Job Title: Special Sales Assistant
Department: UK Sales
Contract: Full-time, 6 months fixed term

Are you a proactive, detail-oriented individual with a passion for books and a talent for organization? This is an exciting opportunity to join our UK Special Sales team during a period of growth. You will play a vital role in the team that brings Pan Macmillan’s incredible list (including beloved children’s classics and global adult bestsellers) to a wide range of non-traditional retailers.

Your team:
The UK Special Sales team manage the distribution of Pan Macmillan’s titles to non-traditional retailers and wholesalers. We work across the entire list, from children’s picture books to adult fiction, to identify and secure sales opportunities outside of the high street.

Your role will support the Special Sales Managers and the wider UK sales team on all aspects of the special sales accounts. You’ll need excellent attention to detail and be a proactive self-starter who loves a challenge as well as variety in their work. It is a dynamic and fun environment and no two days are the same. Some of the accounts looked after by this team include Aldi, The Works, Book Trust, Costco, TK Maxx, discount wholesale as well as subscription boxes.

Your role:
As the Special Sales Assistant, you will provide the operational coordination necessary for the department to function effectively. You will be responsible for the administrative systems that allow the team to meet sales targets and maintain retail partnerships. This role is collaborative and involves working with several internal teams such as our distribution centre, Editorial, Production, Royalties and Operations to ensure the smooth delivery of sales projects.

Your key responsibilities:

• Sales support: Assist with customer spreadsheets, presentations, meeting preparation, and the creation of promotional materials.

• Financial coordination: Manage the master sales spreadsheet, track invoices, and check royalty rates for special deals in coordination with the contracts team.

• Account and order setup: Set up new customer accounts, create unique product codes, raise print orders, and manage the invoicing process.

• Customer service and communication: Respond to general sales queries, manage one-off orders for events, and fulfill customer requests for images or product information.

• Data and reporting: Use market-tracking tools to extract sales figures and identify trends to support account management.

• Office administration: Manage team logistics such as booking rooms and transport, coordinating mailings for samples, and improving office efficiencies.

Essential experience, abilities, knowledge and values you’ll need to succeed:

• Administrative excellence: Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage a varied workflow, and maintain high standards of accuracy.

• Data and financial proficiency: Ability to manage complex spreadsheets, track invoices, and understand financial data to ensure accurate reporting.

• Clear and effective communication: Excellent written and spoken communication skills, with the ability to share information reliably and professionally with internal teams and external customers.

• Solution oriented: A proactive approach to problem-solving and the ability to adapt to changing needs while maintaining attention to detail.

• Software and tools: High proficiency in Google Workspace (Sheets, Docs, Slides) or Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). You must have a proven ability to manage data and create presentations using these tools, alongside experience using Biblio or an equivalent system to manage information.

• Industry knowledge: Demonstrable knowledge and interest in the book market across both Children’s and Adult trade, with a specific interest in Pan Macmillan’s lists and a curiosity about how different retail environments connect stories with readers.

• Inclusion and representation: An active dedication to promoting diverse voices and inclusive practices, taking personal responsibility for ensuring that our workplace and publishing reflect the communities we serve.

• Community: A collaborative approach to building a supportive and vibrant environment.

• Curiosity: A strong drive for learning and a readiness to embrace different perspectives.

• Integrity: A foundation of openness and honesty, taking responsibility for actions and learning from mistakes.

Desirable skills we’d love you to have:

• Sector experience: Previous experience in an administrative or sales support role, particularly within a publishing environment.

• Customer focus: A commitment to prioritizing customer needs and ensuring a high quality of service.

• Process improvement: An interest in identifying ways to make workflows more effective and efficient.

What you’ll get in return:
In return we can offer you a range of great projects, a supportive and collaborative working environment as well as a competitive salary and benefits package.

Salary: £27,500

Closing date: 23rd March 2026

Some of the benefits we offer:

• 28 days’ annual leave (pro-rated for the contract duration) + bank holidays

• Health cash plan

• Group income protection scheme

• Flexible working hours and summer hours (early finish on a Friday during summer months)

• 2 Volunteer Days per year

• 75% off all Pan Macmillan books and regular staff book sales (highly reduced rates)

• Season ticket loan/advance

• Discounts on shopping and gym memberships; Christmas club savings

• Daily free breakfast and monthly company lunch

This is a full time, six month fixed term role, and will be based in our offices in Farringdon, London, with some flexibility to work from home each week.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate the right to live and work in the UK in order to be considered for this role.

At Pan Macmillan, we are committed to publishing a wide range of voices that reflect the full breadth of the communities we serve. Joining us means playing an active role in bringing our titles to life as part of a team that champions inclusion at every level. We are dedicated to building a workplace that is as diverse and welcoming as the stories we tell, ensuring all perspectives are celebrated across everything we do.

We are highly committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at every level of our organisation. We welcome applications from all individuals, including any age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. Our efforts to promote DEI are ongoing, and we continually strive to learn and improve our policies and practices. You can read our full Diversity & Inclusion Pledge here:https://www.panmacmillan.com/about/diversity-and-inclusion

We want to ensure that all candidates are supported throughout the recruitment process, if you have any reasonable adjustments or accessibility requirements please contact Kayelle Danyluk (Head of Talent Acquisition) at kayelle.danyluk@macmillan.com

Please note that all personal information which we process in connection with your application will be treated in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice available here: https://panmacmillan.com/recruitment-privacy-notice. Please read our Recruitment Privacy Notice before submitting your application.