We are looking for a Designer to join the revered Penguin Press Art Department on a fixed term contract basis, working four days per week, ideally starting early March 2024.  This position will be covering a sabbatical period, working on the design of book covers.  

Joining a team of 10 and reporting into the Art Director you’ll be responsible for working on book covers across the range of imprints, as well as designing and managing a range of colour books. 

What you’ll bring  

We’re looking for someone with demonstrable interest in conceptual design, typography and text layout. You’ll have an exceptional design eye, strong communication skills and creative flair. 

You don’t need previous publishing experience, though this could be helpful, but you will need an interest in design for books and understanding trends in the book cover industry. You’ll be proficient on Mac, as well as Adobe InDesign and Photoshop, and have strong organisational skills with the ability to work to briefs and strict deadlines. 

About Penguin Press 

Penguin Press is one of the most forward-thinking and celebrated publishing houses in the industry. In our flagship non-fiction imprints Allen Lane, Pelican and Particular Books, we publish a wide range of bestselling non-fiction titles in science, politics, history, culture, psychology and poetry, as well as beautiful bespoke colour books. Penguin Press also publish and maintain the iconic Penguin Classics and Modern Classics imprints. 

Application Instructions 

Please apply with a CV and a pdf of recent work including at least five different pieces by midnight on Thursday 15th February. Please upload your pdf of recent work in place of a cover letter.  

As part of either your CV or pdf of recent work, please include a few words about your passion for design and why you’d like to join the Penguin Press Art Department.  

Please note that we will not be able to consider applications that do not follow these instructions.  

What you can expect from us  

Salary: £31,000 - £36,000 (full-time equivalent) depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus benefits.  

Competitive benefits package: Our people are the heart of our business, and we work hard to support a culture of responsibility and recognition.   

Our benefits include:  

• Financial – income protection, life assurance, childcare allowance  

• Wellbeing - healthcare cash plan, critical illness cover, health checks  

• Lifestyle – enhanced parental leave, tech scheme,   

For our full benefits list please visit: https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/what-we-offer/  

Hybrid working: We’re experimenting with a hybrid way of working that suits the needs of each team. While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role the department aims to be in the office on Mondays and Tuesdays, and perhaps one other day of the week. We’ll be happy to discuss this in more detail as part of the interview process.  

About Penguin: We’re the UK’s largest publisher; made up of some 2,000 people and publishing over 1,500 books each year. Our doors are open to all kinds of talent. In a constantly evolving industry, we work hard to stretch the definition of the word publisher. Here, you’ll work with a breadth of talent who all play their part to make each of our books a success. Together, we make books for everyone because a book can change anyone. 

The recruitment process: You can read about our recruitment process at https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/how-we-hire/  

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview.  

We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing PRHCareersUK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your request.  

Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee.  

Company: Penguin Books Limited 

Country: United Kingdom 

State/Region: London 

City: London 

Postal Code: SW1V 2SA 

Job ID: 267989