Head of Design - Atlantic Books

Does the idea of leading Design within an award-winning independent publisher excite you? Are you an insatiable reader with a track record of creating stunning and bestselling covers for a diverse range of genres and audiences? Do you want to see your ideas, taste and aesthetic sensibilities expressed at various levels within a leading publishing house, from covers and catalogues to company storytelling? If so, we want to hear from you.

A rare and exciting opening has arisen for a full-time Head of Design at Atlantic Books. 

For the right candidate, this role offers the opportunity to manage the entire design output of covers and jackets, across a considerable breadth of fiction and non-fiction titles – from award-winning literary fiction and quality genre fiction, to serious non-fiction encompassing everything from solutions-based practical books to breakout international bestsellers in Politics, History and Ideas that drive our cultural conversation.

We are looking for a talented, creative and organised jacket designer, with at least 6 years’ experience in publishing design, and a proven track record of producing exceptional and wide-ranging book jackets that reflect current market trends and anticipate emerging ones.  With a strong portfolio of freelance contacts, applicants should have an acute understanding of how to achieve accomplished creativity to time and budget. Able to demonstrate leadership and management skills, as well as strategic and negotiation acumen, the successful candidate will also be responsible for the mentoring and development of a designer as a direct-line report.

Main duties:

• Applying creative understanding of how best to fulfil each title’s design requirements and potential, from initial brief to final refinements.
• Bringing experienced and proficient design skills to bear on the creation of jackets/covers, plus endpapers and bound proofs where applicable.
• Commissioning freelancers precisely, robustly and effectively.
• Understanding how to achieve creativity and ambition whilst staying within the budgetary requirements of an independent publisher.
• Being able to arrange and oversee occasional photo shoots using most efficient use of resources.
• Negotiating competitive fees and clearances.
• Keeping a clear oversight of the design progress and spend for each stage of every title, ensuring each stage keeps to the critical path and the company’s wider pre-press and production timeframes and needs.
• Providing management and support of a designer as direct-line report, including overseeing all workload and mentoring to ensure their continual growth and development.
• Organising and chairing the cover meeting.  Ensuring due processes are followed and communicated. 
• Ensuring all administrative/organisational aspects of jacket/cover management are achieved effectively.

Who we are:

Atlantic Books is an award-winning independent publishing house. A founding member of the Independent Alliance, Atlantic encompasses four imprints: Atlantic Books, Corvus, Allen & Unwin and Grove Press. Our authors have won every major prize, from the Man Booker to the Baillie Gifford, and our teams have an enviable track record in terms of industry awards. Based in London’s historic Bloomsbury, we operate core hours of 10am-4pm; flexible working around these parameters can be discussed in the interview process.

Benefits to working at Atlantic include the following:

• A minimum of 23 days’ holiday per year excluding bank holidays, rising to 25 after two years
• Two volunteer days a year
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free eye tests and flu vaccinations
• Pension scheme
• The option to apply for private health insurance
• Mentoring and network opportunities within the Independent Alliance

We offer equal opportunities regardless of gender, race, faith, socio-economic background, age, disability, sexual orientation, and national origin, and by doing so, aim to reflect the world around us. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments during the interview process.

More information available on request. Please email your CV, a covering letter and a selection of up to 5 covers that you feel best represents your work to our Managing Director drummondmoir@atlantic-books.co.uk

Closing Date: Tuesday 30th April 2024

Salary: competitive and commensurate with experience

Location: 26-27 Boswell Street, London WC1N 3JZ