Data Associate

FLSA Status: Exempt
Reports to: Senior Director, Publisher Development
Employment Status: Full-Time

Overview

Independent Publishers Group seeks an exceptionally detail oriented and analytical Data Associate to join the Data department. This is an entry-level, full-time position which supports all aspects of the Data team.

The IPG Data team is our central hub for title metadata. They are responsible for the intake and maintenance of our distributed print list, evaluating incoming metadata against industry best-practice guidelines, and working with client publishers, trading partners, and subject matter experts within our organization to optimize the health and visibility of titles across the supply chain.

The Data Associate will be a valuable addition to a very fast-paced and dynamic team and will also be working in larger, multi-team settings on ongoing improvements and new business initiatives. This position will focus on the maintenance of book metadata as supplied by IPG’s client publishers, working with key accounts (like Amazon) to ensure accurate and comprehensive products throughout a book’s lifespan.

Responsibilities and Duties

Supports the Data team in special projects including but not limited to data audits, Amazon ticketing, system testing, and auditing weekly and daily jobs.
Assists in the review & intake of metadata submitted by client publishers, with a strong focus on managing updates on a very timely basis.
Manages metadata change control. This associate must review and manage all incoming update requests while maintaining a high level of quality control and returning immediate feedback to publishers regarding potential problems.
Liaises with clients and internal teams to manage the ongoing release of frontlist metadata that meets publishing industry best-practice guidelines.
Works with IPG trading partners to facilitate account-specific metadata related support and troubleshooting.
Supports client onboarding and offboarding processes including the release of advanced notifications to internal and external contacts, execution of list updates on key dates, initiating vendor-of-record processes with key trading partners.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
Familiarity with the book industry, bibliographic metadata, BISAC standards, and ONIX is a strong plus.
Previous experience in the book industry or in the library sector is a strong plus.
Attention to detail and tireless drive to solve problems.
Adept at multi-tasking and prioritizing concurrent projects.
Experience with client ticketing systems, such as FreshDesk and/or JIRA.
Analytical mindset with an interest in creating and executing ongoing audit processes.
Ability to adapt to ongoing improvement of processes and to be undaunted by change.
Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
Comfortable with an open and fast paced working environment.
Strong experience with Excel and common Office software.
Physical abilities: Must be able to sit and/or stand for long periods of time in an office or home-office environment.
No travel requirements.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

About the Company

IPG is the original independent distributor of books, ebooks, and audiobooks from publishers around the world, and a top 10 supplier of book content to Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores, libraries, and specialty markets, in addition to thousands of retailers globally.

Established in 1971, Independent Publishers Group (IPG) was the first organization specifically created for the purpose of marketing titles from independent presses to the book trade. IPG was acquired by Chicago Review Press in 1987. In the fall of 2006, Chicago Review Press, Inc., the parent company of IPG, bought Trafalgar Square Publishing, Inc., the leading North American distributor of UK publishers. Trafalgar Square Publishing was founded in 1973 and as a division of IPG, now distributes products from clients such as Penguin Random House UK, Australia, New Zealand, and China; Allen & Unwin; The History Press UK; Amberley Publishing; HarperCollins UK; Pan Macmillan; and John Blake.

With consistent growth each year, IPG’s success has come from supporting and encouraging the growth of its client publishers in the United States and worldwide. IPG has a wide reach in the market with its distribution of publishers with academic, Spanish-language, children’s, and general nonfiction and fiction titles.