Job consultations in Hachette UK field sales

Hachette UK is consulting with "fewer than 10" people over potential redundancy following the restructure of its group field sales division.

Earlier this year the publisher created a new sales structure, with two teams, one headed by Rob Manser and looking after Little, Brown and Orion, and the other headed by Lucy Hale and looking after Hodder & Stoughton, Headline, Hachette Children’s Books and Quercus.

Following that restructure, Hale and Manser have now announced a new structure for field sales, with Dominic Smith - who has been field sales director of the Orion Group since 2005 - appointed to the role of group field sales director.

A number of other new roles have also been announced, with Hale and Manser saying in a statement: “It is with regret that, as a result of this restructure, we are in consultation with a small number of people over the possibility of redundancy.” The publisher did not give precise numbers but confirmed that fewer than 10 individuals were affected by the consultation.

Jack Dennison, currently at Hodder & Stoughton, Headline and Quercus, will become field sales manager for Scotland north and east, north east England, north, east and south Yorkshire and north Lincolnshire.  Gillian Mackay, currently at Hodder & Stoughton, Headline and Quercus, will become field sales manager for Scotland west, Glasgow, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, north Wales, and the Isle of Man. Nigel Andrews, currently at Little, Brown, will become field sales manager for Orion, Little, Brown Book Group and the Octopus Publishing Group in the Midlands east and west. Ian Williamson, currently at Hodder & Stoughton, Headline and Quercus, will become field sales manager for Hodder, Headline, Quercus and Hachette Children’s in the Midlands east and west.  Declan Kyle, currently at Orion and Octopus Publishing Group, will become field sales manager for Hodder, Headline, Quercus, Little, Brown Book Group, Orion and the Octopus Publishing Group for mid and south Wales, and south west England.

Meanwhile Ellie Jones, who is currently on maternity leave, will become field sales manager for Hachette Children’s Group for mid and south Wales and south west England.  Robert Mackenzie, currently at Little, Brown, will become field sales manager for Hodder, Headline, Little, Brown Book Group and Quercus in Greater and central London, Essex and Kent.

Linda McGregor, currently at Orion and Octopus Publishing Group, will become field sales manager for Orion, Octopus Publishing Group and Hachette Children’s in Greater and central London, Essex and Kent. Julia Benson, currently at Hodder & Stoughton, Headline and Quercus, will become field sales manager for the south east.

Smith said: “I am delighted that we have recruited such a strong, talented and committed new field sales department to represent all the UK publishers in the Hachette Group (with the exception of Hodder Education). The new team will offer a personal service to bookshops and sales outlets and ensure that our authors are supported at a local level all over the country.”

Queries can be directed to Smith on 07768 375222 or dominic.smith@hachette.co.uk until the new team members take up their posts on 1st January.