Marketing Associate, Independent Bookstores & Events

Naperville, IL (Hybrid)

$23/hr – $26/hrMid Level3+ years expFull time

Posted 2 months ago

Top 1% of applicants do these two things.

The other 99% submit and hope. You're about to do something different.

Job Summary

Own end-to-end indie bookstore event logistics and author coordination, stitching together travel, on-site execution, and pre-order campaigns to drive author visibility at trade shows and bookstore events.

  • Indie Event Ownership: Manage travel, itineraries, panels, signings, and on-site support across trade shows and indie programs.
  • Campaign Orchestration: Align timelines, assets, and deliverables for preorder campaigns and post-event follow-up.
  • Cross-Functional Coordination: Connect Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Publicity, and Operations to ensure accurate records and scalable processes.

Job Description

Responsibilities - Coordinate logistics for independent bookstore trade shows and industry events. - Manage all author care related to indie-focused events and trade shows. - Coordinate author travel arrangements, including flights, hotels, ground transportation, and schedules. - Create detailed author and staff itineraries. - Support on-site event execution and assist at trade shows as needed. - Submit authors for panels, keynote opportunities, signings, and other trade show programming. - Coordinate shipping and delivery of books and marketing materials to event locations. - Track author event participation and maintain event records. - Collaborate with Sales and Customer Service teams on bookstore event support and follow-up. - Support the execution of indie pre-order campaigns from planning through fulfillment. Requirements - 1–3 years of experience in publishing, marketing, events, project management, bookselling, or a related field - Bachelor's degree preferred - Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail - Strong written and verbal communication skills - Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously. - Comfortable working with authors, booksellers, and external partners - Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive mindset - Experience with project management platforms and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace - Willingness to travel to industry events as needed. Nice to Have / Preferred - Publishing, bookselling, or event planning experience is a plus. - Must love books and independent bookstores! Benefits - Full-time employees are eligible for our comprehensive benefits program. Our range of benefits include, but are not limited to, Medical/Prescription drug insurance, Dental, Vision, Health Care, Dependent Care, Flexible Spending Account, Health Savings Account 401(k), Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance, Life/AD&D Insurance, & generous paid time off.
Sourcebooks logo

Sourcebooks

📚 Books change lives. That belief powers everything we do at Sourcebooks, driving innovation and impact for over 500 million readers (and counting!).✨ We’re deeply author-centric, blending creativity, deep insights, and cutting-edge data to elevate author voices and create extraordinary bestsellers across genres—from mysteries and romance, YA and middle grade, to children’s and nonfiction, and more.🏆 Named #2 Most Loved Workplace by Newsweek, a Best Workplace by Inc., and a two-time innovation leader by Fast Company, we embrace a culture rooted in community and collaboration. Our entrepreneurial approach was celebrated by Publishers Weekly as "by far the most successful self-made publisher of the 21st century," and recognized by BISG for redefining what it means to publish books today.🚀 Recognition:💡 Fast Company Most Innovative Companies 2024 (#6 Media)🧡 Best Practice Institute Certified Most Loved Workplace 2024 (#2 in Newsweek)🚀 INC Female Founders 2024 & 2025💡 Fast Company Best Workplaces for Innovators 2023 (#31 of Top 100)🔑 We're committed to expanding readership, amplifying author voices, and pioneering new paths in publishing. Our mission is bold: to create a vibrant future for books by nurturing authors' careers, celebrating libraries and bookstores as essential cultural spaces, and fostering passionate, inclusive reader communities.🌟 Thanks for being part of our story. Let’s discover what’s next together.👉 sourcebooks.com

Founded in 1987
Naperville, Illinois, USA
451 employees (309 in marketing)