Manager, Business Insights

We are seeking a highly analytical Business Insights Manager with experience in the book publishing industry to support financial planning, sales forecasting, and strategic decision-making. This role will leverage predictive modeling, historical sales data, market trends, consumer behavior insights, and publishing-specific performance drivers to develop accurate sales and financial projections.

The ideal candidate combines strong FP&A and forecasting capabilities with expertise in data analytics and predictive modeling. This position will partner closely with Finance, Sales, Marketing, Publishing, Inventory Planning, and Executive Leadership to provide actionable insights that optimize revenue growth, inventory management, and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

Forecasting & Predictive Analytics

• Develop and maintain predictive models to forecast book sales across frontlist and backlist titles, formats, channels, imprints, and territories.
• Analyze historical sales trends, seasonality, title performance, author performance, promotional activity, metadata, and market dynamics to improve forecast accuracy.
• Build statistical and machine learning models to project sales, revenue, gross margin, inventory requirements, returns, and royalty obligations.
• Create scenario analyses and sensitivity models to evaluate key assumptions, launch strategies, pricing changes, and market shifts.
• Monitor forecast performance using defined accuracy metrics and continuously refine methodologies based on actual results.

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Analyze revenue, gross margin, inventory, working capital, and title-level profitability.
• Support executive management with ad hoc financial modeling, investment analysis, and strategic decision support.
• Contribute to executive and board-level reporting and presentations.

Publishing Industry Analysis

• Evaluate title-level performance and profitability across authors, imprints, categories, formats, retailers, and distribution channels.
• Support print-run, reprint, inventory, and demand-planning decisions through forecast-driven recommendations.
• Monitor industry trends, competitive activity, consumer buying patterns, and retailer dynamics.
• Provide forecasting support for licensing, subsidiary rights, special sales, digital publishing, and client-publisher arrangements.
• Partner with Sales, Editorial, Marketing, Production, and Operations to incorporate commercial assumptions into forecasts.

Data, Reporting & Controls

• Design and maintain dashboards, KPI reporting, and automated forecast routines.
• Extract, transform, validate, and analyze large datasets from ERP, royalty, sales, inventory, and business intelligence systems.
• Maintain clear model documentation, assumptions, version control, and reconciliation processes to support auditability and management review.
• Present complex analyses in a concise, business-focused manner to finance leaders and cross-functional stakeholders.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Statistics, Data Analytics, or a related field; MBA, CFA, or advanced analytics certification is a plus.
• 3-7 years of experience in FP&A, financial analysis, sales forecasting, demand planning, or a related analytical role.
• Experience in book publishing is strongly preferred; experience in media, content, licensing, or another intellectual property-driven business may also be relevant.
• Demonstrated experience building revenue forecasts and predictive models using large, complex datasets.
• Experience with title profitability, inventory, returns, royalties, or publishing sales channels is highly desirable.

Technical Skills

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Power Query, Power Pivot, advanced formulas, and financial modeling.
• Proficiency in SQL and experience with Python or R for predictive analytics and statistical modeling.
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or a comparable visualization platform.
• Knowledge of forecasting methods such as time-series modeling, regression analysis, seasonal trend analysis, and machine learning techniques.
• Experience with ERP and reporting platforms such as NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or publishing-specific systems.

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical judgment and problem-solving skills
• Ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable business insights
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to data integrity
• Effective written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Strategic thinking, commercial awareness, and strong business partnering
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment

Success Measures

• Improved forecast accuracy for title-level and consolidated sales projections
• Reduced inventory obsolescence, stock-outs, and excess working capital through improved demand forecasting
• More informed acquisition, print-run, pricing, promotion, and inventory decisions
• Scalable, well-documented forecasting and reporting processes

Compensation & Work Arrangement

Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, with bonus eligibility and hybrid work flexibility, as applicable. Final compensation and work arrangement will be based on company policy, experience, and location.