Managing Designer

Job Title: Managing Designer

Location(s): Warsaw, Poland

About Springer Nature

Springer Nature is one of the leading publishers of research in the world. We publish the largest number of journals and books and are a pioneer in open research. Through our leading brands, trusted for more than 180 years, we provide technology-enabled products, platforms and services that help researchers to uncover new ideas and share their discoveries, health professionals to stay at the forefront of medical science, and educators to advance learning. We are proud to be part of progress, working together with the communities we serve to share knowledge and bring greater understanding to the world. For more information, please visit about.springernature.com and follow @SpringerNature.

At Springer Nature, we recognise that great talent develops through many different paths. We encourage applications from individuals with strong transferable skills, provided they are supported by relevant experience that shows how those skills have been successfully applied in practice. Our hiring approach balances skills, experience, and potential to ensure each role is fulfilled with both short-term effectiveness and long-term growth in mind. 

About the Brand

Macmillan Education provides world-class content in the most relevant, engaging and flexible formats to support students, teachers and institutions in lifelong learning.

Visit macmillaneducation.com and follow @MacmillanEducation / @MacmillanELT

About the Role

Join our dynamic Publishing Content Development team as a Managing Designer and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our educational courses! You will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with our talented cross-functional teams from the very beginning, bringing your creative vision and direction to life. You will have an instrumental role in crafting a robust and market-leading design and brand identity for each product. Please note that this is a fixed-term position due to a maternity cover.

As a Managing Designer, you will have the exciting opportunity to select, commission, and manage third-party vendors, providing them with creative input and support. You will also advise internal and external teams, ensuring all assets meet the highest quality standards and align perfectly with our brand. With a focus on maintaining schedules and budgets, your expertise will help us deliver exceptional content that stands out in the market.

The location(s) strategy supports team structure and aligns business needs.

Role Responsibilities

• Lead the development and creation of innovative design concepts, applying creativity, product design expertise, and a customer-focused approach to finalise samples for investment approval.
• Oversee project budgets and schedules, leveraging data analytics and quantitative skills to ensure accurate cost submissions, informed decision-making, and adherence to delivery timelines.
• Provide clear, comprehensive briefs, demonstrating strong communication, collaboration, and organisational skills while maintaining high-quality output and budget requirements.
• Champion the reuse of assets across projects, identifying opportunities to drive efficiency, optimise costs, and support effective product development and delivery.
• Maintain regular communication with the project team and your line manager, offering updates and identifying potential risks.
• Ensure all designs strictly adhere to brand guidelines, upholding stringent quality assurance standards - using a strong attention to detail and a customer-focused mindset.
• Oversee the timely delivery of final files and assets from vendors, ensuring they comply with agreed formats for both print and digital production.
• Collaborate with the Content Architect and cross-functional teams to prepare authoring templates for XML creation, applying technical expertise and demonstrating a tech-savvy approach to content workflows and publishing systems.
• Systematically manage and archive all project files and supporting documentation.

Skills, Experience & qualifications

Essential

• Previous in-house experience as Designer or as Project Manager within creative roles.
• Strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) and Microsoft Office.
• Demonstrable skills in creative design with a keen eye for detail.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and organisational skills.
• Experience in managing budgets, schedules, and vendor relationships.
• Ability to solve problems independently and adapt to changing requirements.

Desirable

• Proven experience in Publishing, particularly within an ELT setting.
• Educational background related to Design, Media and similar fields.
• Knowledge of XML and technical aspects of content interrelation with platforms.
• Familiarity with company systems (e.g., WoodWing, SAP, Investment Approval process, Content Management Workflows, Contract Express, Microsoft 365, InCopy, etc.)