Senior Designer - DK Travel

Are you a creative, organised and imaginative Book Designer with a passion for travel? DK Travel is seeking a Senior Designer to join our team. 

We are looking for someone who can project manage our series and speciality titles. These include our Travel Guides, Top 10s, Like a Local and Road Trips series. As well as one off speciality guides such as Europe by Train and North Coast 500.

This requires expertly managing multiple projects at various stages of development and working closely with our colleagues in London and Delhi. 

The ideal candidate will have a strong design sensibility, highly organised and a keen eye for detail and quality control. You will be expected to work to agreed templates and style guides for the series, ensuring they are used effectively and be confident in giving constructive feedback. You will have the ability to create visually stunning layouts for our specialty guides and will confidently present your ideas to stakeholders. Working closely with the Managing Art Editor to shape the creative vision of our expanding series and speciality titles.

This role is for you if you thrive in a collaborative environment, enjoy mentoring junior members of the team, and are eager to explore innovative approaches to design. You will be an expert at juggling multiple projects, take ownership of your work, and be passionate about delivering the highest quality design.

Some key responsibilities include:

• Having full oversight and project management of the series titles
• Maintaining quality across all of the series titles
• Providing constructive feedback on layouts and jackets
• Briefing picture researchers and organising and commissioning photoshoots
• Picture research, when required
• Taking on full ownership and management of speciality guide projects
• Leading the creation of mood boards and styling for speciality guides
• Presenting ideas and concepts to key stakeholders
• Briefing design freelancers and sourcing and commissioning illustrations
• Mentoring junior members of the team

To succeed, you will be well-organised, market-aware, and possess a solid publishing background with experience in project management, picture research and sourcing and commissioning photography. Your strong verbal and written communication skills will be essential, along with the ability to produce eye-catching designs. Previous experience in Lifestyle or Travel publishing is highly desirable.

In return, you will have the opportunity to work within a truly collaborative and global business where you have the freedom to make a real impact. This role is currently office-based for a minimum of three days a week, as part of DK’s hybrid working approach.

If you are ready to elevate your design career at DK Travel and lead our publications in a new direction, we want to hear from you. To apply, please upload your portfolio, most recent CV and a cover letter to be considered. We will only consider applications with a pdf of your design portfolio with publishing design examples.

We want to see what represents you, so please include your most recent and proudest work in your portfolio submission.

We want to learn about you, so in your cover letter, please include the following:

• Why do you want to work at DK and DK Travel in particular? 
• What design trends have you seen emerging in Travel book publishing, particularly in series guides?
• What are 3 non-DK travel books you think contain inspiring and/or successful design and why? 

Closing date for applications: 2nd March 2025

We have a range of benefits to reflect our commitment to our people, some of which are:

• 25 days paid holiday entitlement in year one, plus bank holidays
• Generous pension scheme
• Volunteering policy and charity matching
• Employee assistance programme
• 60% discount on company books
• Cycle to work scheme and discounted gym membership
• Flex Fridays (1pm Finish*)
• Shopping discounts 
• Up to 30 days remote working from abroad

And we plant a tree for every new employee to our business

DK is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the varied communities that read our books across the world. We encourage applications from all individuals, regardless of age, religion, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or social background. DK is proud to announce that we have adopted The Halo Code.

DK is a member of the disability confident scheme. We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies.

DK supports flexible working and has introduced a new ‘smart-working’ policy with a hybrid approach of working weekly from home and in DK’s office.

The Book Trade Charity offers financial support to people looking to enter the book trade, but who may struggle to afford the costs of attending interviews or undertaking internships. For more information, visit www.booktradeentrysupport.org

*Subject to certain criteria being met.
              

About our Company: 

We believe in the power of discovery. That's why we create books for everyone that explore ideas and nurture curiosity about the world we live in. From first words to the Big Bang, from the wonders of nature to city adventures, you will find expert knowledge, hours of fun and endless inspiration in the pages of our books. 

We are the world's leading illustrated publisher and a member of the Penguin Random House division of Bertelsmann, creating cutting-edge design and stunning visual books for the whole family. We are passionate about inspiring curiosity and bring people to books through their thirst for knowledge. With a global book loving community of over 800 colleagues in the UK, US, Germany, India, China, Spain and Australia, we produce books in over 100 countries and over 60 languages. Find out more on dk.com.

Company: Dorling Kindersley Limited 

Country: United Kingdom 

State/Region: London 

City: London 

Postal Code: SW1V 2SA 

Job ID: 277398