillers, suspense, feel-good general fiction, and historical fiction, including C.L. Taylor, J.M. Hall, Sue Moorcroft and Esha Patel.

Pavilion Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers specialising in illustrated non-fiction. The enviable roster of high-profile authors on the list includes MOB Kitchen founder Ben Lebus; Italian chef and TV personality Gennaro Contaldo and Sunday Sessions YouTuber Big Has.

And finally, sweeping women off their feet for over 100 years, Mills & Boon is the UK’s #1 publisher of romantic fiction.

The successful candidate will be accountable and responsible for driving the divisional sales across the UK trade channel, reporting to the Sales Strategy Director, and working closely with the Group Sales Director and Commercial Director to hit the sales and profit targets for each budget year. This role is responsible for the Divisional Sales Team and works alongside the International Head of Sales and Digital Sales team, ensuring sales strategies are closely aligned and coordinated in partnership with the marketing, PR, publishing, and other key divisional stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Work with the Sales Strategy Director, Group Sales Director and Commercial Director to set and deliver the short-term and long-term UK Print and Digital sales strategies for the divisions

Manage, lead and develop the HQ , Mills & Boon, Pavillion and Avon Key Accounts Team

Delivery of the UK divisional sales and profit targets

Maintaining excellent UK industry relationships and networks

The role will also be required to work closely with the digital team, as well as establish strong working relationships with the international, Irish and sales development teams

Work with the Retail Director in providing market intelligence to help the division make appropriate acquisition decisions

Provide the division with immediate market feedback to help them make the most of the titles in the market

Work closely with Marketing, Publicity, Editorial and other in-house departments

Attend internal meetings and chair meetings as required

Manage the stock and print program, work closely with the division attend jacket and schedule meetings

Take responsibility for managing the retail spend budget for each year

Skills and Experience

In Depth understanding of the UK adult book market

Excellent communication skills – both verbal and written

Proactive and forward-thinking – making the most of every situation and ability to implement change if required

Track record of experience of working with multiple stakeholders, internally and externally

Established and advanced relationships at a senior level in retail

Solid experience of managing, motivating and directing others

Proven experience of developing business strategies and successful implementation

Excellent influencing skills along with the ability to build relationships, even in challenging situations

An individual with confidence in their own abilities, and who inspires trust and confidence in others

Genuinely enthusiastic about the list and able to generate enthusiasm in others

Hybrid working model (3 days in the office)

28 days holiday plus bank holidays (option to buy and sell holiday days)

Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave

Private healthcare cover and life assurance

Summer Hours

Free access to HeadSpace, employee assistance programme (24 hour helpline), mental health first aiders, and a wellbeing portal

Season ticket loans (from day 1 for entry level) and cycle to work scheme

Relocation Rent Support Loan

Employee networks: HC All In (open forum), Elevate (for ethnic minority colleagues), HarperParents, Menopause at Work, Pride at HC, Social Mobility Network and Neurodiversity at Work

Unlimited training on our Learning and Development portal, management courses (up to MA level) and mentoring programmes

Virtual GP and eyecare vouchers

Onsite physiotherapy (London only)

Charitable donation matching and 2 volunteering days

Green Electric/Hybrid Car Benefit Scheme (salary sacrifice)

With Trees for Life we plant a tree in the Highlands of Scotland for every permanent hire

Free e-books and audiobooks, digital newspaper subscriptions and discounts on books