Content Sales Lead, Netherlands

Job Description:

The Company:

Here at Rakuten Kobo Inc., we offer a casual work environment and a group of friendly and talented individuals. Our employees rank us highly in terms of commitment to work/life balance. We realize that for our people to be innovative, creative, and passionate they need to feel supported and valued.

If you’re looking for a company that inspires passion, personal, and professional growth – join Kobo and come help us make reading lives better. 

The Role:

Rakuten Kobo Inc. is looking for a Content Sales Lead, Netherlands, Belgium and Nordic countries, to join our team of international booksellers.

The Content Sales team is comprised of bookselling experts spread across the globe who ensure that the right books are being surfaced to the right customer at the right time. The team is responsible for, amongst other tasks, tracking local performance of all content types, merchandising content across the Kobo eReaders, the Kobo website and Kobo Apps  for all products (e.g. Kobo Plus, our content subscription plans), working closely with publishers and partners in creating marketing campaigns, measuring results to inform the sales strategy in order to maximize sales, identifying and advocating for improvements to our eCommerce experience and subscriptions program, playing a key role in growing the eBook and Audiobook markets in Netherlands, Belgium and key Nordic countries.

Reporting to the Director, Content Sales and Merchandising, English language and Europe - the Content Sales Lead, Netherlands, Belgium and Nordic countries plays a vital role in helping the growth of the eBook and Audiobook market and in advocating for customer experience and product improvements to capture more content opportunities.

The Person: Passionate about books and reading, you are an obsessive reader and bookseller or online retail professional with a desire to grow in the fast-moving field of eBooks, Audiobooks, and content Subscriptions. You are familiar to the book industry and the ability to use that network for strong and actual messaging to users and readers. Your interest in data drives you to understand the insights in the eBook and Audiobook sales and you are able to take those insights and turn them into recommendations and decisions. Resourceful, innovative, forward thinking and process-oriented, you find ways to get things done even when it means adjusting your vision along the way, all the while developing healthy and productive cross-functional relationships in an international context.

As Content Sales Lead, you will be responsible for:

• Connecting Dutch, Belgian and Nordic countries’ customers with their next favourite eBook and Audiobook.
• Keeping abreast of the latest releases and upcoming titles in the markets, ensuring they find the right space within the store, keeping into considerations the differences amongst our platforms, the cultural discourse going on in these countries, and opportunities to leverage the entire catalogue of available eBooks and Audiobooks.
• Employing the full array of reporting tools to inform title placement and selection on site, apps, and marketing materials.
• Supporting the launch of new lines of business.
• Working with Publishers and Retail Partners to execute promotions and marketing campaigns.
• Together with other Content Sales Leads, collaborating with Kobo’s Marketing, Brand & PR and Publishers Relations team to capture and promote content-selling opportunities.
• Working with Customer Care, Product and Business Development teams to keep them appropriately informed on the content story in your territories.
• Working with Product, Analytics, Business Development, Retail Partners, Publisher Operations, and Vendor Management teams to maximize sales and analyze developments needed for Kobo’s market share growth.
• Creating analyses on sales performance periodically, and using these analyses to inform your strategy.

The Skillset:

Required:

• A passion for bookselling and ecommerce, supported by time spent in a combination of book retail, publishing, or ecommerce roles.
• A deep knowledge of the Dutch book and digital publishing market, and an understanding of global cultures.
• Native Dutch (written/spoken/reading) is a must.
• Fluency in English (written/spoken/reading) is required.
  • Working knowledge of Swedish, Danish or other languages is a bonus.
• Strong data analytics skills – proficiency with Excel and understanding of, or prior use of, Google analytics, Looker Studio and/or Tableau.
• A customer-first focus.
• An enjoyment of working remotely, coordinating with a variety of teams sitting in several different countries – and the ability to build strong, cross-functional relationships working this way.
• An interest for, or previous experience of, working across cultures.

Nice to Haves:

• An interest in project management.
• Experience with project management software.
• Stellar communications skills, including a keen instinct for when to send an email, have a quick chat on Slack, have a call, or schedule a meeting.
• Excellent organizational skills, autonomy, and the ability to stay calm under pressure to meet tight deadlines.

About Rakuten Kobo Inc.

Owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten and headquartered in Toronto, Rakuten Kobo Inc. is one of the most advanced global ecommerce companies, with the world’s most innovative eReading services offering more than 6 million eBooks and audiobooks to 30 million + customers in 190 countries. Kobo delivers the best digital reading experience through creative innovation, award-winning eReaders, and top-ranking mobile apps. Kobo is a part of the Rakuten group of companies.

Rakuten Kobo Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Accessibility accommodations for candidates with disabilities participating in the selection process are available on request. Any information received related to accommodation needs of applicants will be addressed confidentially.

Rakuten Kobo would like to thank all applicants for their interest in this role however only qualified candidates will be shortlisted.

#RKIND