Magazine Design Director, Tablet Magazine

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Job Description: Tablet, a Jewish magazine about the world, is seeking a Magazine Design Director to design, lay out, and produce a monthly print magazine. This is a chance to execute a vision for a new product for an established and respected brand in journalism. Candidates should love print magazines, beautiful typography, and elegant design, and maintain the highest of standards in thoughtful, inspired art direction.

The Design Director is responsible for the specific page-by-page look of a monthly, 120-page print magazine. This role has design and production responsibilities and requires collaboration with editorial, marketing, and creative/production teams.

The ideal applicant is an experienced professional with strong design and project management skills who loves print. Though they will be working with magazine templates and design/brand guidelines provided by Pentagram, they maintain a strong aesthetic sense of their own and a desire to put their stamp on the product. They have established relationships in the world of illustration, photography, and graphic design; mastery of Adobe InDesign and InCopy; and superior attention to detail. They work well with freelancers and subordinates. They strive for excellence while pushing the boundaries of what is visually possible in print, and have the vision and the taste to create a magazine each month that feels urgent and exciting to hold, read, and keep.

Duties
The Magazine Design Director will work under the supervision of the Creative Director and Head of Print Production. Duties will include:

  • Leads the design, layout, and production of the monthly print edition of Tablet Magazine, working with editorial staffers.

  • Designs and executes magazine covers in collaboration with the editorial team and commissioned artists/photographers.

  • Hires and guides freelance talent as needed to meet deadlines, while ensuring consistent branding and quality.

  • Oversees relationships with the magazine printer. Coordinates the production process for each magazine issue, including rounds of proofing and corrections.

  • Manages art production calendars in collaboration with the Head of Print Production and the Executive Editor to ensure publication deadlines are met.

  • Builds and manages the magazine art and design budgets. Additionally, oversees artist payments in collaboration with accounting.

  • Participates in magazine team meetings and planning sessions with editorial staff.

  • Oversees advertisement layout and placement in the magazine, with the marketing team. Prepares house ads.

  • Prepares and converts print-magazine material (text and art) for online publication.

  • And other duties as need arises.

Compensation and general terms
This is a full-time position with medical, dental, and vision health care benefits; annual Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) stipend; paid vacation leave starting at 12 days a year plus paid Jewish and U.S. federal holidays; paid sick and family leave benefits; 401(k) retirement plan with 2% employer match contribution; and a salary in the range of $125,000 to $150,000 annual equivalent, dependent on skills and experience.

Tablet’s offices are in the Flatiron district of Manhattan. It is preferred that the candidate resides within same-day commuting distance of New York City, or is willing or able to travel to New York City monthly for in-person magazine closing reviews and meetings. However, purely remote candidates will be considered.

Job Requirements: The ideal candidate has substantive experience with art direction, editorial design, and production in print, preferably periodicals. They also possess:

  • A highly attuned sense of aesthetics.

  • A strong portfolio showcasing magazine or publication design experience.

  • Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign and InCopy.

  • Experience commissioning illustrators/photographers and managing budgets.

  • Familiarity preparing files for print and digital publication.

  • Attention to detail.

Type of Job: Magazine design, layout, and production

City: Remote, with in-office days in New York City, or can use NYC office full-time.

State/Country: New York

Duration: Full-time

Company: Tablet Magazine

About Our Company: Tablet is a Jewish magazine about the world. https://www.tabletmag.com/

Launched in 2009 as an online outlet about Jewish life and identity, Tablet quickly became “a must-read for all young politically and culturally engaged Jews” (New York magazine). Within a few years, it grew into one of the most influential platforms for news and ideas on the web, an address for reporting and arguments regularly cited by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Associated Press, The New Yorker, and others. Now, with multiple National Magazine nominations and awards, a stable of peerless writers and editors, and a global readership, Tablet is considered, in the words of Up in the Air author Walter Kirn, “the single best magazine in America.”

Tablet is a project of Nextbook, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, that aims to promote Jewish culture, ideas, and literature.

How to Apply: To apply, complete the online application at this link: https://airtable.com/app9Td9TCRRehEhdh/pagwqjUsabsG5fs1b/form

This position is open and accepting applications until filled.