Marketing Manager, Vintage

Penguin Random House; London; Hybrid; GBP 33,000 - 38,000

Job description

We are looking for a high-performing, ambitious and creative individual to join the Vintage Marketing team as Marketing Manager for Vintage Classics.

The role will be responsible for planning and executing best-in-class campaigns for Vintage Classics and will be a key member of the wider Classics team in driving the sales growth of the imprint through their knowledge of audiences for classics and what converts them to purchase. You’ll have a good understanding of the independent bookshop and high street market, the ability to optimise campaigns and drive visibility and sales online and a nuanced understanding of international markets. The position also involves working on campaigns for select titles from across the other Vintage imprints.

If you are a lover and supporter of bricks and mortar bookshops in the UK and internationally, deeply engaged in book trends on social media and passionate about audiences and connecting them with the books that will change their perspectives, we’d love to hear from you.

This is an exciting time to join the team: following the relaunch of the iconic Vintage Classics Red Spines in 2024 and with ambitious new publishing on the horizon, Vintage Classics is more central than ever to Vintage’s overall publishing programme.

About Vintage and Vintage Classics

Read Boldly, Think Differently.

At Vintage, we publish thought-provoking writing from authors of all backgrounds, including trail-blazing classics and books that speak urgently to our times. Our broad family of authors ranges from world-class prize-winners to brand new, emerging talent. Our authors include Ocean Vuong, Rory Stewart, Gabrielle Zevin, Margaret Atwood, Brandon Taylor, Abir Mukherjee, Ian McEwan, Nigella Lawson and Alexei Navalny.

Vintage Classics is a dynamic and iconic classics list, home to some of the greatest writers and thinkers from around the world and across the ages. Bringing readers not just the books they already know and love, but new additions to their bookshelves, these are works to capture imaginations, inspire new perspectives and excite curiosity – from Toni Morrison to Angela Carter, Simone de Beauvoir to Roberto Bolaño.

Key responsibilities:

1. Plan and execute best-in-class marketing campaigns for key Vintage Classics titles and series, as well as titles from across other Vintage imprints and the catalogue, to meet agreed campaign objectives and timelines.
2. Be plugged in to consumer trends in Classics publishing, on social media and among audiences more broadly, and work with the Head of Marketing and Senior Data and Marketing Insight Manager to provide audience insight that will shape and support the publishing programme.
3. Establish and execute a streamlined approach to maximise sales across the Vintage Classics list, through Amazon optimisation, home and international retailer opportunities, targeting a range of consumers with social media and influencer activity and partnerships.
4. Work closely with sales teams, with a particular focus on International Sales, to present our books in an impactful way that drive sales.
5. Identify opportunities to grow brand awareness for Vintage Classics as a whole.
6. Manage campaign budgets in line with expected and actual sales revenue.
7. Brief designers to produce best-in-class assets and marketing materials.
8. Take a data-driven approach, analysing campaigns and their impact on sales, apply learnings and communicate successes and challenges effectively across the wider business and to stakeholders.
9. Be the federalised marketer for Vintage Classics, ensuring a close working relationship between Marketing and Editorial.
10. Lead on the response to Vintage Classics publishing proposals from a Marketing perspective, working on pitches and providing audience insight.
11. Bring diversity of thought and innovation into the marketing team by looking outside the business for ideas and inspiration to share with the team and improve our work.

What you'll bring

Essential criteria:

1. Strong written and verbal communication skills, in person and online.
2. Ability to present information clearly and confidently.
3. Organised, flexible and adaptable.
4. Curious, open-minded and ambitious.
5. An effective decision maker.
6. A highly collaborative team player who is also resourceful when working independently.
7. An excellent eye for design.
8. A love of books and reading (Classics in particular).
9. Interest in book-purchasing trends in international markets.

Preferred criteria:

1. Able to see all sides of a problem or challenge and come up with a solution.
2. Broad market awareness within publishing, entertainment or the arts, and within marketing.
3. Knowledge of and engagement with book-purchasing trends in international markets.
4. Knowledge of and experience in running organic and paid for social media activity is highly desirable, though not essential.

How to apply

Please apply with your CV and covering letter, addressed to Rosanna, by 23:59 on 2 April 2025. In your application, please tell us about a piece of Classics publishing that has caught your eye recently, and why you think it was effective. Please ensure you include a cover letter, as it is a crucial part of our assessment process. The cover letter offers an opportunity to show how your experience and interests align with the role requirements. Typically, we expect the cover letter to be no more than one or two pages in length.

We anticipate a two or three stage interview process which will include a mix of virtual and in-person meetings. We are happy to discuss this further with you throughout the recruitment process.

Salary

£33,000-£38,000 dependent on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits.

What you can expect from us

Our people are the heart of our business, and we work hard to support a culture of responsibility and recognition.

Our benefits include:

• Financial – income protection, life assurance, childcare allowance.
• Wellbeing – healthcare cash plan, critical illness cover, health checks.
• Lifestyle – enhanced parental leave, tech scheme, free and discounted books.

For our full benefits list please visit: https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/what-we-offer/

Hybrid working

While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. We are happy to discuss the hybrid nature of this role through the recruitment process.

About Penguin

We’re the UK’s largest publisher; made up of some 2,000 people and publishing over 1,500 books each year. Our doors are open to all kinds of talent. In a constantly evolving industry, we work hard to stretch the definition of the word publisher. Here, you’ll work with a breadth of talent who all play their part to make each of our books a success. Together, we make books for everyone because a book can change anyone.

The recruitment process

You can read about our recruitment process at https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/how-we-hire/

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. The essential criteria for this role are listed as part of the ‘What you’ll bring’ section. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview.

We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing [e-mail]. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your request.

Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee.