Academic Book Procurement & Logistics Lead

Scope of the Role:

What You’ll Own:

• Global Procurement & Sourcing

  • Build and manage a global network of suppliers including universities, libraries, wholesalers, distributors, used-book marketplaces, and academic publishers
  • Develop and execute procurement strategies to source large volumes of academic books across multiple countries efficiently and cost-effectively
  • Identify, evaluate, and onboard new sourcing partners — negotiating pricing, terms, volume commitments, and exclusivity agreements
  • Monitor market trends in academic publishing, used-book pricing, and library acquisitions to stay ahead of supply opportunities
  • Build relationships with key stakeholders across the academic ecosystem — university bookstores, library systems, remainder dealers, and secondary market platforms

  Logistics & Supply Chain Operations

  • Oversee end-to-end international logistics including freight forwarding, customs clearance, import/export compliance, and last-mile delivery
  • Manage relationships with freight carriers, customs brokers, and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) across multiple geographies
  • Design and optimize warehousing and fulfillment operations to handle large-scale book inventory across multiple locations
  • Ensure timely, cost-efficient movement of inventory while maintaining quality standards and minimizing damage or loss
  • Build contingency and risk mitigation plans for supply chain disruptions, customs delays, and carrier issues

  Inventory Management & Cataloging

  • Implement and oversee inventory management systems that track stock levels, ISBN data, condition grading, and valuation across the entire catalog
  • Ensure accurate cataloging and metadata management — ISBN, title, edition, publisher, condition — for all acquired inventory
  • Develop quality control processes for grading and processing incoming used book inventory
  • Optimize inventory turnover, reduce dead stock, and ensure fulfillment accuracy

  Vendor & Partnership Development

  • Negotiate contracts and service agreements with suppliers, logistics providers, and distribution partners
  • Build long-term strategic sourcing partnerships that provide reliable, scalable supply at competitive pricing
  • Develop performance metrics and scorecards for vendor management and ongoing evaluation
  • Identify opportunities to expand sourcing into new markets, geographies, and academic categories

You’ll Thrive in This Role If You Have:

• 10+ years of experience in used-book, academic publishing, library acquisitions, or book distribution industries
• Proven track record sourcing and procuring large volumes of academic books across multiple countries
• Strong established network with universities, libraries, wholesalers, distributors, and used-book marketplaces
• Experience with academic publishers (Pearson, McGraw-Hill, Cengage, Springer, Wiley, Elsevier)
• Background with library suppliers (Baker & Taylor, Ingram, EBSCO, ProQuest)
• Familiarity with used-book marketplaces (AbeBooks, ThriftBooks, Amazon Marketplace, Chegg, VitalSource)
• Deep expertise in international logistics, freight forwarding, customs compliance, warehousing, and supply chain operations
• Hands-on experience with inventory management systems, ISBN/cataloging, and used-book grading standards
• Proven ability to negotiate complex vendor contracts and build strategic sourcing partnerships at scale
• Experience managing cross-functional teams across procurement, logistics, and operations
• Strong analytical skills — comfortable with procurement data, inventory metrics, cost modeling, and supply chain reporting
• Ability to build from scratch — this is a builder role requiring entrepreneurial thinking and operational execution

The expected hourly salary range for this position is $35- $40 p/hour, based on experience, skills, and qualifications.