Job Title: Designer (Character, Custom and Walker Entertainment)
Department: Design
Reporting To: Art Director
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: Full Time (35 hours per week)
Location: Vauxhall, London (Hybrid Working 2 days plus in office after probation)
Closing date: Tuesday 11th August 2026
About Walker Books:
Walker Books UK is part of the vibrant international Group that includes Candlewick Press, Holiday House and Peachtree in the USA and Walker Books Australia. Renowned for its truly original publishing and outstanding quality, the Walker Books Group is home to a wide range of children's and young adult books.
Award-winning authors and illustrators for the group include Angie Thomas, Sydney Smith, M.T Anderson, Patrick Ness, and Jon Klassen. We are also enormously proud to publish beloved family brands including Lucy Cousin’s Maisy, Michael Rosen’s We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram’s Guess How Much I Love You and Martin Handford’s Where’s Wally?
About the Role:
We are seeking a highly creative and organised Designer to join our fast-paced Character, Custom and Entertainment (CCE) department, working on our beloved brands, and on our innovative custom publishing to deliver a programme of profitable titles. In this role, you’ll take ownership of multiple projects from concept to completion, developing stand‑out designs that meet market and brand requirements and keeping within brief, budgets and deadlines.Working closely with the CCE Art Director, this is an exciting opportunity to help shape and build our award-winning list.
Key Responsibilities:
Working with the CCE Art Director and Design Manager, you will lead your own projects and assist as required across the following areas:
- Experienced in children’s licensed character/brand design (including in young novelty and board formats), adhering to brand guidelines and/or style guides, and with evidence of having led design projects with creativity, originality, and market appeal, initiating and driving concepts.
- Create innovative covers and interiors from initial brief through to print-ready files, managing projects independently where appropriate and with input from the Art Director as needed.
- Commission illustrators for projects, informed by awareness and monitoring of market design trends and competitor activity.
- Manage projects efficiently end-to-end, including negotiating contracts, delivering on time and within budget.
- Reliably maintain meticulous archives and workflow systems, including Biblio.
- Brief and manage projects through external freelance designers as required.
Skills and Experience Required:
- A fantastic portfolio demonstrating excellent typographic skills, creative problem-solving and experience working with established series and brands. As part of your application, we'd love to see a PDF portfolio of up to 10 pages showcasing your work.
- Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and a strong understanding of print production.
- A collaborative team player with strong communication skills.
- Demonstrable passion for children’s publishing, with strong market knowledge and awareness.
- Exceptional attention to detail applied to all tasks including updating databases.
- Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to proactively manage multiple schedules and deliver to deadline.
- Aware of the importance of diverse representation and accessible book design to make inclusive children’s books.
Why join Walker Books?
We offer:
- A supportive working environment where all voices are respected and creativity is not hierarchical
- Hybrid work (at least two days in the office per week) once you have successfully passed probation
- 22 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (with annual leave increasing with length of service up to 27 days)
- Enhanced Pension Scheme
- Health Insurance and Health Cash Plan
- Life Assurance
- Summer Hours
- Remote working for up to two weeks per year
- Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Plus, other great benefits!
All children deserve to see themselves, their families, and their communities represented in the books they read. As children’s book publishers, it is our goal to ensure that the books and content we publish authentically and joyfully reflect the world around us. As an employer, we are committed to creating and maintaining a supportive working environment where everyone is included, valued, and empowered to do their best and most creative work. As an equal opportunities’ employer, we welcome candidates from all backgrounds without regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, sex, or any other characteristic protected by law and those not yet protected by law.
If you have any queries about this role or require any reasonable adjustments for your application or throughout the recruitment process, please let our team know by contacting us at [email protected].
Please note we reserve the right to close vacancies before the closing date where we have received sufficient applications. We recommend submitting your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Designer - Character, Custom and Entertainment in London employer: Walker Books
Walker Books is an exceptional employer that fosters a supportive and inclusive work environment, where creativity thrives and every voice is valued. Located in vibrant Vauxhall, London, the company offers hybrid working options, generous annual leave, and a range of benefits including health insurance and enhanced parental pay, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful employment in children's publishing. With a commitment to employee growth and a culture that celebrates diversity, Walker Books empowers its team to produce outstanding quality literature that reflects the world around us.
