Job Description Apply now Project Designer, Junior Fiction - DK Plus

Do you love creating imaginative, eye‑catching designs that bring stories to life? Are you inspired by fictional worlds with a twist, and the challenge of turning a great idea into a beautifully illustrated book?

If so, DK Plus is looking for a skilled and experienced Project Designer to join our growing Fiction team. You will work on a diverse range of titles including licensed fiction collaborations with LEGO, Minecraft and other exciting brands, as well as picture books, graphic novels and illustrated chapter fiction. Our list is expanding rapidly and we are looking for someone who can bring expertise, fresh ideas and a collaborative spirit to help shape its future.

We are looking for a resourceful, versatile mid-weight designer who can run multiple projects from concept to completion, commissioning and briefing illustrators, overseeing artwork, liaising with licensors and working closely with editorial partners. While some hands-on design will be part of the role, the main focus will be on creative direction, problem solving and ensuring every book meets the highest standards in style, quality and storytelling.

We are looking for a proactive designer who loves Fiction, is confident handling relationships with freelancers and licensors, and enjoys working as part of a supportive, creative team. An interest in Non‑fiction would be a bonus.

Your responsibilities:

• Commissioning and briefing freelance illustrators, designers and other creatives
• Overseeing artwork across mono and full colour formats
• Collaborating with your editorial partner to shape content, create flatplans and develop visual styling
• Designing covers and spreads where required, from templates to final artwork
• Managing budgets, schedules and workflows to deliver projects on time and to the highest quality
• Attending title reviews and team meetings
• Building strong relationships with licensors and freelancers
• Supporting the Senior Designer and sharing skills, knowledge and ideas with the wider team

You should have:

• Proven experience as a Fiction designer, ideally with picture book or graphic novel projects
• Confident commissioning and briefing skills, with experience guiding illustrators and creatives
• Strong typography and layout skills, with proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop)
• A positive, problem‑solving mindset and a team‑focused approach
• Experience managing multiple projects and delivering to deadlines
• Experience with project management tools such as Asana is advantageous but not essential

This role is office‑based for at least three days per week. Tuesday and Wednesday are team in‑office days, with your third day ideally between Monday and Thursday.

If you are ready to bring your creative expertise and passion for Fiction to DK Plus, please submit a PDF portfolio of your best work, your CV and a covering letter explaining why you think you’re right for the role by midnight on 15 March. Applications without a PDF portfolio will not be considered.

We are eager to see your own unique voice and talent, not the words generated by an AI tool. Please refrain from using AI in this application.

Closing date for applications: Sunday 15 March 2026

Salary: £38,000 depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits

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
• Cycle to work scheme and discounted gym membership
• Shopping discounts
• Flex Fridays (1pm Finish*)
• Up to 30 days remote working from abroad*

*Subject to certain criteria being met.

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. This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in our Pimlico office. As this is non-negotiable, please ensure you are within a reasonable commuting distance of London before applying.

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