Senior Associate, Inventory and Sales Operations

Job Summary: The New Press (TNP), an award-winning, independent not-for-profit book publisher, has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Associate, Inventory and Sales Operations to join its team. This position is responsible for all aspects of inventory management, from initial publication through the lifecycle of a title; sales reporting and analyses; and digital asset management for The New Press. It performs a critical role in overseeing the organization’s sales and inventory and liaising with TNP’s distributor, Ingram. The right candidate will be a curious, quick learner who is able to master the systems that keep the Press running, as well as someone who can skillfully manage people and practices to ensure workflows are running in a smooth and timely fashion.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Inventory:
• First print runs: conduct analysis and make recommendations; research and recommend pricing.
• Analyzes daily/weekly sales to ensure that stock levels meet demand; recommend reprint quantities
• Works with Finance to resolve sales and inventory discrepancies and reconcile inventory.
• Project manages the setting up of all TNP titles for print-on-demand by working with the Senior Production Director and the distributor’s printing arm. Prioritize titles for setup based on demand and production cost analyses; determine backlist list price changes where necessary for both the US and international markets
• Conduct annual remainder and hurts reviews with Publisher; oversee full cycle of sales of remainders and hurts to 3rd party accounts; liaise with warehouse on related work orders; review dispositions.
• Primary contact for The New Press to distributor to provide warehouse operations support.
• E-books: Primary contact for The New Press to distributor to address and resolve file distribution errors and file errors; ensure e-book metadata and file types are compliant with backend account requirements; recommend backlist titles for e-book conversion.
• Sales:
• Front list title sales goals and pricing: conduct analysis and work with Publisher and director of sales to set print laydown goals and pricing on seasonal basis.
• Generate weekly, quarterly, title and channel sales reports and analyses for Publisher and Sales Director.
• Generate weekly sales budget report for Publisher’s office.
• Initiate new sales reporting in response to sales trends and for special projects, with heavy reliance on ad-hoc reports. Oversee special and direct sales; providing quotes, processing payment, and generating invoices.
• Billings: review monthly distribution statements for accuracy.
• Meetings: attend weekly marketing and seasonal launch meetings, pre-sales and sales conferences, and trade shows as requested.
• Manage the onboarding of any new direct accounts or ebook distributors.
• Metadata and Databases:
• Metadata: primary contact with distributors for all TNP metadata: distribute forthcoming title metadata on seasonal basis; address and resolve metadata distribution errors with distributor.
• Construct internal metadata processes and workflows in response to evolving distributor requirements;
• Supervise all digital asset workflow and activities including the weekly ONIX flow of updated metadata from our title management system to our external partners

Job Requirements

• Qualifications:
• Candidates MUST meet the following qualifications in order to be considered for this role:
• A college degree and a minimum of two years in a similar position with similar responsibilities in inventory management in book publishing.
• Strong, current experience in at least one of the following: metadata, inventory or sales analyses, particularly with creating ad hoc reports.
• Basic knowledge of book manufacturing.
• Advanced Excel and data management skills
• Strong analytic skills.
• Basic knowledge of ONIX preferred
• Superb attention to detail and ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Excellent communication skills, including an ability to interact with other New Press employees across various departments, authors and external partners
• Strong interest in book publishing, must be a good team player who enjoys working collaboratively and across departments.
• Experience with Ingram online platforms (iQ, CoreSoruce, LSI, etc.) a plus