Head of Logistics in London

Are you an experienced logistics professional looking to take the next step in your career? We are looking for a Head of Logistics to lead our small but highly effective team and oversee the smooth, cost-effective distribution of Walker titles across the UK, as well as Walker Books Group titles in international markets. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who thrives in a busy, fast-moving environment and enjoys improving processes, managing relationships, and driving operational excellence across the supply chain.

What you will be doing:

• You will take ownership of distribution, inventory management, and reporting, while supporting major business initiatives and ensuring our partners and teams have what they need to succeed.
• Leading our relationship with our distributor HarperCollins, you will manage and develop the Logistics team, and work closely with Production, Sales, and sister companies (including Walker Books Australia) to keep our supply chain running smoothly.
• Other responsibilities include overseeing key areas such as inventory planning, title safety, embargoed releases, major customer orders, and the onboarding of new 3rd-party distribution clients, while continually improving systems and processes across the function.
• You will also take responsibility for core inventory tasks—managing reprints, promotions, overstock processes, stock checks, and title information.
• Alongside this, you will produce and analyse reports using Excel and distributor data, keep internal teams informed with accurate insights, support our distributors IT systems training, and ensure timely delivery of all inventory reporting.

What you will bring:

• Strong knowledge and proven experience in book publishing distribution.
• A track record of managing multiple complex projects and prioritising effectively.
• Sound commercial awareness and confidence in negotiation and risk assessment.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build positive working relationships across teams and with external partners.
• Experience managing and developing people.
• The ability to balance long-term strategic goals with day-to-day operational delivery.
• A track record of driving continuous improvement in processes and systems.
• A steady, solution-oriented approach in time-sensitive situations.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong numeracy and analytical capability.
• Experience with distribution systems (Horizon, CDS are an advantage).
• A clear understanding of UK children's book market trends and competitor benchmarks.

All children deserve to see themselves, their families, and their communities represented in the books they read. As children's book publishers, it is our goal to ensure that the books and content we publish authentically and joyfully reflect the world around us. As an employer, we are committed to creating and maintaining a supportive working environment where everyone is included, valued, and empowered to do their best and most creative work. As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome candidates from all backgrounds without regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, sex, or any other characteristic protected by law and those not yet protected by law.

If you have any queries about this role or require any reasonable adjustments for your application or throughout the recruitment process, please let our team know by contacting us at recruitment@walker.co.uk.

Please note we reserve the right to close vacancies before the closing date where we have received sufficient applications. We recommend submitting your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.