Sales and Marketing Director

Sales and Marketing Director

The Sales and Marketing Director is a member of the leadership team at Free Spirit Publishing. In addition to playing an important role in strategic planning, the position also develops, oversees, and directs all programs and activities in sales to resellers, direct sales to consumers, advertising, social media, website presence, direct mail, publicity, and exhibits. With oversight and responsibility for the department’s marketing and sales budget, the Sales and Marketing Director provides leadership for a talented team including a publicist, a senior marketing specialist, a trade sales account manager, and a sales and marketing assistant. The position works closely with acquisitions, editorial, and creative departments to advise on all aspects of our publishing program.

Free Spirit is guided by our core values of excellence, respect, integrity, and creativity. We are committed to providing employees with the tools, knowledge, and environment that leads to success.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage individual book campaigns and overall company branding efforts, including direct to consumer and trade outreach.
• Develop strategic plan for ongoing marketing of Free Spirit’s backlist to meet societal and cultural needs and trends.
• Oversee annual sales and marketing budget; report on sales performance, industry trends, and feedback from accounts.
• Prepare regular business reviews and reports to senior management against revenue targets and identify overall progress, gaps, and strategies to accelerate growth.
• Maximize performance of distribution and sales partners, wholesalers, and retailers; includes travel as necessary. (Research, identify, and qualify potential customers while building and maintaining the sales pipeline opportunities and activities within the education market.)
• Identify, assess, and manage marketing efforts for Free Spirit publications. Conduct research and analysis to develop direct mail strategies. Oversee content and scheduling of seasonal catalogs, Edelweiss account, and website. Manage data and metadata for titles.
• Support and supervise sales and marketing staff.
• Participate in strategy meetings; attend product launch meetings and other company meetings involving the sales and marketing of Free Spirit resources.
• Stay current on social and emotional learning, education, and publishing industry trends and topics to ensure go-to-market strategies and terms are useful and timely.

Required Qualifications

• Desire to work for a mission-driven, independently owned company and demonstrated understanding of the importance of social and emotional learning and the benefit our books bring to people’s lives.
• A bachelor’s degree and ten-plus years of relevant professional work experience. Experience in educational sales and marketing preferred.

• Demonstrated success in developing effective sales and marketing programs.
• Excellent communication skills in both writing and speaking.
• Ability to make data-driven decisions with experience reading sales reports, spotting patterns and trends, and directing social media and other digital tools based on data.
• Experience motivating and leading teams in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to manage multiple deadline-driven projects simultaneously.

• Ability to understand diverse perspectives and acknowledge the significance of differences and complexities in background, cultures, values, and viewpoints as the foundation for an inclusive environment.

This position will be based at our office in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Remote candidates will not be considered; relocation assistance can be provided for a qualified candidate. Free Spirit follows all EEOC hiring and employment regulations and encourages all qualified candidates to apply.

Send resume, cover letter, and salary requirements to humanresources@freespirit.com.