JOB SUMMARY

The Author Partnerships Specialist leverages author relationships as strategic marketing assets for The Cokesbury Community. This full-time role builds and nurtures relationships with key authors, coordinates author-driven content creation, develops co-marketing campaigns, creates product descriptions and metadata, and creates opportunities for authors to engage directly with audiences. Serving as the bridge between editorial/publishing teams and marketing strategy, this position transforms author expertise and influence into content that drives audience engagement, builds community, and supports revenue growth across all Cokesbury Community platforms. This role has discretion to enter product descriptions directly into Biblio or pass to the Marketing Operations & Publishing Liaison based on workload and capacity at the time.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT & AREAS OF IMPACT

Reporting Relationship & Peers

Reports to the Chief Revenue Officer, as do:

• Audience Campaign Strategist
• Contact Center Manager
• Creative Content & Brand Director
• Director, Trade Sales
• Marketing Analytics & Systems Specialist

Reporting Directly to This Job

• N/A

Areas of Impact (as applicable)

SALES BUDGET

• $25M (annual revenue)

PROJECT BUDGET

• Author event and co-marketing campaign budgets as authorizes by CRO

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

Essential Job Functions

PRIMARY

• Author Relationship Development & Management: Identifies and cultivates relationships with key authors across Cokesbury, Abingdon Press, and partner publishers. Serves as primary marketing liaison for author communications and coordination. Builds trust and credibility with authors as collaborative marketing partners. Maintains author database with platform information, content preferences, and engagement history. Coordinates author feedback on marketing initiatives. Manages author expectations and communicates marketing plans and results.
• Author-Driven Content Development & Coordination: Develops content strategies that leverage author expertise and thought leadership. Coordinates author blog posts, articles, video content, and social media contributions. Facilitates author participation in webinars, podcasts, and virtual events. Creates content calendars aligning author availability with campaign needs and audience interests. Edits and prepares author-contributed content for publication. Coordinates with the Creative Content & Brand Director on author content creative assets.
• Product Descriptions, Metadata, & Amazon A+ Content: Writes compelling product descriptions for books, curriculum, and resources within metadata standards established by the Marketing Operations & Publishing Liaison. Develops metadata including keywords, categories, and search terms for product discoverability. Creates SEO-optimized product copy for e-commerce platforms. Creates Amazon A+ content combining author credentials, positioning, and promotional copy. Based on workload and capacity, may enter product descriptions directly into Biblio or pass to the Marketing Operations & Publishing Liaison for entry. Maintains consistency in product information across all platforms.
• Co-Marketing Campaign Development: Designs author partnership marketing campaigns that benefit both author and Cokesbury Community. Develops book launch marketing plans incorporating author platform and participation. Coordinates author appearances, speaking engagements, and conference participation. Plans and executes author-led virtual events (webinars, Q&As, workshops). Tracks and reports on author campaign performance and ROI.

SECONDARY

• Influencer Strategy & Audience Expansion: Identifies authors with strong platforms and audience alignment for influencer partnerships. Develops strategies to leverage author audiences for Cokesbury Community growth. Coordinates author social media takeovers, guest posts, and collaborative content. Creates affiliate or ambassador programs with key authors. Monitors author mentions and engagement across social media and online platforms.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Collaborates with the Audience Campaign Strategist to integrate author content into campaign strategies. Partners with the Market Research CRM Strategist to understand which authors resonate with specific audience segments. Coordinates with publishers and editorial teams on author availability and permissions. Connects authors with the sales team for retail and conference opportunities.

These essential job functions are not intended to cover all work details or the occasional performance of other tasks as assigned by the supervisor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

Common or Complex Problem-Solving Challenges

• Author Relationship Management at Scale – Building and maintaining genuine, trust-based relationships with 20–30 authors simultaneously while managing varying levels of engagement, availability, and marketing participation preferences
• Balancing Author Creative Preferences with Marketing Needs – Navigating situations where author preferences for messaging, tone, or content focus differ from marketing strategy requirements
• Biblio Entry Discretion – Making real-time capacity decisions about whether to enter product descriptions directly into Biblio or pass to the Marketing Operations & Publishing Liaison, ensuring metadata accuracy and timeliness regardless of which path is taken
• Amazon A+ Content Quality at Volume – Producing compelling, brand-consistent Amazon A+ content across a large and continuously expanding product catalog while maintaining SEO effectiveness
• Co-Marketing Campaign Coordination Complexity – Managing book launch campaigns that require simultaneous coordination across authors, publishers, editorial teams, the Audience Campaign Strategist, and the Creative Content & Brand Director.

Authority & Accountability

• Authority to develop and manage author relationships as the primary marketing liaison for author communications
• Authority to write product descriptions, metadata, and Amazon A+ content within standards established by the Marketing Operations & Publishing Liaison
• Authority to decide, based on workload and capacity, whether to enter product descriptions directly into Biblio or pass to the Marketing Operations & Publishing Liaison
• Authority to develop and execute co-marketing campaign plans within CRO-approved parameters
• Accountability for author relationship health and engagement quality across the active author portfolio
• Accountability for product description quality, metadata accuracy, and Amazon A+ content effectiveness
• Accountability for author-driven campaign performance and co-marketing initiative ROI

Regular Contacts & Stakeholders

INTERNAL

• Chief Revenue Officer – direct reporting relationship; strategic guidance and escalation
• Audience Campaign Strategist – integrates author content into campaign strategies and timelines
• Creative Content & Brand Director – develops author-focused creative assets and materials
• Marketing Operations & Publishing Liaison – coordinates on metadata standards; flexible Biblio entry handoff
• Digital Marketing & Social Specialist – executes author social media content
• Sales Team – coordinates author retail and conference opportunities

EXTERNAL

• Authors across Cokesbury, Abingdon Press, and partner publishers
• Publishers and editorial teams
• Conference and event organizers

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education, Experience, & Certifications

REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, English, Publishing, or related field
• Three (3) to five (5) years of experience in author relations, content marketing, publishing marketing, or related fields
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong copywriting abilities
• Experience writing product descriptions, marketing copy, and metadata

PREFERRED

• Experience in religious publishing, Christian ministry, or faith-based organizations
• Knowledge of Christian ministry contexts, theological education, and church leadership
• Experience with author platform development and influencer marketing
• Familiarity with Amazon A+ content creation and e-commerce product marketing
• Familiarity with publishing industry standards and Biblio or similar metadata platforms

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

REQUIRED

• Relationship building skills – natural connector who develops trust and long-term partnerships
• Copywriting expertise – skilled at writing compelling product descriptions, Amazon A+ content, and marketing copy
• SEO and metadata knowledge – understands how to optimize product discoverability across e-commerce platforms
• Content strategy thinking – understands how to transform author expertise into engaging audience content
• Project management – organized approach to managing complex schedules and multiple author relationships simultaneously
• Cultural sensitivity – respectful of diverse theological perspectives and ministry contexts

PREFERRED

• Familiarity with Biblio platform or similar publishing metadata systems preferred

AI-Enabled Workplace

The United Methodist Publishing House is committed to maximizing the impact of artificial intelligence by adopting and integrating AI tools across our work. These technologies are vital to enhancing productivity, fostering creativity, and strengthening decision-making. All staff members are expected to engage thoughtfully and responsibly with AI as part of their professional responsibilities. Core expectations include:

• Responsible AI Integration – Leverage AI tools strategically to streamline workflows, generate actionable insights, and deliver exceptional outcomes that advance our mission.
• Critical Evaluation & Oversight – Apply professional judgment and critical thinking when reviewing, refining, and validating all AI-generated content and recommendations to ensure accuracy and alignment with our standards.
• Continuous Learning & Innovation – Maintain curiosity and adaptability toward emerging AI technologies, actively contributing to innovative practices within your area of expertise while supporting organizational growth.
• Ethical & Secure Practice – Uphold UMPH’s commitment to ethical, transparent, and secure AI usage, ensuring all applications align with our mission, values, and community standards.

Equal Employment Opportunity

UMPH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.