Acquisitions Director

Job Title: Director, Acquisitions

Location: Los Angeles, CA or Remote

FLSA: Exempt

Reports to: Head of Acquisitions

Company Overview: Headquartered in El Segundo, Podium is North America’s fastest growing digital publisher, driven by its mission is to change the lives of trendsetting storytellers by discovering, developing, and amplifying their work.

Why Work at Podium: We offer a world-class, competitive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health benefits, paid parking, paid parental leave, flexible PTO, paid holidays, a free Class Pass membership, a paid Audible subscription, and a flexible hybrid work environment.

Job Overview: The Podium Acquisitions team acts as the front line bringing in new IP into our catalog, and the Director role is critical to achieving this goal. Acquisitions Directors directly engage with agents and authors in publishing rights deal negotiations. The ideal candidate is very comfortable delivering the pitch about why stakeholders should work with Podium and takes great care to ensure a positive experience for our authors through the entire lifecycle of the publishing process.

Responsibilities:

• Effectively engaging with prospective authors and communicating Podium’s capabilities and values and how Podium will be the best fit for their IP
• Managing and executing the total lifecycle of author acquisition workflow, process, and management in concert with the author relations team.
• Coaching authors on improving their branding and publishing strategies to optimize sales capability.
• Analyzing, differentiating, and converting potential acquisition targets to become Podium authors
• Ensuring that author information is maintained and updated in internal systems
• Conducting market research and keeping up to date with the knowledge of the book market
• Taking initiative and prioritizing tasks effectively to deliver measurable results
• Ensuring high author retention through customer service and great relationship maintenance

Requirements:

• 7-10 years’ work experience in fields such as Customer Success/Relations, Book Publicity, Speakers’ Bureau experience, Literary Agency or other Agency work, Acquisitions Editor (magazine, book or other media), Sales
• Established network of literary agent and publisher relationships preferred.
• Highly responsive and solution-oriented—operates at a high pace, with fine attention to detail, and has resolute determination to meet annual targets
• Proven experience meeting and exceeding goals. Rigorous about measuring progress and achievements against targets
• Smart, self-motivated, strategic thinker who has a collaborative approach to problem-solving
• Proven ability to persuade third parties to jump aboard
• Exceptional writing and communication skills
• Strong interpersonal, relationship-building, and negotiation expertise
• Candidates based in Los Angeles are preferred, but open to remote for the right candidate.
• Bachelor’s degree required

Physical Requirements:

• Primarily office-based work setting.
• If Los Angeles-based, must be able to work onsite Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays from our office in El Segundo.
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to walk, stand, and move around the office as needed.