Head Bookseller (Tsutaya Bookstore Cambodia)

About the job

*** Note: This is for an on-site position in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Company Description: TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE

Founded in 1983 in Osaka, Japan, Tsutaya Books has over 950 locations in Japan and over 50 franchisees in overseas markets.

In 2025, Cambodia-based ULS (Urban Living Solutions) opened the first of several planned Tsutaya stores in the country’s capital city, Phnom Penh.

More than a bookstore – Tsutaya is built on the idea of discovery, combining books with products and experiences, including events. At over 1,500 SQM (16,100 SQFT) our first store is 60% books, with a dedicated Japan-designed café and elevated stationery and lifestyle product section.

While Cambodia has its own language, local language publishing is limited and English is a common second language. Most of our books are English publications. Cambodia is influenced by both Asian and Western markets, with emerging book interest drawn largely from the Anglophone world.

About you

Loving books is an understatement. You lead book clubs in kindergarten and completed your summer reading lists in the first week of the break, spending the rest of the summer at the library or haunting your local bookstore. You’ve worked in the industry for as long as you remember and know this is the right place for you, it’s your home.

You still get excited sorting through upcoming releases and what will be the best fit for your store’s readers. You are curious by nature, gathering insights from customers while also reading industry publications, socials and websites to keep abreast of trends. You keep the tried-and-true ways of promoting books in the store but also think creatively to come up with new approaches, going across genres to create themed tables or cross promoting similar titles. Behind the scenes you are detail-oriented and a superb planner.

You know how to manage and inspire a young staff. In short, you love that you’ve found the perfect career that aligns your talents and passions.

About the Job

We can say with confidence we have the most beautiful bookstore in the country, possibly the region. As a new market with little book or bookstore history, we are essentially re-introducing the bookstore to the country. This is your challenge. Book selections are currently led by Tsutaya but we need to develop our own in-house books expert to improve our selection for the Cambodian market. This position will oversee curating our books inventory and developing staff knowledge. In our market there are few natural book lovers looking for retail positions. This means that much effort will be spent on developing staff to assist customers with products they may have limited knowledge about. This role operates in English, but most staff have some English ability. Staff will be available to assist with translation as needed.

Main Job responsibilities:

BOOK INVENTORY & MERCHANDISING MANAGEMENT (50% of total work)

CURATION & SELECTION

• Review and oversee current and proposed book stock for product to market fit.
• Review and approve all book orders.
• Keep abreast of upcoming publications to ensure timely ordering and stock.

BOOK INVENTORY CONTROL

• Oversee receiving, processing and organization of incoming stock, manage returns, and maintain a well-organized books storage area.
• Monitor stock levels and coordinate with merchandise teams to ensure optimal stock to meet customer demand and any requested titles from customers.
• Meet display deadlines for new arrivals.

STORE PRESENTATION

• Develop an “editorial voice” for the store in relation to books and associated merchandise appropriate to market.
• Ensure proper categorization, shelving and books arrangement.
• Develop and curate promotional displays and features (reviews, thematic tables, lists, etc.) to drive sales.
• Keep book areas organized and tidy to ensure

TEAM LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT (25% of total work)

STAFF MANAGEMENT

• Develop job descriptions and interview candidates.
• Train and mentor book specialists with ongoing training and skill development.
• Manage book staff hours and schedules.
• Conduct performance reviews and address personnel issues.

CUSTOMER AND OPERATIONAL SUPPORT (25% of total work)

CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Act as the primary Manager on Duty for the entire bookstore during assigned shifts, overseeing store-wide operations when the store manager and assistant manager are not on duty.
• Serve as a subject matter expert, greeting customers and providing knowledgeable reading recommendations.
• Understand customer needs and build trust through personalized recommendations and honest feedback.
• Serve as first point of contact for large business-to-business and business-to-school orders to identify genre and title selections.

MARKETING LIASSON

• Develop book marketing plan and work with marketing and events department to insure on time delivery of any promotion and marketing initiatives.
• Develop author and reader promotions such as author talks, book clubs and other events to foster a Tsutaya community.

EDUCATION & SKILLS:

• Bachelor’s degree (preferred) in Literature, Business, Hospitality, Library Science or related field.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in a commercial bookstore or closely related sector.
• 5 or more years in management position.
• Superior customer service ability and able to thrive in a diverse, multicultural environment.
• Experience in other retail product and lifestyle goods such as homewares and design will be given special consideration.
• Experience living or working outside of home country is helpful.
• Language: English (Fluent/Native), Japanese or Khmer helpful but not required.

OTHER DESTAILS:

• Working hours: Approximately 40-44 hours per week with some weekend work required.
• Location: Aeon Mall 1, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Reports to: This position will report to Project Lead and Store Manager
• Direct reports: 3 direct reports, plus support responsibilities for other staff in the books department and merchandising.
• Compensation: Tsutaya is offering a competitive base salary commensurate with experience.
• International Candidates: Benefits include international health insurance, Cambodian work visa sponsorship, initial flight cost compensation and one month’s housing on arrival.
• This position is open to all nationalities, but Cambodians and those of Cambodian heritage will be given special consideration. Experience and ability to lead are the primary decision factors.

APPLICATION:

Please email your CV and a cover letter demonstrating why you are the perfect person to transform our books department into the best in the region. Share at least 1 example of something you have done that helped change the trajectory of a store you worked at. If you are an international candidate, share at least one example that demonstrates you are prepared to work in Cambodia with a multinational team and client base.

Email to: jobs@urbanlivingsolutions.com

Please use the subject line: “Books are, and always shall be, my life.”

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview. If applying from outside of Cambodia, the first interview will be conducted online.