Design Manager

THAMES & HUDSON; London; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in publishing seeks two talented Design Managers to oversee the design execution of award-winning illustrated books. The roles involve managing teams, ensuring high-quality design standards, and collaborating across departments. Ideal candidates will have strong leadership skills and a passion for graphic design.

Benefits

28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Profit share scheme

Interest-free loan for rent deposit

Discounts on T&H books

Generous pension contributions

Employee Assistance Program

Cycle to Work Scheme

Free entry into museums and galleries

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing and developing designers.
• Portfolio demonstrating high-quality illustrated book design.
• Strong technical knowledge of typography and layout.

Responsibilities

• Oversee execution of page layouts and covers.
• Manage a team of in-house designers and freelance designers.
• Collaborate with Editorial, Production, and Sales teams.

Skills

Organisational skills

Leadership

Attention to detail

Communication

Problem-solving

Graphic design

Tools

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Job description

• Full-time, permanent
• Based in Central London
• Salary: £42,000 – £45,000 per annum, depending on experience
• Closing date: 8 June 2025

Thames & Hudson (T&H) publishes beautiful books that open doors onto all aspects of culture. We are seeking two talented Design Managers to join our Design team—one for the ‘Trade’ division, and one for our for ‘Core’ programme. These key roles will oversee the design execution of our award-winning illustrated books and manage a wide range of exciting projects.

The T&H Trade Division includes our prestigious Art, History and Music lists and a wide range of books (and gifts) on contemporary culture. Noteworthy examples of T&H Trade publications would include ‘Led by Donkeys’, ‘Hockney Pictures’, ‘How Painting Happens’, landmark forthcoming books on Iron Maiden and Oasis, as well as the game ‘Queen of Arts’.

T&H’s Core programme, whose titles across Architecture, Design, Photography, Fashion and Digital Culture, among other areas, target specific audiences and interest groups. The programme ranges from high-end fashion-brand collaborations to books on videogames, from architecture, graphic-design and photography monographs with leading international figures to considered visual surveys of contemporary topics and trends.

The Roles

We are looking for candidates with excellent organisational and leadership skills, a sharp eye for detail, and a commitment to delivering high-quality design on schedule and within budget.

Applications will be considered for both roles. Although we’ll explore at interview stage where each candidate’s strengths are best aligned, please do tell us of your preferences or strengths in your cover letter.

As a Design Manager, you will:

• Oversee the execution of page layouts and covers, ensuring they are audience-appropriate, visually distinctive, and meet Thames & Hudson’s renowned standards.
• Manage a small team of in-house designers, providing feedback, support, and ensuring workloads are balanced and deadlines are met.
• Commission and manage a wide network of freelance designers, setting clear expectations and ensuring projects run smoothly, on time, and within budget.
• Collaborate closely with Editorial, Production, Sales, and Rights teams to keep projects on track and resolve issues as they arise.
• Represent the Design department at key meetings, bringing detailed knowledge of project status, schedules, and requirements.
• Maintain awareness of design standards, production requirements, and market expectations, ensuring best practices are followed across all projects.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Proven experience managing, mentoring, and developing junior and mid-level designers.
• A portfolio demonstrating high-quality illustrated book design, ideally within art, design, fashion, architecture, lifestyle, history, popular culture, gifts, or games.
• Strong technical knowledge of typography, layout, and print production, with expert-level Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator skills.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, stakeholders, and deadlines effectively.
• Clear and confident communication, with the ability to coordinate across departments and present progress updates.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach, with the ability to manage shifting priorities without compromising on quality.
• A passion for delivering best-in-class graphic design.
• You are highly organised, pragmatic, and take pride in seeing projects through to completion.
• You know how to support your team, keep projects running smoothly, and ensure the delivery of consistently excellent work across every stage of the process.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK

At Thames & Hudson, we believe that employing a diverse workforce is essential to our success. Selection decisions are based on applicants’ experience and skills. We welcome applications from everyone, irrespective of age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, race, religion, or belief.

We operate a hybrid working model, with the expectation that team members work from the office at least three days per week. We have recently moved into a brand-new, purpose-designed office located a few minutes’ walk from King’s Cross station.

To apply, please send your CV, portfolio and cover letter to Sophie Castle by an email. Use the cover letter to address how you meet the requirements listed in Knowledge, Skills and Experience above. You can also identify whether you have a preference for our Trade or Core lists. The deadline for applications is 8 June 2025.

In addition to working with a highly talented and creative group of people, we offer:

• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Profit share scheme
• Interest-free loan for a rent deposit or season travel tickets
• Discounts off our lovely T&H books and co-editions
• Generous pension contributions
• Employee Assistance Program
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Free entry into hundreds of museums and galleries, nationwide

And more!