We are hiring! NEW Deputy Bookshop Manager role

12 December, 2025

Heywood Hill is one of London’s leading independent bookshops. We sell important, interesting and beautiful books to enhance people’s lives. We specialise in customer-focused literary services for readers and collectors worldwide. 

We are looking to hire a new Deputy Bookshop Manager.

Reporting to the Bookshop Manager and COO, the Deputy Bookshop Manger will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the shop. The successful applicant will have an important role in our growing business, also assisting the Bookshop Manager with the operations of our world-famous book subscription service. The successful candidate will be an experienced bookseller and manager, with commercial and customer service skills. They will also be passionate about good books in all areas. Responsible for maintaining high bookselling and shop standards, including stock management and merchandising, they will have a strong drive and great delegating, communication, and people skills, and throw themselves into this varied role. 

The Deputy Bookshop Manager will act as the first port of call in the Bookshop Manager’s absence. You will have an important role in growing the shop and its subscriptions, anticipating problems and working with the Bookshop Manager to help improve sales, processes, the customer experience, and looking after our premises and the wellbeing of our team. In short, you will be a calm and confident presence in the business. 

DETAILS

Location: Heywood Hill, 10 Curzon Street, London, W1J 5HH 

Workplace Type: On-site 

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:30am-6pm

Holiday: 20 days per year pro-rata plus public and bank holidays. We award an additional day of leave for every full year worked up to 25 days per year. 

Heywood Hill is an equal opportunities employer.

MAIN DUTIES

• Assist with the smooth running of operations in New Books, including sales and fulfilment, both on the shopfloor and for subscriptions.
• You will work with the Bookshop Manager to organise the bookselling team on a daily basis.
• Work closely with the Bookshop Manager and publishers to choose appropriate books for both our shop and subscription customers.
• Assist the Bookshop Manager with month end and stock take preparations and tasks.
• Lead on the weekly organising of stock including negative stock, damages, and returns.
• Assist the Bookshop Manager with sales monitoring, stock replenishment (including daily reordering when required), returns and damages.
• Identify and seize opportunities to increase shop and subscription sales, and build trust and rapport with all customers including existing and potential high value clients.
• Regularly meet with the Bookshop Manager to set and implement sales and fulfilment priorities.
• Be responsible for training new bookshop team members.
• Maintain high standards of visual merchandising in the shop and online.
• Set the tone for, and maintain standards of, customer service.
• Assist with corporate fulfilment and reporting on sales figures for top clients.
• Inform the Bookshop Manager of common trends in customer feedback, including complaints or possible improvements.

You may be required from time to time to undertake such other duties as the organisation may reasonably require. 

KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

We will need you to be able to demonstrate the following:

• A real love for books and considerable experience as a bookseller or in a relevant field;
• Outstanding customer service skills;
• Experience of leading a team;
• Ability to work as part of a team and to work collaboratively with the Shop Manager;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Strong commercial awareness;
• Ability to support effective retail processes and shop/ online merchandising;
• Multitasking and effectively managing the various demands that come with the role;
• Showing resilience in the role and seeking appropriate support and guidance when needed.

To apply, please send your CV and cover letter to recruitment@heywoodhill.com. 

The closing date for applications is midnight on 30 December 2025.