Fast Facts

Join Macmillan Children's Publishing Group as an Associate Designer to assist in creating captivating picture book designs while supporting the team with administrative tasks.

Responsibilities: Design covers and interiors for children's books, collaborate with editorial teams, manage project schedules, and research illustrators.

Skills: Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) and Google Suite, with strong knowledge of design fundamentals and typography.

Qualifications: Ideal candidates have 2+ years of design experience, a Bachelor's degree in graphic design or a related field, strong communication skills, and a passion for children's books.

Location: This position is located in New York, New York, United States and is not remote.

Compensation: $52000 - $55000 / Annually

Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group is seeking an Associate Designer to join our picture book team. This role will assist in designing covers and interiors for our children’s book imprints—Balzer + Bray, Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers, Feiwel and Friends, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, Odd Dot, and Roaring Brook Press—and provide administrative support as needed.

What you'll do:

• Working closely with the art director, conceptualize and design clever and fun picture book designs, from initial concept to the completion of the final bound book
• Design and set up mechanicals and effects plates for jackets, covers, and interiors, ensuring print-ready accuracy
• Route materials following department procedures and guidelines and typeset corrections to the jackets and interiors throughout the routing process
• Articulate concepts with polished and convincing sketch comps and present thoughtful and intentional font choices for covers and interior designs
• Collaborate directly with editorial team and other internal departments
• Deliver notes to and handle correspondence with illustrators
• Manage schedules and meet deadlines for multiple assigned projects
• Research and suggest illustrators and stay current on illustration, design, and publishing trends

What you'll bring:

• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite—with an emphasis on InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator; Google Suite, and Mac Platform.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and maintain schedules in a deadline driven environment
• Working knowledge in color theory, design fundamentals, and print production
• Exceptional portfolio displaying strong typographic skills
• Knowledge of and an interest in the book publishing industry
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• An ability to collaborate and compromise with colleagues
• Goal orientated team player who is motivated to learn from colleagues
• A passion for children’s books

Ideal Experience:

• 2+ years of related bookmaking and/or design experience with an interest in children’s books and illustration
• Applicants must submit Design Portfolio or Design Website to be considered.
• Experience with novelty format books and familiarity with licensing and branding a plus
• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design or another related field, or equivalent work experience.

This role will have an annual salary of $52k-$55k.

Macmillan Publishers is the U.S. trade company that is part of the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, a large family-owned group of media companies headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Holtzbrinck Publishing Group's publishing companies include prominent imprints around the world that publish a broad range of award-winning books for children and adults in all categories and formats.

U.S. publishers include Celadon Books, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Flatiron Books, Henry Holt & Company, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, The St. Martin's Publishing Group, and Tor Publishing Group. In the UK, Australia, India, and South Africa, companies in the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group publish under the Pan Macmillan name. The German publishing company, Holtzbrinck Deutsche Buchverlage, includes among its imprints S. Fischer, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Rowohlt, and Droemer Knaur.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are actively seeking job applicants who reflect a broad representation of differences, including race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, physical ability, neurodiversity, age, family status, economic background and status, geographical background and status, and perspective. We believe that the best companies reflect the incredible diversity in viewpoints, backgrounds, and identities of the world in their staffs, and are committed to inclusive hiring across departments and levels. The successful candidate for this position will be an employee of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.