Tender brief for a Magazine Design Consultant

We're looking for a consultant to lead the redesign and art-work of British Archaeology magazine. 

British Archaeology is the CBA’s flagship publication and currently produces six issues per year, each approximately 68 pages. As part of the Reconnecting Archaeology project consultation was undertaken by the CBA with the readership of the magazine and stakeholder groups. This consultation explored preferred content, formatting, and plans for more digital content. Redesigning the magazine and developing a new digital strategy are our response to the results of the consultation and the CBA’s imminent rebrand to Archaeology UK (in November 2026). The redesign represents the first significant refresh of the magazine in nearly 20 years and will complement Archaeology UK’s participatory approach to content, engagement, and public value.

The redesign should build upon existing audience research, emerging brand development work, and concepts already explored by the CBA. The consultant will therefore not be expected to begin from first principles, but to work collaboratively with the CBA to develop a modern, accessible, and flexible magazine design suitable for both print and future digital development.
 

This is expected to include:

• Development of concepts and design options for:
  • Front and back covers;
  • Contents pages;
  • Editorial and “From the Director” pages;
  • Feature articles and interviews;
  • Double-page spread layouts;
  • Regular columns and recurring content sections;
• Consideration of typography, graphic style, accessibility, and image treatment;
• Consideration of how the emerging Archaeology UK brand and sub brands (YAC, the Festival of Archaeology, and Casework) and visual identity may be reflected within the magazine, including a complementary magazine colour palette;
• Exploration of how the design could evolve into future digital and multimedia formats.
• Presentation and discussion with Archaeology UK staff (provisional date in February to coincide with in-person staff office days in York)

The consultant will also engage with the Archaeology UK Supporters’ Group (a new group comprising existing members and supporters of our network) as part of the wider participatory approach embedded within Archaeology Connected. This will involve presenting and discussing emerging concepts and gathering feedback to help inform the final design direction.

Following agreement of the preferred design direction, the consultant will undertake the development of artwork and production materials for the redesigned magazine.

This is expected to include:

• Creation of a full InDesign template package from scratch for the magazine;
• Development of editable page templates and style systems;
• Supply of editable graphic assets and supporting artwork;
• Preparation of artwork suitable for ongoing use by the British Archaeology editorial team;
• Agreed minimum of two amendment and review stages with the CBA team;
• Agreed minimum of three consultation meetings (remote or in-person) with the Archaeology UK Supporters’ Group

The final outputs should provide the CBA with a practical and flexible design system that can support future issues of the magazine and wider content development activity.

Details:

A total fee of £12,000 is available (including any travel and expenses), exclusive of VAT, to be paid in installments (40; 40; 20) with final payment on completion.

We will discuss details with the contractor, but ideally, we would like to begin work before the end of November 2026 and complete the redesign by the end of September 2027. A full proposed schedule (to be adjusted and agreed) can be found in the tender pack. 

More information

More info can be found in the tender brief pack. 

How to apply: 

Please send an application of no more than five pages highlighting your proposed approach, relevant experience, and how your insight could support our organisation, accompanied by a CV or other summary of your expertise/experience.

Applications should be sent to: jobs@archaeologyuk.org by 12pm on Monday 19^th October 2026.

If you have any questions, please address these to the Editor Anna Sharples at editor@archaeologyuk.org

Interviews will be held during the week of 2^nd November 2026