Senior Production Controller in London

Department: Production

Reporting To: Production Manager, Candlewick Press

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Hours: Full Time (35 hours per week)

Location: Vauxhall, London (Hybrid Working 2 days plus in office after probation)

Closing Date: 17th June 2026

About Walker Books

Walker Books UK is part of the vibrant international Group that includes Candlewick Press, Holiday House and Peachtree in the USA and Walker Books Australia. Renowned for its truly original publishing and outstanding quality, the Walker Books Group is home to a wide range of children's and young adult books.

Award-winning authors and illustrators for the group include Angie Thomas, Sydney Smith, M.T Anderson, Patrick Ness, and Jon Klassen. We are also enormously proud to publish beloved family brands including Lucy Cousin’s Maisy, Michael Rosen’s We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram’s Guess How Much I Love You and Martin Handford’s Where’s Wally?

About the Role:

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Production Controller to join our friendly and busy Production team in London, looking after the scheduling and production of our 4-colour and 1-colour Candlewick Press titles. The successful candidate will be based from the company’s London offices at least 2 days per week.

Key responsibilities:

• Liaise with Boston office to oversee production of Candlewick frontlist and reprint titles, as assigned.
• Generate and track schedules and oversee production for assigned Candlewick-originated picture book, fiction, board book, paperback frontlist titles, from reproduction of artwork to delivery of bound books.
• Ensure company database (Biblio) is kept up to date with latest schedule status.
• Review proofs for corrections/approval for assigned titles and ensure they are circulated and returned on time to remain on schedule.
• Work with suppliers to negotiate costs where agreed scale costs are not available, select materials, and order colour scanning/reproduction and printing.
• Prepare estimates or purchase orders using group scale costs or negotiated off-scale costs, and shipping information through company database (Biblio).
• Liaise with Walker Australia offices to ensure delivery of books for their co-editions of Candlewick Press titles as applicable.
• Receive and approve advances for assigned titles, and liaise with Boston office to ensure bulk advances are distributed to the correct individuals.
• Ensure titles with play value adhere to local safety regulations, liaise with safety laboratories to conduct necessary testing and maintain internal technical files.
• Ensure invoice instructions for assigned titles are entered into company database immediately upon completion.
• Promptly review invoices, resolve any discrepancies and approve for payment.
• Inform Production Manager of any production issues related to schedule, budget or quality as they arise.

Please note the above is not an exhaustive list and does not necessarily include all the duties the job holder may have to perform. This job description may be amended to meet changing needs of the business.

Skills and Experience

To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate evidence of the following skills and/or experience:

• Significant experience managing 4-colour book production projects from pre-press through to final delivery, preferably within children's publishing.
• Solid knowledge of printing processes and binding.
• Experience managing product safety testing and compliance requirements across multiple territories is desirable.
• Must be highly motivated, proactive, detail-oriented, and possess excellent organisational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Able to handle multiple projects and tasks simultaneously and efficiently and resolve any issues positively.
• Able to develop and maintain strong working relationships with staff and suppliers.

Why join Walker Books?

We offer:

• A supportive working environment where all voices are respected and creativity is not hierarchical.
• Hybrid work (at least two days in the office per week) once you have successfully passed probation.
• 22 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (with annual leave increasing with length of service up to 27 days).
• Enhanced Pension Scheme.
• Health Insurance and Health Cash Plan.
• Life Assurance.
• Summer Hours.
• Remote working for up to two weeks per year.
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Plus, other great benefits!

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 [email protected].

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.