Art Director - Romance

Sourcebooks•Naperville, IL

2d•$70,000 - $80,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Our Romance publishing group includes Bloom Books, Bloom YA, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Cosmo Reads—imprints dedicated to publishing unforgettable love stories and connecting readers with the authors they love. From bestselling contemporary romance and romantasy to category romance and YA romance, we publish books that build passionate reader communities and drive conversation across retail, social, and digital channels. As an Art Director on our Romance design team, you will be a creative leader and visionary, driving the design and execution of market-competitive, innovative book covers across assigned imprints. You will take ownership of creative strategy, ensuring designs align with positioning, business goals, and consumer expectations. This role requires a growth mindset, problem-solving agility, and strong cross-functional collaboration, balancing breakthrough creative excellence with workflow efficiency and budget considerations.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in book publishing design or a related creative field.
An exceptional portfolio demonstrating strong typography and design and proven expertise in art direction.
High-level proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) and strong understanding of bookmaking and printing processes including advanced printing specs.
Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple deadlines.
Strategic problem-solving skills, balancing creative vision with budget, timeline, and business goals.
Ability to be deeply collaborative, ensuring alignment across editorial, marketing, and production teams.
Be coachable and always learning, staying engaged with evolving design trends and innovations.

Responsibilities

Take ownership of creative strategies for assigned titles, ensuring strong market positioning.
Design and art direct compelling, high-impact book covers, from concept to final production, striking the balance between breakthrough creative and commercial design that is always at the forefront of market trends.
Be deeply collaborative, prioritizing authors and readers while working with editorial, marketing, and sales teams to align creative vision with business goals.
Research and recruit top illustrators, artists, and designers, ensuring innovative and competitive book designs.
Manage the cover approval process, facilitating feedback and achieving timely resolutions.
Check the data, evaluating workflow efficiencies and refining processes to enhance team productivity.
Maintain accurate records, organized files, and updated design archives for all projects.
Stay curious and engaged, keeping up with market trends, emerging design innovations, and industry standards.