Description:
Candlewick Press seeks a Senior Designer to join our award-winning children's book art department. As a member of the in-house design team, this role is responsible for all aspects of the design and production of children's trade books, across all genres. The senior designer works closely with creative and art directors, editors, production controllers and artists to produce high-quality children's books, focusing on non-fiction, fiction, graphic novels, and customized versions of our books for retail customers.
Responsibilities:
- Conceptualize and execute the design of book interiors, jackets and covers across all genre (including customized versions of our books, covers and jackets, and box sets for retail customers) under the supervision of the Executive Creative Director and/or the Executive Art Director
- Follow our aesthetic, design standards and house styles
- Contribute to the illustrator and photography selection process through active awareness and interest in photographers, artists, art styles; as well as contemporary picture book design and fiction cover design
- Work closely with art directors, illustrators, editors and production controllers throughout the bookmaking process
- Manage all schedules and be the main contact for all assigned projects
- Proactively circ all stages of projects following customized schedules
- Collaborate with the production department to identify potential art reproduction issues and approve color proofs with attention to the reproduction quality of the original art
- Coordinate with Proprietary Sales, Editorial, Production, and Graphic Production departments to establish and adhere to schedules from design concept, through completion of projects on deadline
- Maintaining a current sense of design trends and familiarity with target audiences to understand consumer needs and preferences
- Advocate for the illustrator in regards to how their art is represented and reproduced; as well as being responsible for the proper treatment and handling of the art
- Mentor junior design staff when applicable
- Attend all relevant meetings related to the design and production of assigned projects
- Provide color mock ups at weekly covers meetings
- Attend pub meetings and report on status of projects
- Follow workflow guidelines for creating PDFs to be accessed at key stages by the sales, marketing and the foreign rights departments
- Other tasks as needed