Book Business Development Officer

Job Title

Location

NGO

Job Type

Experience

Our work:

Learning in Geography, Humanities, Technology, and Science (LIGHTS) has been advancing scientific education since 2003, with a focus on knowledge and wisdom for societal progress. It publishes scientific books and magazines on India's untold science history. Known for delivering technical education to schools and colleges, it has also significantly strengthened capacity-building among educators and professionals. LIGHTS organises high-level workshops and conferences, such as the reputable Science and Geopolitics of Arctic-Antarctic (SaGAA), and senior government official training under the PARI programme. Additionally, LIGHTS shapes public policy, particularly in cryospheric sciences, and publishes the Geography and You journal in Hindi and English. The organisation is headquartered in New Delhi.

Websites

Role

The Business Development Officer role in book publishing emphasises new book projects, managing author/client relationships, and developing winning publication proposals. 

Overview:

You will need to work in a team of two members.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead Generation and Client Acquisition: Identify and research potential funding organisations and literary agents in target genres (non-fiction and academic).
• Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with new and existing clients and key industry stakeholders and ensure a reliable pipeline of high-quality proposals.
• Market Research and Analysis: Conduct comprehensive market and competitor analyses to identify industry trends, emerging topics, and potential growth opportunities.
• Proposal Writing and Presentation: Oversee the preparation and delivery of compelling publishing proposals and presentations to the internal editorial board, ensuring all value propositions and market data are clearly articulated.
• Negotiation and Contracting: Lead contract negotiations with authors and agents, ensuring favourable terms for the organisations and managing the transition to the editorial and production teams.
• Strategy and Reporting: Develop and implement strategies to achieve revenue targets, tracking performance metrics and reporting to senior management. 

Qualifications & Skills:

• Education: A Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, English, Communications, or a related field is required. A Master's degree or relevant certification is a plus.
• Experience: Proven experience in sales, business development, or a literary/publishing role with a track record of meeting or exceeding targets. Experience in professional writing or proposal management is highly desirable.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills are paramount for pitching ideas, writing proposals, and negotiating contracts.
• Analytical Skills: Strong strategic and analytical thinking skills to assess market data, evaluate proposals, and forecast trends.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and CRM software (e.g., Salesforce) is required.
• Soft Skills: Must be a self-starter with excellent networking, project management, and problem-solving abilities. A passion for books and the publishing industry is essential. 

Salary

Between INR 40,000 and 50,000 per month (in hand), based on experience.

About 2 years of experience qualify you for the Junior BBDO role.

2 or more years of experience qualify you for the Senior BBDO role.

Project period