Head of Design (Wayward TxF, Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror), Transworld

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Transworld is seeking a senior Head of Design to lead the creative direction and hands on execution of cover design across the Wayward TxF, Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror lists. The role blends strategic leadership with practical design work, including line managing one junior designer and partnering with the Art Director, editorial, marketing and sales to deliver high impact work that meets commercial goals. The priority is a standout portfolio in Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror, excellent typography, and a proven ability to own key titles, oversee consistency across series, and manage budgets and external creatives. Apply by 11:59pm Sunday 28 June with CV, cover letter and a PDF portfolio, plus optional links; salary £47,000 - £52,000 plus bonus and benefits; hybrid London three days per week.

Head of Design (Wayward TxF, Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror), Transworld 

Are you an experienced book designer with a passion for bold, original cover design? Do you enjoy shaping creative direction, leading projects from concept to finished book, and bringing out the best in others? 

We’re looking for a Head of Design to lead the creative development and delivery of cover design across our Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror and Wayward TxF lists. This is a senior, hands-on role where you’ll combine creative leadership with day-to-day design work, overseeing a wide range of projects while helping to guide and develop the team. 

About Transworld and Wayward TxF 

At Transworld, we love great storytelling. 

We publish the UK’s very best and most-loved fiction and non-fiction. Our authors are master storytellers, commercial giants, and game-changing experts who challenge readers to open their hearts and minds. A Transworld book demands to be discussed, shared, and loved. 

We bring our boundless energy, commercial might, and creative teamwork to everything we do. This collective spirit turns authors into brand names, builds debuts into bestsellers, and makes us hugely successful year in, year out. We have been awarded Publisher of the Year at the British Book Awards four times and are proud to have published a great many of our authors since the start of their writing careers.  

In 2025, Transworld launched Wayward TxF, a brand-new fantasy imprint in partnership with the book subscription service, FairyLoot. The new imprint combines Transworld’s publishing expertise, brand building and commercial drive with FairyLoot’s unparalleled taste-making talent and deeply engaged, growing audience of genre fiction devotees.   

The role 

As Head of Design, you’ll lead the creative vision and execution of cover design across a dynamic and commercially important list. Working closely with the Art Director and publishing teams, you’ll ensure every project meets the highest creative standards while delivering against commercial goals. 

This is a role where you’ll take ownership of key titles, contribute your own design work, and oversee the output of others. You’ll play a central role in shaping the look and feel of the list, while supporting and developing junior designers and maintaining strong relationships across the business. You will line manage one junior designer.  

Key responsibilities: 

• Lead the design of covers across Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror and Wayward TxF titles, delivering high-quality, commercially effective work from concept through to final production  
• Take ownership of key and high-profile projects, ensuring consistently strong creative outcomes across the list  
• Oversee the quality and consistency of design work across multiple titles, series and special editions  
• Generate original ideas and creative approaches, contributing actively to cover meetings and wider design discussions  
• Stay up to date with trends in publishing and the wider creative industries, bringing fresh thinking into the team  
• Work closely with the Art Director to align on design direction, priorities and workflow  
• Build strong relationships with editorial, marketing, sales and publicity teams, acting as a senior point of contact for design  
• Present and articulate design concepts clearly and confidently in meetings  
• Manage schedules and workflows across multiple projects, ensuring deadlines and critical paths are met  
• Balance creative ambition with commercial priorities, budgets and timelines  
• Commission and art direct illustrators, photographers and designers, building strong relationships with external creatives  
• Take responsibility for budgets, including negotiating fees and ensuring spend is managed effectively  
• Line manage one junior designer, and contribute to the overall strength and culture of the team  
• Deputise for the Art Director when required  

What you’ll bring 

Essential criteria: 

• A highly creative and diverse portfolio, with strong experience in Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror cover design  
• Proven ability to deliver original, high-impact cover designs that meet both creative and commercial briefs  
• Excellent typographic skills and a strong eye for detail  
• Advanced knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite and print production processes  
• Experience managing multiple projects, schedules and workflows  
• Strong communication skills, with confidence presenting and discussing ideas with a range of stakeholders  
• Experience working collaboratively across editorial, marketing and design teams  
• A clear understanding of the commercial publishing landscape  
• Experience commissioning and art directing external creatives  
• Experience managing budgets and negotiating fees  
• An established network of illustrators, designers and other creative suppliers  
• Experience supporting or mentoring junior designers  
• Interest or experience in special editions and subscription publishing 

 Application instructions 

Please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by 11:59pm on Sunday 28th June.  

Please also include a PDF attachment of your best work examples or portfolio in the ‘additional documents’ section. Due to application volumes, we are only able to consider applications that include a pdf attachment.  In addition, you are also welcome to include a link to your online portfolio, Instagram or Behance page as part of your CV or cover letter, if you would like to.  

Our recruitment process 
 

Our interview process is usually three stages including a mix of video and in-person interviews. We’ll share full details and support at each stage. 

Use of AI tools 

Here at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity. When you apply for a position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice. Throughout our recruitment process, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills. This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to our team. 
 
We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself! While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses reflect you. 

Disability Confident 

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. The essential criteria for this role are listed as part of the ‘What you’ll bring’ section. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview. We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing [email protected]. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable with, for us to support your request. 

Salary 

£47,000 - £52,000 dependent on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits. 

Hybrid working 

While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you’ll work from our London office a minimum of three days per week. We’ll be happy to discuss this as part of the recruitment process.  

 Company: Penguin Books Limited | Job ID: 289613