About Packt
Packt is a leading publisher of technical learning content with the ability to publish books on new and emerging tech faster than any other publisher in the world. We believe that software has a deep impact on the world, and that software runs on knowledge. Our mission is to increase the shared value of deep tech knowledge. We are tech content engineers and we work with some of the most interesting technical minds and ground-breaking creators on the planet. For more details, see www.packt.com
Overview
The Portfolio Manager (which is internally titled as Relationship Lead (RL) on papers) for the Data Science vertical plays a critical role in building and scaling Packt’s presence across one of the fastest-growing segments in tech. This role goes beyond traditional publishing to focus on end-to-end product ownership, high-value author acquisition, and revenue generation across both book and non-book formats.
As the primary link between subject matter experts, developer communities, and Packt’s product ecosystem, the RL is responsible for identifying and onboarding high-caliber authors, building long-term relationships with industry leaders, and owning the success of products from ideation through to post-publication growth. The RL will actively experiment with new formats - including events, licensing, courses, and community-led products to ensure Packt remains relevant and competitive in a rapidly evolving market.
This is a highly strategic, outward-facing role that combines author acquisition, product ownership, marketing execution, and ecosystem building, with clear accountability for revenue and growth within the vertical.
What you’ll do
Key Responsibilities
High-Value Author Acquisition & Relationship Management
- Proactively identify and acquire high-caliber authors and industry experts
- Build and maintain strong relationships with high-AQS experts, influencers, and thought leaders, ensuring long-term engagement and repeat collaboration.
- Develop compelling value propositions tailored to each author’s personal brand, career goals, and community presence.
- Own author onboarding, contracting, and ongoing engagement, ensuring alignment with both product goals and market needs.
- Act as a trusted partner to authors, enabling them to contribute beyond books (e.g., events, courses, community initiatives).
- Establish Packt as a trusted partner within AI/ML communities by driving meaningful engagement and high-value collaborations
End-to-End Product Ownership (Books & Beyond)
- Take full ownership of assigned products from concept validation and author acquisition to delivery, launch, and post-publication performance.
- Ensure products are aligned with key practitioner needs
- Drive execution across formats, including books, video courses, events, licensing opportunities, and emerging product types.
- Continuously evaluate product performance and iterate based on market feedback, user engagement, and revenue outcomes..
- Leverage community insights to identify emerging trends, content gaps, and new product opportunities.
Revenue Ownership & Growth
- Own the commercial performance of assigned titles and products, with clear accountability for revenue contribution to the vertical.
- Identify opportunities to maximize revenue through pricing, positioning, cross-selling, and format expansion (e.g., converting books into courses or events).
- Leverage high-value authors and topics to create scalable revenue streams across multiple channels.
- Track performance metrics and work closely with internal teams to optimize outcomes.
Pre- and Post-Publication Marketing Execution
- Ensure strong go-to-market execution for all products, including pre-launch positioning and post-launch growth strategies.
- Collaborate with marketing and growth teams to optimize metadata, keywords, and audience targeting across platforms such as Amazon and Packt.com.
- Develop title-specific promotion plans, including email campaigns, community engagement, and influencer outreach.
- Continuously monitor performance and refine strategies to improve visibility, engagement, and conversion.
Skills & Competencies Required
Author Acquisition & Relationship Management
- Strong ability to identify, engage, and close high-value authors and experts.
- Confidence in outreach, negotiation, and building long-term relationships with senior professionals.
- Deep understanding of what motivates AI/ML practitioners and thought leaders.
Product Ownership & Commercial Thinking
- Ability to think like a product owner, with accountability for outcomes rather than just execution.
- Strong commercial awareness, including pricing, positioning, and revenue optimization.
- Experience or interest in working across multiple product formats beyond books.
Marketing & Growth Orientation
- Understanding of go-to-market strategies, including discoverability, audience targeting, and conversion.
- Ability to collaborate with marketing teams and contribute to campaign execution.
Execution Excellence & Ownership Mindset
- Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple titles, stakeholders, and initiatives simultaneously.
- Proactive, responsive, and comfortable operating in a fast-moving environment.
- Strong bias toward ownership, experimentation, and continuous improvement.
Expected Outcomes
- Consistent acquisition of high-quality authors and industry experts.
- Increased revenue contribution through both book and non-book formats.
- Successful execution of marketing strategies leading to improved visibility, engagement, and sales performance.
- Growth of Packt’s presence and credibility within AI/ML practitioner communities.
- Development of scalable, non-book revenue streams through events, courses, and partnerships.
Why work at Packt?
We recognize how important our people are and acknowledge and support the things that are important to them. We focus on the full team member's experience. We aim to create a positive working environment that supports personal and collective development – where our people can not only grow their skill sets, continuously challenge themselves, and develop their careers, but also work together as a team and with our customers.
We try to achieve this by:
- Ensuring a positive working environment for all team members, supportive of flexible and remote work.
- Supporting individual development through growth opportunities and internal mobility.
- Encouraging social collaboration within teams and communities and knowledge-sharing.
- Fostering a culture that supports a healthy work-life balance.
We seek to achieve this by:
- Providing a broad range of benefits and initiatives.
- Advocating a healthy lifestyle where wellbeing is seen as an essential responsibility.
- Celebrating success stories and encouraging peer-to-peer recognition.
- Fostering a culture of self-development.
- Providing a work environment where the best idea wins, and challenge is encouraged.
Benefits
You will also have access to a range of flexible benefits that are designed to help you make the most of your time with us.
- Bonus scheme
- 25 days’ holiday (plus bank holidays)
- Flexible hours: choose how, when and where you work
Monthly Gross Salary Range- 60K-200K per month (as per the skills and/or experience of the applicant)
Disclaimer: Packt does not authorize any third-party consultancies, influencers, or agencies to offer employment opportunities on our behalf. We are not involved in any financial transactions with these parties. Our hiring process is managed internally, and all applications should be made through the official procedures outlined in our job listings.