Peak Seasoned: Kieran Bourke, International Carrier Manager
Published: 30 October 2025
Welcome back to Peak Seasoned, our behind-the-scenes series exploring how different teams across J&J Global Fulfilment prepare for the busiest time of the year.
In this episode, we speak to Kieran Bourke, International Carrier Manager, about how his team keeps deliveries running smoothly when order volumes reach their peak, and why strong partnerships with carriers are key to maintaining a seamless experience for our clients and their customers.
In this article
The Role of Carrier Management
As order volumes rise, the Carrier Management team becomes the crucial link between our fulfilment centres and the end customer. Every order picked, packed and dispatched relies on a carrier to complete the journey.
Kieran explains that this connection is what makes the team’s role so pivotal during Peak. The operational excellence within the fulfilment centres can only go so far without reliable carrier performance. “Without the carrier, the end-to-end experience is spoiled,” he says.
The Carrier Management Team’s partnership with our carriers ensures that customers receive the same high standard of service at Peak as they would at any other time of year.
Preparing for Peak
Preparation for Peak begins months before sales come online and volume increases. Kieran and his team start by reviewing performance across all carrier partners and confirming that each has the capacity and resilience to handle increased demand.
The focus is on working with proven carriers, those with years of experience managing high seasonal volumes. Forecasting plays a major role, too, with projected order numbers translated into expected vehicle capacity.
Scenario planning then tests every assumption. What happens if a depot closes? How quickly can volumes be rerouted elsewhere? By the time Peak arrives, every contingency is covered. “We plan for every possibility,” says Kieran, “so when the unexpected happens, we can pivot.”
Managing Bottlenecks and Maintaining Flow
When networks are under pressure, bottlenecks can occur. Kieran’s team monitors data from across the carrier network to identify any signs of strain early.
They track scan times at carrier hubs and compare performance against agreed service levels. If something looks off, the team acts fast, liaising directly with carrier leadership to add capacity, move traffic through different routes, or inject directly into another hub.
For Kieran, it’s this agility that makes the difference. “We can’t control everything, but we can control our visibility and our response,” he says.
Protecting the Customer Experience
While the Carrier Management team’s work is deeply operational, its impact is felt most by the end customer. Kieran sees the team’s role as an extension of the fulfilment centre, ensuring that the customer journey remains seamless from checkout to doorstep.
“As an eCommerce customer myself, if I receive something late or damaged, I don’t care where the issue happened,” he says. “It’s the overall experience that matters.”
Agility and Partnership
Years of experience across different logistics environments have shown Kieran what sets J&J apart. It’s the combination of autonomy and partnership that allows his team to build genuine relationships with carriers.
Throughout the year, J&J collaborates on joint initiatives and process improvements, creating trust long before Peak begins. “Because we’ve worked with carriers on their own projects, they’re more likely to go the extra mile for us when it counts,” Kieran explains.
It’s an approach that not only helps navigate the busiest season but also strengthens the entire delivery network for the year ahead.
The Atmosphere at Peak
Across J&J’s fulfilment centres and partner networks, there’s a shared energy that builds as volumes rise.
“There’s a real sense of camaraderie,” he says. “Everyone’s working hard towards the same goal, and when you see the results come through, it’s incredibly rewarding.”
Hear From Our Other Leaders
If you’d like to watch conversations with J&J leaders from the People and Tech teams, check out our interviews with Clara Buckingham, Chief People Officer, and Alex Sims, Solution Architect & Sr. Software Engineer, respectively.
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