Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Relay Publishing is seeking a creative freelance Book Cover Design Lead to drive the visual direction of their book covers across various genres. The role involves leading the cover creation process, conducting trend research, and collaborating with designers to produce eye-catching covers that stand out in a competitive market.

Responsibilities

Continuously research and track current and emerging cover trends across all relevant genres to ensure our designs are always market-relevant and competitive.
Identify and recommend the best cover designers and illustrators for each genre, with a strong sense of style alignment and proven sales performance.
Schedule covers with designers and coordinate timelines and deliverables with production coordinators and team leads.
Write smart, genre-optimized cover briefs that align with current market bestsellers and reader expectations across romance, fantasy, thriller, and more.
Craft compelling, high-impact titles and subtitles that are unique, genre-appropriate and SEO-friendly.
Source stock photos, illustrations, and key visual elements to support designers and shape the creative direction of each cover.
Provide consistent guidance, feedback, and support to designers—ensuring high-quality, on-brand, and timely cover designs.
Send translated titles and work closely with designers to deliver translated versions of covers for foreign markets in a timely and brand-consistent manner.
Review and provide feedback to internal team members on boxset designs, in-house covers, and any other visual assets.
Offer creative direction and quality control on author logos, A+ content, and social media graphics—ensuring all visuals align with a polished, elevated brand aesthetic.

Skills

3+ years of experience in book design, art direction, or creative project management (publishing experience strongly preferred)
Excellent knowledge of genre trends and visual language across multiple fiction categories
Strong writing and communication skills for crafting effective briefs and giving actionable feedback
Proven ability to work with and manage external designers and illustrators
Familiarity with image sourcing platforms (e.g., Adobe Stock, Deposit Photos, Shutterstock)
Strong organizational and time management skills
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative, and deadline-driven environment
Experience with translated editions and coordinating international assets
Background in marketing or brand design
Familiarity with Amazon KDP, A+ content, and metadata best practices
Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite or design software is a plus (not required)

Benefits

An amazing freelance, online, remote working environment with a real collaborative virtual office that fosters teamwork, development and open communication.
Flexibility is one of our core work principles: as long as the work gets done, you can do it whenever it suits you.

Company Overview

Relay Publishing is a group of driven self-publishing authors, editors, designers, and marketers. It was founded in 2013, and is headquartered in London, England, GBR, with a workforce of 51-200 employees. Its website is https://relaypub.com.

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[Remote] Book Cover Design Lead: Remote Job/ Part-time