About Saqi Books The role You'll work closely with Editorial, Sales and Marketing, bringing ideas, challenging assumptions where necessary and maintaining high standards from initial concept through to final production. There's considerable scope to develop and evolve Saqi's visual language, bringing creative ambition to a publishing house with a distinctive identity and an ambitious list. Benefits (pro rata) Hours: Part-time, 3 days a week (22.5 hours) What you'll bring Nice to have What you'll do Please send your CV, a short cover letter and a portfolio (PDF or link, 10–15 pages) to [email protected]. Your portfolio should include examples of book interiors and typesetting, marketing design and, where applicable, covers. The applications window will close at 5pm on 4 January.Job Summary
Job Description
Saqi Books is an independent London publisher with over four decades of publishing bold writing on the Middle East and beyond. Our list spans art, politics, history, fiction and memoir, unified by a commitment to clarity, rigour and voice. We're a small, ambitious team, and design is central to how our books reach readers. We care about books as objects as much as the ideas they carry.
Most of your time will go on the craft at the heart of the list: designing and typesetting interiors, adapting covers for paperback editions and creating the marketing assets that carry our books into the world. You'll also commission and art direct freelance designers and illustrators, shaping their work and ensuring a distinctive and consistent visual identity across the list.
32 days' holiday (including bank holidays)
Discretionary annual bonus
Contributory pension
Birthday leave / personal day
Paid volunteer day
Hybrid and flexible working
Location: London (hybrid)
Salary: £35,000-£40,000 FTE (pro rata for 3 days), depending on experience, plus bonus and benefitsJob Requirements
At least 5 years' experience in publishing design or a closely related field
A strong portfolio demonstrating a sophisticated aesthetic across typography, book interiors, covers and visual identity
Expert typesetting skills in InDesign, plus strong proficiency in Photoshop and Illustrator
Experience commissioning and art directing freelance designers and illustrators
Strong knowledge of print production, specifications and working with suppliers
The ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines without compromising quality
Confidence working independently, exercising creative judgement and challenging decisions when necessary
A genuine interest in books and the ideas, cultures and perspectives they bring into the world
Experience working within an independent press or small publishing team
Experience setting text containing transliterated Arabic or other non-English names
Experience across both editorial and marketing designJob Responsibilities
Design and typeset new titles, paperback editions and reprints to a consistently high standard
Create marketing assets for each title across social, digital, print and events
Commission and art direct freelance cover designers and illustrators, from briefing through to final artwork
Adapt covers for paperback editions
Develop and maintain visual identities across series and the wider Saqi brand
Work with Editorial, Sales and Marketing to ensure design is distinctive, coherent and effective
Manage design schedules and workflows across the list, ensuring projects are delivered to deadline
Work with printers on quotes, specifications and files through to pressUseful Links
How to Apply