Book Designer, Trade Publishing | Lonely Planet

Red Ventures • New York, NY

11d • $81,250 - $118,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Lonely Planet is seeking a talented Book Designer to join their Inspiration and Gift print publishing team. The role involves designing and art directing beautifully crafted adult nonfiction trade books and print products for a global audience. This is an opportunity to work on commercially distributed titles for an iconic travel brand, combining visual storytelling with smart information design. The ideal candidate is passionate about books, typography, and the power of design to inspire travel.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience designing adult nonfiction trade books and paper products, with a portfolio of commercially published titles — portfolio is required and must include published adult nonfiction trade books
• Deep fluency in Adobe InDesign, including type styles, parent pages, link management, and importing coded manuscripts
• Thorough understanding of print production workflows and experience preparing files for commercial print
• In-house publishing experience strongly preferred — you understand how editorial and design teams work together
• Demonstrated ability to analyze market and design trends and translate insights into product opportunities
• Experience art directing freelance designers and illustrators; an existing freelancer network is a plus
• Strong communicator who can manage multiple projects simultaneously, set clear expectations, and collaborate across teams
• Genuine passion for travel and an enthusiasm for books that comes through in your work

Nice To Haves

• an existing freelancer network is a plus

Responsibilities

• Design and art direct adult nonfiction trade books and print products from concept through production, ensuring each title is visually distinctive and on-brand with Lonely Planet
• Build strategic book design systems tailored to the category, content, and target consumer of each product, informed by current design and market trends
• Collaborate closely with editors, producers, and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver best-in-class designs that inspire and excite travel lovers worldwide
• Present work to cross-functional teams with clear, audience-grounded design rationale and confident creative storytelling
• Source and select stock imagery that is creative, accurate, and aligned with each title's visual direction
• Art direct freelance designers and illustrators, managing outside creative talent from brief to final delivery
• Prepare and manage print-ready design files and assets with thorough attention to production specifications and quality standards

Benefits

• Health Insurance Coverage (medical, dental, and vision)
• Life Insurance
• Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Holiday Pay
• 401(k) with match
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Parental Bonding Benefit Program
• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO): We believe time to rest and recharge is essential. That’s why we offer a generous and flexible PTO policy. Full-time employees accrue 20 days of PTO for a full calendar year annually, with an increase to 25 days after five years of service.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed