Design Director

Design Director

Reports to: Sr Creative Director

Department: Product Development

Highlights for Children, a family media brand that has been nurturing children with excellent, wholesome, and innovative products for more than 75 years, reaches over two million children every month throughout the world. Our wide variety of "Fun with a Purpose" magazines and books are dedicated to helping children become their best selves-creative, curious, caring, and confident.

The Design Director of Books & Consumer Products, along with the Design Director of Subscription Business, shapes the aesthetic of products across the consumer brand. They lead their design team and work closely with editors, illustrators, and freelance designers and packagers. They too are responsible for designing product. Additionally, they support the VP of Innovation in developing proprietary and licensed products.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the management of staff designers to execute the design of a wide range of books, activity kits, and other products within the Highlights consumer brand
• Responsible for designing product, alongside staff, freelancers and packagers, in order to meet the needs and timing of our list.
• Works closely with the Design Director of Subscriptions and VP of Innovation in developing needed additions to the brand style guide, to ensure a shared, brand-aligned editorial sensibility across all product lines and platforms.
• Present concepts to executives, sales and marketing teams. Pitch concepts, designs, and strategies to these stakeholders, ensuring that the creative vision aligns with their expectations and goals.
• Facilitate team collaboration. The Design Director encourages open communication and idea-sharing among team members, facilitating brainstorming sessions, and promoting cross-functional collaboration.
• Maintains a strong stable of freelance illustrators, designers, and packagers. Hires and oversees the work of freelance design.
• Oversee creative team budgets, timelines and workloads for efficient and timely completion of projects

Requirements

Education: Masters Degree or equivalent Bachelors + Experience

Experience:

• 8+ years experience in a related role, including the management of full time staff.
• Expert design skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Superior portfolio demonstrating design across all aspects of children's books and products
• Proven track record in design of covers and interiors for all types of children's books, including activity books, board books, nonfiction and picture books
• Demonstrated skills designing within brand guidelines
• Excellent skills in the Adobe CS Suite and InDesign, with ability to learn our existing software systems (Censhare, Workfront, Connect Fonts and the DAMs)
• Self-motivated and able to manage a large workload in a fast-paced, creative, and constantly changing environment