Politics and Prose

Politics and Prose is seeking a Community Sales Manager. This full-time (40 hours per week), exempt position reports to the Director of Supported Events. This position manages all aspects of Politics and Prose’s unstaffed supported events including community sales, self-sells, bulk sales, and corporate events. This position is located at the Connecticut Avenue location.

Duties include but are not limited to: 

• Develop, negotiate, coordinate, and sell author + book packages and bulk purchases to outside businesses and organizations;
• Negotiate, confirm, and coordinate self-sell packages;
• Liaison between publicists and clients to schedule and confirm events;
• Manage current client relationships for community sales and self-sells;
• Generate and manage invoices for clients;
• Determine inventory needs and ring up sales;
• Grow additional offsite opportunities and sales;
• Work closely with other Supported Events staff and other P&P departments to execute offsite events;
• Work on the P&P sales floor during holidays and other peak times.

 Requirements:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Experience in event planning and/or sales;
• Strong interpersonal communication skills;
• A basic understanding of DC's business and professional landscape;
• Understanding of current authors and book culture;
• Ability to communicate with businesses, clients, and publicists;
• Ability to manage multiple projects and details simultaneously;
• Ability to follow multiple projects from beginning to end;
• Comfortable learning new technology;
• Experience with MS Office, Google Docs, Google Forms, and Zoom.

 Compensation and Benefits:

• The salary range for this position is $42,000 to $47,000 annually depending on relevant experience.
• Full-time exempt employees accrue 15 days of paid leave and six days of paid sick leave a year.
• Health insurance including dental and vision available for employees who work more than 30 hours a week.
• Full-time employees have the option to invest in an IRA that the company will match up to 3%.  
• Full-time employees can load a portion of their paycheck onto a Smart Trip Card pretax via the Smart Benefits program.
• All employees receive a discount on books and merchandise.

P&P’s mission, as articulated by co-owners Brad and Lissa, is this: “Politics and Prose is a DC-based business devoted to cultivating community and strengthening the common good through books, programs, and a respectful exchange of ideas. We’re committed to exceptional customer service and to the values of independence, inclusion, and diversity.”

P&P does more than just sell books; we also offer a range of programs. We sponsor dozens of classes on various literary topics and host book groups. We sponsor week-long trips to such countries as France, Italy, and Cuba, as well as shorter day visits to places closer to home. And our coffeehouse, dubbed The Den, has a reputation for serving some of the best coffee in Washington. However, our greatest strength may be our staff who are known for their knowledge of literature and their ability to help customers find just the right books. Through the years, P&P has continued to imagine, innovate, and adapt while remaining true to the mission.