Job Description

Job Title: Associate Creative Director (Cover Art)

Location: El Segundo, CA (Onsite)

FLSA: Exempt (Salaried)

Reports to: Creative Director

Company Overview : Headquartered in El Segundo, Podium is North America’s fastest growing digital publisher, driven by its mission is to change the lives of trendsetting storytellers by discovering, developing, and amplifying their work.

Why Work at Podium: We offer a world-class, competitive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health benefits, paid parking, paid parental leave, flexible PTO, paid holidays, a free Class Pass membership, a paid Audible subscription, and a flexible hybrid work environment.

Job Overview :

The Associate Creative Director, Cover Art, will play a pivotal role in shaping the visual identity of Podium’s catalog across multiple genres, including romance, fantasy, science fiction, LitRPG, and thriller. Working closely with the Creative Director, this role balances creativity with operational excellence—helping manage high-volume cover art production, delivering clear creative direction, and ensuring high-quality, market-ready designs.

This person will collaborate with freelance designers, internal stakeholders, and authors to bring cover concepts to life that meet both creative vision and commercial goals. The Associate Creative Director’s work directly impacts audience engagement and Podium’s brand reputation in the marketplace.

This is an onsite position in our El Segundo, CA office. Must be available to work onsite 9a to 5p Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and remotely Monday and Friday.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple cover art projects simultaneously, ensuring deadlines and quality standards are consistently met.
• Create and deliver clear, actionable creative briefs with strong references and audience insights for designers.
• Ensure all covers are on-brief, high-quality, and aligned with both author vision and market trends.
• Manage and oversee internal art directors and freelance designers, assigning projects and providing structured feedback.
• Translate feedback from internal stakeholders (editorial, marketing, executives) into actionable design direction.
• Support the Creative Director and project management team in optimizing cover art workflows for efficiency and scalability.
• Maintain strong working relationships with authors and stakeholders, balancing creative and commercial priorities.

Qualifications

Required

• 4–6 years of experience in art direction, design, or creative project management (publishing, entertainment, or media strongly preferred).
• Strong portfolio or track record of managing creative projects from brief through delivery.
• Proven ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to give and receive constructive feedback.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.

Preferred

• Familiarity with commercial fiction categories such as romance, fantasy, sci-fi, LitRPG, and thriller.
• Experience managing and providing feedback to creative talent.
• Knowledge of cover design best practices and trends in the publishing industry.

Physical Requirements

• Primarily office-based work setting.
• Must be able to work onsite Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays from our office in El Segundo.
• Work hours are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to walk, stand, and move around the office as needed.

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