at least three days per week in office and up to two remote. In-office requirements may change with business needs. Kidsbooks Publishing creates creative children’s books and educational products to spark curiosity, inspire learning, and support meaningful moments as children grow. Our mission is to foster a lifelong love of reading and learning, and each product is designed to support parent and child interactions. We develop products for libraries, schools, and for major U.
S. retail and e-commerce channels, including Costco, Sam’s Club, Amazon, TJ Maxx, Ross, Burlington, Walmart, Target, and Cracker Barrel. Report to the Creative Director and lead day-to-day art direction and design execution for children’s books and novelty publishing products. The Art Director is the operational creative leader for the design team: translating the Creative Director’s vision into clear briefs, assigning and reviewing work, mentoring designers, maintaining visual continuity, and ensuring projects move efficiently from concept through production. Day-to-day creative leadership Translate the Creative Director’s approved vision, brand standards, and product priorities into actionable briefs, design direction, templates, and review criteria. Direct and mentor Children’s Book Designers; Conduct routine design reviews and resolve day-to-day creative and technical decisions within established direction; elevate significant creative, brand, or product decisions to the Creative Director. Maintain accountability for the quality, consistency, and timeliness of designer deliverables before they reach Creative Director review. Develop series design systems and templates that establish consistent typography, composition, color, illustration style, covers, interiors, and packaging.



Art direction and product development Develop detailed illustration briefs and guide illustrators from sketches through final artwork. Collaborate with the Creative Director on new concepts, visual direction, illustrator selection, line reviews, and major design decisions. Support development of novelty and specialty formats, ensuring design solutions work with mechanisms, materials, embellishments, packaging, and manufacturing requirements. Partner with Editorial on content, age appropriateness, storytelling, and design requirements. Partner with Production on templates, dielines, materials, mechanisms, specialty finishes, proofs, manufacturing constraints, corrections, and schedules. Partner with Sales and Marketing on channel requirements, product presentation, retailer needs, competitive positioning, and promotional assets. Help prioritize design work and track milestones across a high-volume publishing program. Production and quality Review layouts, production files, prototypes, and proofs for design quality, consistency, and technical accuracy; coordinate corrections with Designers and Production. Identify creative or production risks early and bring solutions or clear recommendations to the Creative Director and appropriate cross-functional partners. 10+ years of professional design experience in children’s publishing, including demonstrated art direction and leadership of designers or creative projects.



~ Outstanding portfolio showing children’s book covers, interior design, cohesive series, brand continuity, packaging, and novelty formats. ~ Expert proficiency in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat, with strong hands-on design and production skills. ~ Strong command of typography, composition, color, illustration, visual storytelling, and age-appropriate design. ~ Experience developing art briefs, selecting illustration styles, and collaborating with illustrators and outside creative partners. ~ Ability to manage multiple projects, provide useful feedback, and balance creative quality with deadlines, budgets, manufacturability, and retail requirements. ~ Strong communication and collaboration skills across Creative, Editorial, Production, Sales, Marketing, and Operations. Chicago-based full-time position with a hybrid schedule of at least three days per week in the office and up to two remote; in-office requirements may change with business needs. Collaborative, approachable leader whom the Creative Director and Designers can rely on for clear direction and practical problem-solving. Strong creative judgment, attention to detail, and a practical approach to solving problems. Comfortable giving and receiving feedback, making recommendations, and working within an established creative vision. Proactive communicator who flags risks early and keeps cross-functional partners informed. Experience working directly with printers and manufacturers, including overseas manufacturing partners. ~ Experience improving creative workflows, templates, and review processes in a high-volume publishing environment. ~ Performance Incentive: Eligible for an annual performance-based incentive pla

📌 Art Director- Kidsbooks Publishing (Thorold)
🏢 Book Depot
📍 Thorold