We are seeking an experienced Children’s Book Designer with at least 5 years in children’s publishing, with a strong emphasis on novelty formats (lift-the-flap, touch-and-feel, pop-ups, die-cuts, sliders, sound books, interactive elements, and other tactile innovations) — while also being capable of designing across a broad range of traditional children’s book formats.
This role is ideal for a designer who loves both creative exploration and commercial problem-solving — someone who is passionate about making beautiful, engaging, and successful products for kids, while understanding the realities of cost, manufacturing, and retail performance.
You will work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial company that operates remotely across the U.S. and U.K., while your role will be based in our new NYC design studio with a minimum of three in-office days per week. In this hybrid structure, you will collaborate closely with editorial, production, sales, and manufacturing colleagues across multiple time zones (largely East Coast based) — to bring innovative products to market.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Concept, design, and execute children’s book and novelty product projects from ideation through final production
Create compelling cover designs, interior layouts, and novelty mechanisms that balance aesthetic excellence with manufacturability and cost efficiency
Collaborate closely with editorial, production, and sales teams to align creative direction with market needs
Translate brand strategy into strong visual systems across series and product lines
Rapidly iterate on designs based on feedback, testing, and sales data
Stay current on trends in children’s publishing, toy design, and novelty mechanics
Work effectively in a remote environment while maintaining strong communication and accountability
Develop design solutions that work across multiple retail channels, including:
Clubs (Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s)
Mass market (big-box retailers, national chains)
Value publishing (cost-sensitive, high-volume formats)
Amazon-first products (thumbnail impact, differentiation, and packaging performance)
Fairs (Scholastic, book fairs, subscription channels)
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & SKILLS
5+ years professional experience in children’s publishing design
Expert-level proficiency in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
Working knowledge of print production, die-lines, and manufacturing constraints
Ability to balance creativity with commercial thinking
Proven portfolio demonstrating: Strong novelty book design
Series development
Packaging and cover design
Print production knowledge
Hands‑on experience designing for:
Clubs
Mass market retail
Value publishing
Amazon
School fairs
MINDSET & WORK STYLE
The ideal candidate is: Self‑motivated — drives work forward without constant oversight
Goal‑oriented — cares about results, deadlines, and impact
Passionate about creating — genuinely loves making great products for kids
Curious about what makes products successful — seeks to understand winning formulas
Objective, balanced, and fact‑based in design thinking
Comfortable with ambiguity and shifting priorities
Thrives in a fast‑paced environment
Communicates clearly and proactively in a remote‑first company
WORK STRUCTURE
Required in‑office presence in NYC at least 3 days per week
Collaborative culture across time zones and teams
Fast‑moving pipeline with multiple projects running simultaneously
NICE TO HAVE (BONUS SKILLS)
Experience working with overseas printers and manufacturers
Background in launching Amazon‑first products
History of building and maintaining visual brands across product lines
Strong line review and editing skills that help maintain brand, format continuity, and quality across series and product lines
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This role is ideal for a designer who loves both creative exploration and commercial problem-solving — someone who is passionate about making beautiful, engaging, and successful products for kids, while understanding the realities of cost, manufacturing, and retail performance.
You will work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial company that operates remotely across the U.S. and U.K., while your role will be based in our new NYC design studio with a minimum of three in-office days per week. In this hybrid structure, you will collaborate closely with editorial, production, sales, and manufacturing colleagues across multiple time zones (largely East Coast based) — to bring innovative products to market.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Concept, design, and execute children’s book and novelty product projects from ideation through final production
Create compelling cover designs, interior layouts, and novelty mechanisms that balance aesthetic excellence with manufacturability and cost efficiency
Collaborate closely with editorial, production, and sales teams to align creative direction with market needs
Translate brand strategy into strong visual systems across series and product lines
Rapidly iterate on designs based on feedback, testing, and sales data
Stay current on trends in children’s publishing, toy design, and novelty mechanics
Work effectively in a remote environment while maintaining strong communication and accountability
Develop design solutions that work across multiple retail channels, including:
Clubs (Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s)
Mass market (big-box retailers, national chains)
Value publishing (cost-sensitive, high-volume formats)
Amazon-first products (thumbnail impact, differentiation, and packaging performance)
Fairs (Scholastic, book fairs, subscription channels)
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & SKILLS
5+ years professional experience in children’s publishing design
Expert-level proficiency in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
Working knowledge of print production, die-lines, and manufacturing constraints
Ability to balance creativity with commercial thinking
Proven portfolio demonstrating: Strong novelty book design
Series development
Packaging and cover design
Print production knowledge
Hands‑on experience designing for:
Clubs
Mass market retail
Value publishing
Amazon
School fairs
MINDSET & WORK STYLE
The ideal candidate is: Self‑motivated — drives work forward without constant oversight
Goal‑oriented — cares about results, deadlines, and impact
Passionate about creating — genuinely loves making great products for kids
Curious about what makes products successful — seeks to understand winning formulas
Objective, balanced, and fact‑based in design thinking
Comfortable with ambiguity and shifting priorities
Thrives in a fast‑paced environment
Communicates clearly and proactively in a remote‑first company
WORK STRUCTURE
Required in‑office presence in NYC at least 3 days per week
Collaborative culture across time zones and teams
Fast‑moving pipeline with multiple projects running simultaneously
NICE TO HAVE (BONUS SKILLS)
Experience working with overseas printers and manufacturers
Background in launching Amazon‑first products
History of building and maintaining visual brands across product lines
Strong line review and editing skills that help maintain brand, format continuity, and quality across series and product lines
#J-18808-Ljbffr