Senior Designer

Salary: £40,000 - £45,000

Contract Type: Permanent, Full-Time.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 10.00-18.00.

Line Manager: Head of Cataloguing

Benefits

21 days' annual leave plus bank holiday, holiday purchase scheme, staff parties, employee assistance programme, 7% employer pension contribution via a salary exchange scheme (subject to the employee making their contribution of 3%), season loan ticket, Cyclescheme, enhanced sick pay, enhanced maternity pay, enhanced paternity leave and pay, virtual GP access, seasonal flu jab voucher.

Role overview

We are on the lookout for a Senior Designer with strong project management capabilities to join our in-house team, in a dynamic, collaborative environment. If you have a passion for traditional print design and the ability to manage projects from concept to delivery, we want to hear from you.

About us

Peter Harrington has, for over half a century, specialized in fine and rare books. We regularly exhibit at leading international book and antique fairs and look to continue our growth as one of the leaders in our field.

As our business continues to expand both in the UK and internationally, we are seeking a motivated and creative designer to lead our print and digital design output.

Today, we are a team of more than 70 staff across four locations, including our newly opened New York gallery. Our expertise spans all areas of antiquarian bookselling, supported by an in-house gallery and bindery.

Key responsibilities

• Create visually compelling catalogue designs that follow brand guidelines and meet client specifications.
• Lead and manage a small design team, ensuring tasks are clearly assigned and deadlines are met.
• Oversee the company’s design process from start to finish, assigning tasks, managing team workflows, and ensuring all deadlines are met.
• Collaborate with the cataloguing team to proof designs and prepare files for print, ensuring they are print-ready and meet all necessary requirements before being sent to printers.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to produce promotional materials across both print and digital channels.
• Liaise with internal teams, external suppliers, and clients to ensure clear communication and smooth project execution.

Essential skills & qualifications

• Degree in Graphic Design (or equivalent) supported by a strong portfolio demonstrating excellent design, layout, and typographic skills.
• 6-8 years of professional experience as a graphic designer across both print and digital formats.
• Previous experience managing or mentoring a team.
• Excellent understanding of typography, layout, image handling, and visual hierarchy in print and digital formats.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, especially InDesign, with a good working knowledge of Photoshop and Illustrator.
• A background in traditional print design, with knowledge of pre-press and print production processes.
• Proactive and solution-focused, with the ability to work independently, use initiative, and confidently resolve unexpected challenges.
• Comfortable managing a varied workload across multiple print and digital outputs while coordinating with different teams and stakeholders.
• Exceptional attention to detail, with a highly organised and methodical approach to work.

Desirable, but not essential

• An interest in books, arts, or the rare/collectibles market.
• Experience of XML-to-InDesign workflow, complex document structures and automation in publishing.