Fiction designer

Closing date for applications: 13 October 2025

Salary: £29,000 - £32,600 p.a.

Bring your design experience to Bloomsbury and create eye-catching covers for a vibrant range of children's fiction titles.

Bloomsbury Children’s are looking to recruit a talented fiction designer to join their children’s design team. We are looking to recruit a designer who has experience of designing fiction covers and integrated illustrated interiors from initial concepts to final print-ready files. The Bloomsbury children’s fiction list is varied in both subject and age range: we publish young illustrated titles, graphic novels, middle grade and YA, epic fantasy adventures, funny stories, love stories and real-life drama, with a focus on brilliant story-telling for all audiences. We are looking for a designer with enthusiasm, flair and meticulous attention to detail, who is excited by this range of content. This position will give the opportunity to learn, develop and refine their design skills, under the direction and mentoring of an experienced senior team leader.

The designer will be responsible for their own assigned projects and will be responsible for their delivery on time and to budget. They may also be required see through projects on behalf of their seniors, and to take on projects within an established series. The role will report to the fiction art director.


Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver projects from initial designs to final print-ready files under direction of senior members of the team
• Ensure projects are delivered on critical path, print schedule and to budget
• Adapt covers to secondary formats including paperback and audio
• Manage reprint updates for the fiction list
• Interpret briefs and propose considered illustrator selections for projects
• Liaise with agents and illustrators to deliver packages that meet the brief
• Negotiate fees within agreed budgets and draft templated agreements for illustrators
• On-boarding Freelancers
• Biblio admin for the fiction team (training given)
• Working within a team, with shared objectives of delivering quality publishing that meets the needs of the audience and the market
• Maintaining excellent working relationships with illustrators and agents
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues from other departments, especially editorial and production, to ensure effective communications and efficient workflows

Knowledge, skills & experience

• Relevant experience in graphic design, publishing design, or illustration — whether gained through formal education (e.g. BA, HND) or practical, hands-on work
• Proven professional experience in the relevant field of design
• Proven design experience in cover and integrated (illustration/text) interior page layout
• Proficient in all creative suite programmes: InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator
• Able to supply digital files for print, including finishes
• Solid knowledge of 4 colour and mono printing processes
• Strong, clear, confident communicator
• Practical, highly organised and ambitious to deliver the very best results
• Committed to maintaining our high standards of quality and integrity
• Strong awareness of the children’s fiction market and the role of design in commercial success

Additional information

The role is a full-time and permanent. The role is based at our London office 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP on a hybrid-working pattern of 2 days office based / 3 days home based. The office days for this role are: Monday and Tuesday. Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

Please apply with a CV, covering letter and a digital portfolio pdf showing your current work addressed to Human Resources (Word or PDF format only) via the ‘Apply’ button detailing how you meet the requirements outlined above for this role by 13th October 2025. For best results, please use a desktop to apply as some mobile browsers may not fully support the application portal. Bloomsbury reserve the right to close the role early if we exceed the required number of applications.


Bloomsbury Benefits

As well as a fantastic opportunity to join a global award-winning organisation, Bloomsbury offers the following competitive benefits package:

• Hybrid working pattern of: 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred)
• 25 days holiday and 3.5 days Christmas company holiday
• Two paid Personal Wellness Days
• Flexible Fridays – take Friday afternoon off by working an additional 3 hours and 30 minutes earlier in the week
• Work Anywhere Fortnight - For two weeks of any calendar year. The minimum period for Working Anywhere is one week, the maximum period is two weeks.
• Season Ticket Loan
• Share Save Scheme
• AXA Healthcare Plan (Private Medical Insurance)
• Peppy Health App
• In-house Doctor
• Eye Care Voucher Scheme

Company culture – Employee Voice Meetings, Staff Networks (Bloom, Accessibility, Mental Health, Pride, and Parents, Guardians and Carers, Multi-Faith) and Mental Health First Aiders trained across the UK offices, Publishing Events and access to free Publishing Resources.

Bloomsbury is a place where anyone of any background, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender identity, age, ability, or socio-economic status can thrive, feel comfortable, and be heard and accepted. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please flag to the recruitment team if required.

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