Part-Time, Temporary Senior Designer

Hachette Book Group; New York (NY); On-site; USD 57,000 - 81,000; Part time

Job summary

Workman Publishing’s children’s department is seeking a creative and collaborative Senior Designer for a part-time, temporary role shaping our list across board books, middle grade, graphic novels and activity books.

You’ll partner with editors, art directors and production teams to develop original IP and brand extensions, manage multiple projects, and deliver high‑quality layouts on a Tue/Fri schedule at $50/hour.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of design experience in book publishing.
• Strong portfolio showing design, typography, color, and storytelling.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; collaborative.
• Translate ideas into high-design interiors from direction.
• Problem-solving when a book needs TLC.
• Experience developing and designing series branding.
• Creative, curious and willing to share knowledge with teams.
• Understanding of market trends and branded covers.

Responsibilities

• Design innovative, eye-catching covers.
• Develop full interior layouts for new projects in any format.
• Develop brands and logos.
• Manage multiple book projects from start to finish with editors and production teams.
• Oversee freelance illustrators and designers.
• Prepare cover mechanicals and final print-ready files.
• Prepare galley covers and proofs.

Skills

Book design

Typography

Visual storytelling

Branding

Layout

Collaboration

Communication

Problem solving

Time management

Series branding

Tools

InDesign

Photoshop

Illustrator

Acrobat

PDF workflow

Job description

SUMMARY

Workman Publishing’s children’s department is seeking a creative and collaborative Part-Time, Temporary Senior Designerto join our dynamic team. This role will focus on developing innovative trade books for children across a wide range of formats—including board books, novelty, middle grade, graphic novels, activity books, and workbooks.

As Senior Designer, you’ll play a critical role in shaping our list by creating standout designs for both original IP and brand extensions of beloved backlist titles. You will partner closely with editors, art directors, illustrators, and production teams to bring high-quality, visually engaging books to market.

This role will be part-time, 9-5, Tuesdays and Fridays

Pay rate: $50/hour

Key responsibilities:

• Design innovative, eye-catching covers
• Ideate and develop full interior layouts for new projects in any format
• Develop brands and logo designs
• Partner with the design staff, editors, and publisher to manage multiple book projects from start to finish
• Researches and oversees freelance illustrators and designers
• Prepare cover mechanicals, from initial layout to final production (working with production mangers on materials and setup; prepress, color correction, and file setup; reviewing, correcting, and approving proofs; and providing final files for print)
• Prepare galley covers, following a similar process

Qualifications:

• At least 5-7 years of design experience, primarily focused in book publishing
• A strong portfolio demonstrating an eye for design, typography, and color, as well as sharp conceptual thinking and visual storytelling
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate on creative projects, present work, and discuss feedback in group settings
• Able to take direction from written or spoken ideas and convert them seamlessly into high-design book interior layouts
• Adept at problem-solving when a book needs some extra TLC
• Experience in developing and designing series branding
• Creativity, originality, willingness to experiment, learn, grow and share knowledge with the design and editorial teams
• Understanding of the commercial market and design trends, branded series and commercial book covers
• Proficiency in InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat
• Experience with prepress production, preparing files for 4-color printing using a PDF workflow
• Strong knowledge of typography including paragraph, character, object, and GREP styles; parent pages highly desired
• Professional experience designing and laying out long-form book interiors is required
• Knowledge of book structural elements and proofreading marks.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work quickly and independently to meet deadlines

As a leading book publisher, we believe that including and representing diverse voices in all aspects of our business is fundamental to what we do. Our publishing programs must reflect the broad range of backgrounds, experiences, political views and ideas that shape our society and publish books for all readers.

Hachette Book Group provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.