Job Description

Senior Bookseller

A Barnes & Noble bookstore is a gathering place for readers and the community. As a Senior Bookseller, you are an integral member of the bookselling team at the heart of our stores. You welcome customers in a cheerful and helpful way by saying hello, answering questions, and consistently going out of your way to connect readers with the right titles and products. You are a go-to resource for other booksellers when they need help and guidance. You teach newer booksellers best practices, and you are comfortable providing informal feedback to peers when opportunities arise. Equally, you are an essential part of the bookstore team maintaining the attractive presentation of the store and in ensuring its efficient running. You work on our registers with enthusiasm, and you lead by example in recommending key titles or Membership benefits.

You'll make a great Senior Bookseller if you have what we term to be good "behaviors."

Expect your colleagues to demonstrate these behaviors and to hold you, and themselves, to high standards, and for your Store Managers to reinforce our expectations. These behaviors collectively demonstrate that you:

• Maintain reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts.
• Fill scheduling gaps when you are able, being flexible and responsive to the needs of the store we are open from early mornings to late evenings every day, including weekends and most holidays.
• Are positive and willing in your approach to work, performing assigned tasks with purpose and energy, working hard and reliably.
• Are supportive and considerate of colleagues, going out of your way to help others in the team and showing them kindness.
• Are always cheerful with customers, consistently going out of your way to help them.
• Show aptitude and willingness to learn new skills and acquire new knowledge in the store and apply it appropriately.
• Act as a resource for booksellers and baristas, addressing concerns and issues by raising these timely to leadership.
• Are curious, want to continuously learn, and demonstrate ambition and initiative to develop a bookselling career.
• Above all, show that you enjoy being a bookseller!

As a Senior Bookseller, you are part of a busy team and will be required to master the operational competencies of a Barnes & Noble bookseller.

You will be trained and expected to be proficient in:

• Using varied technology, including registers, computers, tablets, programs and other tools comfortably and efficiently while also troubleshooting routine issues.
• Proactively refreshing book presentations and continuing to grow merchandising skills, while always maintaining cleanliness throughout the store.
• Maintaining and actively refreshing the presentation in gifting, toys and our other product categories, equally, and help others to do the same.
• Running a register competently to serve customers quickly and reliably while helping other booksellers to achieve the same.
• Supporting the receiving and unpacking of deliveries, anticipating issues and adjusting approach to ensure that efficient and accurate shelving follows.
• Finding books and other products with ease and accuracy and quickly identify alternative options when something is out of stock by using a combination of your own knowledge, BookMaster and all the other tools and processes in the bookstore appropriately and efficiently.
• Supporting the caf team willingly and effectively when needed.
• Understanding loss prevention procedures and using de-escalation techniques, identifying theft, spotting and seeking support for problematic behavior and issues in the store.

All this work requires physical activity which includes prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and a lot of walking. You may work in other stores if you are able, and this is needed, collaboratively supporting the wider Cluster.

As you gain experience, you should expect your bookselling knowledge and skills to develop.

Each Barnes & Noble bookstore is the product of its bookselling team. You will increasingly contribute as you develop your expertise. You will:

• Use book knowledge of varied subjects (fiction, nonfiction, children's) and categories to engage and provide informed service to customers.
• Use this knowledge to maintain the sections and present books in an interesting and attractive manner.
• Become proficient across all sections of the bookstore enabling effective book recommendations to customers.
• Sell books in a positive way appreciated by customers, supporting the success of key titles and leading by example.
• Know, speak comfortably and be able to model how to support key sales objectives such as Our Monthly Picks, Book of the Year, Membership, pre-orders, etc., sharing this knowledge with customers and colleagues.
• Use knowledge, expertise and understanding of ETG, SHC, Media and Newsstand, to maintain all sections and backstock effectively and help customers with their shopping.

As already said, above all we expect you to enjoy being a bookseller at Barnes & Noble. As you develop and demonstrate mastery of the skills outlined in this role, you are expected to advance in the career path where you will take on new challenges and gain further opportunities for growth.

You will, of course, comply with all company policies and procedures.

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