Lead Product Designer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Oversee the visual design and development of Teacher Guides, Student Editions, workbooks, and various print instructional materials from inception to final production.

• Convert intricate instructional content into clear, engaging, and user-friendly page layouts for educators and learners.

• Utilize typography, grid systems, visual hierarchy, color, imagery, and information design to craft unified educational experiences.

• Maintain a balance between instructional clarity, visual appeal, accessibility, age suitability, and effective classroom application in print materials.

• Collaborate with editorial and instructional teams to enhance comprehension, navigation, and user engagement.

• Create and refine the visual identities of assigned programs in accordance with HMH brand standards and educational objectives.

• Revamp print experiences by employing innovative design techniques guided by customer research, educator feedback, usability insights, and market analysis.

• Generate and present multiple design concepts while articulating visual and structural choices.

• Offer design direction, reviews, and constructive feedback to designers, vendors, and cross-functional partners.

• Develop scalable print design systems, templates, style guides, master pages, and component libraries.

• Define production specifications and standards for handoff to production designers, vendors, and manufacturing partners.

• Collaborate with production, editorial, and operations teams to address design and workflow challenges.

• Review layouts, proofs, and final files for visual quality, accuracy, consistency, and adherence to design standards.

• Organize and document projects to ensure reliable execution by both internal teams and external partners.

• Enhance design and production workflows, including the effective use of AI and automation tools.

• Work alongside Learning Experience Design, Editorial, Product Management, Production, Research, and other cross-functional teams.

• Facilitate design reviews, integrate feedback, and foster alignment among senior stakeholders.

• Advocate for the needs of teachers and students while balancing instructional objectives, production constraints, schedules, and budgets.

• Collaborate closely with the Senior Director of Design on program vision, priorities, and quality benchmarks.

• Manage design priorities and deliverables across various projects while adhering to quality, timelines, and production requirements.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, communication design, visual design, publication design, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in graphic design, editorial design, educational publishing, or a related discipline.

• A portfolio showcasing outstanding print and editorial design, including complex, multi-page publications; a portfolio link is required within the resume.

• Experience in designing Teacher Guides, Student Editions, textbooks, workbooks, or similar educational or professional materials.

• Proficient in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and other relevant design and production tools.

• Extensive knowledge of typography, page layout, grid systems, information hierarchy, image selection, and visual storytelling.

• Experience creating scalable design systems, templates, master pages, style guides, and production specifications for complex print projects.

• Strong understanding of print production processes, prepress requirements, file preparation, proofing, and vendor handoff.

• Proven ability to lead design projects independently and provide creative direction or guidance to other designers.

• Capability to utilize customer insights, research, and feedback to enhance design solutions.

• Excellent presentation, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to manage multiple complex workstreams while maintaining a keen eye for detail and design quality.

• Preferred: Experience designing K–12 curriculum or intervention materials for educators and students.

• Preferred: Experience in evolving visual identities for established product lines or creating unique identities across a portfolio.

• Preferred: Familiarity with large-scale publishing workflows, content-management systems, or automated page-production processes.

• Preferred: Understanding of accessibility and inclusive design practices for print instructional materials.

• Preferred: Experience in directing illustrators, photographers, agencies, freelancers, or external production vendors.

• Preferred: Knowledge of digital product design and ensuring visual consistency between print and digital experiences.

🏝️ Benefits

• Salary range of $85,000 to $100,000, with compensation flexibility based on skills, experience, education, and location.

• Equal Employment Opportunity workplace.

• Work environment free from discrimination and harassment.

• Respectful workplace culture.

• Participation in E-Verify.