Director of Illustration (Volunteer)

Mentor A Promise is a New York City–based nonprofit serving children and youth (ages 5–18) experiencing housing instability, grounded in the belief that every child is a Promise—full of potential, dignity, and possibility. We deliver consistent, high-quality programming across mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, and creative expression in shelters, schools, and community spaces, creating structured environments where students can grow, be seen, and build lasting skills. Through signature experiences like The Imagination Studio, The Kitchen Table, The Sound Lab, and The Story Space, we nurture academic development, emotional well-being, and creative voice, all within a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and accessibility-centered framework. Our work prioritizes dignity-protective storytelling, consent-driven engagement, and deep community partnership, ensuring that how we serve is as intentional as whom we serve. We are not only addressing immediate needs - we are building pathways to confidence, belonging, and long-term opportunity, so every child has the support and foundation to carry their promise forward. , Creative Director of Illustration & Visual Narrative (Volunteer)PromiseStudios | PromiseStories (Publishing & Visual Storytelling Division)Organization Mentor A Promise (MAP) Location Remote with NYC-based collaboration as needed Type Founding Leadership (Volunteer Executive Track or Structured Contract Role) Reports To Executive Creative Director, PromiseStudios Works Closely With Creative Director of Children’s Literature, Graphic Design Lead, Animation Director, Marketing Creative Director, Accessibility Advisor About Illustration At MAP Illustration at Mentor A Promise is not ornamental. It is emotional architecture. Within PromiseStories and PromiseStudios, illustration shapes

• Children’s book worlds
• Character psychology
• Cultural representation
• Visual tone
• Educational accessibility

Our illustrated works reflect the lived realities of children experiencing housing instability, multicultural identity, resilience, imagination, and complexity. We believe visual storytelling must be

• Developmentally appropriate
• Culturally intelligent
• Emotionally grounded
• Structurally refined

Role Overview We are seeking a Creative Director of Illustration & Visual Narrative to define and oversee the illustration identity across children’s publishing, campaign storytelling, and animated development. This founding leadership role will

• Establish illustration standards and stylistic frameworks
• Guide character development and environmental world-building
• Ensure emotional and cultural authenticity
• Oversee consistency across books and series

The Creative Director will bridge

• Literary narrative
• Visual tone
• Child development awareness
• Cultural nuance
• Brand coherence

This role requires artistic authority, narrative sensitivity, and strong editorial collaboration. Key Responsibilities

• Define the illustration style system for PromiseStories
• Guide character design architecture across children’s titles
• Ensure visual consistency across book series and campaigns
• Collaborate closely with writers to align illustration with emotional pacing
• Oversee illustrator selection, onboarding, and creative direction
• Review sketches, drafts, and final art for narrative coherence
• Ensure illustrations reflect inclusive and dignified representation
• Develop visual tone guidelines for age groups (K–2, 3–5, middle grade)
• Align illustration assets with publishing production standards
• Contribute to animation transition readiness where applicable
• Maintain timely, professional responsiveness via email and chat in Google Workspace

Qualifications

• Background in illustration, visual arts, children’s publishing, or related field
• Demonstrated experience illustrating or directing illustrated children’s works
• Strong understanding of visual storytelling and character expression
• Experience leading creative review cycles
• Strong portfolio demonstrating narrative depth and stylistic discipline
• Ability to collaborate across editorial and production teams

Preferred Skills

• Experience working with culturally diverse narratives
• Familiarity with trauma-informed storytelling
• Experience in series-based publishing
• Knowledge of print production workflows
• Experience adapting illustration for animation pipelines

Commitment

• Founding leadership role
• Structured engagement (minimum 5–10 hours per week; scalable during production cycles)
• Remote with NYC collaboration as needed
• 6-month minimum commitment preferred

What You’ll Build

• A cohesive illustration identity for PromiseStories
• Character systems rooted in dignity and depth
• Visual continuity across children’s publishing initiatives
• A scalable artistic framework for long-term series development

Children see the world before they fully read it. Help build illustrated worlds that honor their imagination — and their reality. Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, leadership volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, intellectual property, and compliance requirements. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints.