Assistant designer

Closing date: 22nd June 2025

Salary: £29,000

Department: Design

Working hours: Full-time

Location: Vauxhall, London (Hybrid post-probation)

Work closely with Walker Books' design and editorial team across a diverse and fast-paced list.

Walker Books UK is part of the vibrant international Group that includes Candlewick Press, Holiday House, Peachtree and Pixel + Ink in the USA and Walker Books Australia. Renowned for its truly original publishing and outstanding quality, the Walker Books Group is home to a wide range of children's and young adult books.

Award-winning authors and illustrators for the group include Angie Thomas, Sydney Smith, M.T Anderson, Patrick Ness, and Jon Klassen. We are also enormously proud to publish beloved family brands including Lucy Cousin’s Maisy, Michael Rosen’s We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram’s Guess How Much I Love You and Martin Handford’s Where’s Wally?

This is an exciting role to progress your design career in a supportive and highly creative environment. Within this role you will have the opportunity to work closely with the design and editorial team across a diverse and fast paced list that includes pre-school, non-fiction, gift publishing, novelty books and fiction. This role will also be involved in a broad range of tasks and projects assisting our design team at all stages of book creation.

Key responsibilities:

• Ensure the highest quality design and artwork is produced on time and to the agreed brief
• Engage with tasks and design projects as set and scheduled by the Senior Design Team
• Assist and support Senior Design Team at all stages of the design process from initial concept through to press ready files
• Respond to feedback (both technical and creative) on design work
• Monitor and report on progress to your line manager/Senior Design Team
• Check proofs accurately and efficiently
• Follow company systems of working to supply sales and other materials as required
• Manage, organise and participate in industry events, book fairs and sales trips, with support from more senior members of the team.
• Prepare projects correctly for print and reprographic requirements following company systems of working.
• Ensure awareness of new technology and practices
• Create visual assets for covers meeting and development meeting
• Carry out general office duties, such as digital filing, scanning, photocopying, etc
• Keep physical and digital artwork and resources in good order
• Adhoc tasks as required

Please note the above is not an exhaustive list and does not necessarily include all the duties the job holder may have to perform. This job description may be amended to meet changing needs of the business.

Knowledge, skills and experience

To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate evidence of the following skills and/or experience:

• A strong working knowledge of Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator
• A good understanding of design for print, including typography and reprographics
• A minimum of one year’s experience in a design environment
• A keen interest in illustration
• Ability to plan, prioritise and manage a varied workload
• Highly self-motivated
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Knowledge and enthusiasm of the children’s book publishing or media industry is not essential but would be advantageous

Why join Walker Books?

We offer:

• A supportive working environment where all voices are respected and creativity is not hierarchical
• Competitive Salaries
• Hybrid work (at least two days in the office per week) once you have successfully passed probation
• 22 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (with annual leave increasing with length of service up to 27 days)
• Enhanced Pension Scheme
• Health Insurance and Health Cash Plan
• Life Assurance
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Plus, other great benefits!

All children deserve to see themselves, their families, and their communities represented in the books they read. As children’s book publishers, it is our goal to ensure that the books and content we publish authentically and joyfully reflect the world around us. As an employer, we are committed to creating and maintaining a supportive working environment where everyone is included, valued, and empowered to do their best and most creative work. As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome candidates from all backgrounds without regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, sex, or any other characteristic protected by law and those not yet protected by law.

If you have any queries about this role or require any reasonable adjustments for your application or throughout the recruitment process, please let our team know by contacting us at recruitment@walker.co.uk.

Please note we reserve the right to close vacancies before the closing date where we have received sufficient applications. We recommend submitting your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please state in your application that you found this role through Creative Access.