College Sales Representative

“Books are the weapons in the battle of ideas.” These were the words of William Warder Norton, who 90 years ago launched the firm that bears his name. Today, the three-person company he once ran from his living room has become the oldest and largest publishing house owned entirely by its employees.

Sales representatives at W. W. Norton meet with college and university professors to promote textbooks and electronic course materials. In this position, representatives are intellectually engaged in a wide range of disciplines—from anthropology and English to music and biology. Because representatives visit different campuses and departments almost every day, there’s a great deal of variety. While reps may meet one-on-one with faculty on some days, on other days they’re hosting presentations, lunches, workshops, or book fairs. Publishing reps at W. W. Norton are constantly learning something new and regularly challenged to put that knowledge to the test.

* Develop and maintain relationships with academic faculty to assess individual and departmental needs * Promote Norton’s college titles to current and prospective book adopters * Promote digital media and resources that work in conjunction with our books * Report on and track sales opportunities within a territory * Win book adoptions and provide exemplary support and service to adopters * Grow territory revenue * Travel to campuses within a territory daily for visits, presentations, and book fairs * Work with college bookstores to ensure book sell-through and fulfillment * Participate in sales meetings and training to enhance book and digital media knowledge * Collaborate with manager and discipline specialists on and off campus to provide solutions for faculty **Development:** * Since an essential aspect of this position is devising distinctive strategies for securing business within a variety of disciplines and contexts, representatives become proficient problem-solvers. * Hosting presentations, book fairs, and lunches hones public-speaking, communication, and event-planning skills. * Being a W. W. Norton representative will sharpen analytical skills and improve the ability to prioritize. Managers take an active role in helping reps develop strengths and master the job. * Our mentorship program pairs each new representative with an experienced Norton sales representative who can offer guidance and encouragement. * Representatives learn to collaborate with a range of colleagues, all of whom are invested in our independent and employee-owned company. * Reps become increasingly outgoing and confident.

* Individuals wishing to apply for this position should be self-motivated, enthusiastic, adept at time management, independent, and persuasive. * Successful representatives love discussing their favorite books and enjoy continually learning. * Candidates should have a wide range of interests and be able to engage in thoughtful conversations about any number of topics in the liberal arts and sciences. * BA/BS degree required with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2. * A valid driver's license is also required. * The ability to travel overnight is essential for some territories.