Catalog & Product Specialist

Readerlink Distribution Services•Oak Brook, IL

46d•$50,000 - $54,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Catalog & Product Specialist plays a critical role in the ongoing maintenance of a comprehensive catalog of all books distributed to ReaderLink’s retail customers, with over 30,000 new items added annually. This position is responsible for focused data cleansing to provide pivotal metadata that feeds both JDA CKB and other analytics systems. The Product & Catalog Manager will help to establish policies, standards, processes, and tools to accurately and consistently define and maintain critical attributes across all titles and brands. What You Will Be Doing: Manage and populate content for the ReaderLink book title catalog from soliciting publishers for title details, collating titles to enter and create detailed product information in various dynamic operating tools to provide detailed product information for the life cycle and buying operations within ReaderLink’s business. Monitor daily submissions of new products and assist Publishing Partners in uploading data needs. Populate and maintain over 30,000 items annually and 50+ unique attributes within the item catalog based on a set of established business rules. Curate weekly communications to publishers outlining critical Item Setup notes, reminders, and any additional relevant and timely updates Coordinate with various colleagues for approvals and uploads of new product entries into ERP system. Continuous review of data quality and accuracy for consistent reporting. Run sales reports to capture stratification needs based on products shipped to warehouses or customers. Work cross-functionally, internally and externally, with product management, publishers, and analytics teams to review current processes for stratification and identify better ways of assigning attributes based on a constantly evolving business. Troubleshoot catalog/data issues documenting and communicating to appropriate parties. Document data creation and maintenance procedures as business requires, mentoring and training new team members, and taking part in planning, organizing, and directing work of subordinates or others. Work closely with the business units to understand their current and future analytics needs. Resolve data discrepancies as needed. Maintain and communicate an internal directory of Publishing Partners using an Excel spreadsheet and maintain Outlook contact groups to share internally. Time Management – the individual can manage multiple simultaneous projects and customers using a range of skills, tools and techniques to effectively manage tasks, projects, goals, deadlines and schedules. Interpersonal Skills – the individual can effectively work with a wide variety of personalities and perspectives, remains open to others’ ideas and exhibits willingness to try new things. Written and Oral Communication – the individual speaks clearly and persuasively in positive and negative situations, and can represent ReaderLink, our customers, and Marketing department in a professional manner in public and private interactions. The individual also edits written work for spelling and grammar, presents numerical data effectively and can read and interpret written information. Organization – the individual can effectively develop and maintain processes for record-keeping and reporting for their customers, projects, goals and deadlines. Must be able to maintain high levels of accuracy and detail. Analysis – the individual can combine and apply information from disparate sources and can interpret and draw conclusions from both quantitative and qualitative data. Other duties may be assigned, directed, or requested.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field is required.
Two (2) plus years of experience in the book publishing industry is preferred.
Ability to work independently on tactics and in high-functioning groups on strategic direction.
Strong project management and analysis skills.
Strong to advanced experience in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook is required.
Must have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Ability to speak with all levels of the organization and outside partners.
Ability to communicate complicated information to others.
Must be proficient in basic mathematics: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Ability to do algebra, calculate figures and amounts and apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
Ability to deal with problems involving variables.

Nice To Haves

Two (2) plus years of experience in the book publishing industry is preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage and populate content for the ReaderLink book title catalog from soliciting publishers for title details, collating titles to enter and create detailed product information in various dynamic operating tools to provide detailed product information for the life cycle and buying operations within ReaderLink’s business.
Monitor daily submissions of new products and assist Publishing Partners in uploading data needs.
Populate and maintain over 30,000 items annually and 50+ unique attributes within the item catalog based on a set of established business rules.
Curate weekly communications to publishers outlining critical Item Setup notes, reminders, and any additional relevant and timely updates
Coordinate with various colleagues for approvals and uploads of new product entries into ERP system.
Continuous review of data quality and accuracy for consistent reporting. Run sales reports to capture stratification needs based on products shipped to warehouses or customers.
Work cross-functionally, internally and externally, with product management, publishers, and analytics teams to review current processes for stratification and identify better ways of assigning attributes based on a constantly evolving business.
Troubleshoot catalog/data issues documenting and communicating to appropriate parties.
Document data creation and maintenance procedures as business requires, mentoring and training new team members, and taking part in planning, organizing, and directing work of subordinates or others.
Work closely with the business units to understand their current and future analytics needs.
Resolve data discrepancies as needed.
Maintain and communicate an internal directory of Publishing Partners using an Excel spreadsheet and maintain Outlook contact groups to share internally.
Time Management – the individual can manage multiple simultaneous projects and customers using a range of skills, tools and techniques to effectively manage tasks, projects, goals, deadlines and schedules.
Interpersonal Skills – the individual can effectively work with a wide variety of personalities and perspectives, remains open to others’ ideas and exhibits willingness to try new things.
Written and Oral Communication – the individual speaks clearly and persuasively in positive and negative situations, and can represent ReaderLink, our customers, and Marketing department in a professional manner in public and private interactions. The individual also edits written work for spelling and grammar, presents numerical data effectively and can read and interpret written information.
Organization – the individual can effectively develop and maintain processes for record-keeping and reporting for their customers, projects, goals and deadlines. Must be able to maintain high levels of accuracy and detail.
Analysis – the individual can combine and apply information from disparate sources and can interpret and draw conclusions from both quantitative and qualitative data.
Other duties may be assigned, directed, or requested.