Director of Illustration Department (Volunteer)

Director of Illustration Department (Volunteer)

PromiseStudios | Illustration, Visual Storytelling & Creative Direction

Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Location: Hybrid / Remote

Type: Volunteer (Leadership)

Reports To: Chief of Content & Storytelling

Works Closely With: PromisePress, PromiseVoice, PromiseLearning, PromisePublic, PromiseBrands

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth experiencing housing instability through mentorship, education, and community. Storytelling—visual and written—is central to how we communicate identity, dignity, and lived experience.

About PromiseStudios | Creative, Storytelling & Production

PromiseStudios is MAP’s creative division responsible for design, storytelling, media, and production. The division ensures that all creative outputs—from books to campaigns—are cohesive, high-quality, and aligned with MAP’s mission and voice.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Director of the Illustration Department to lead and oversee all illustration work across Mentor A Promise.

This role is responsible for setting the visual direction, managing illustrators, and ensuring that all illustrated content reflects consistency, quality, and alignment with MAP’s storytelling and educational goals.

This is both a creative leadership and systems-building role.

Key Responsibilities

Creative Direction & Visual Identity

• Define and maintain illustration styles and visual standards across MAP
• Ensure all illustrations reflect dignity-centered, culturally responsive storytelling
• Align visual work with MAP’s brand and narrative voice

Department Leadership

• Recruit, manage, and support illustrators and visual artists
• Assign projects and oversee timelines and deliverables
• Build a structured and collaborative illustration team

Project Oversight

• Oversee illustration work for books, curriculum, website, campaigns, and media
• Ensure quality, consistency, and alignment across all outputs
• Review and approve final visual deliverables

Cross-Team Collaboration

• Work closely with writers, educators, and content teams
• Collaborate with PromisePress (publishing), PromiseLearning (curriculum), and PromiseVoice (communications)
• Support visual storytelling across advocacy and public engagement

Systems & Process Development

• Establish workflows for illustration requests, revisions, and approvals
• Maintain organized asset libraries and documentation
• Improve efficiency and consistency across creative processes

Accessibility & Inclusion

• Ensure illustrations reflect diverse identities and lived experiences
• Collaborate with accessibility teams to support inclusive design practices
• Support development of accessible visual materials where applicable

Communication & Responsiveness

• Maintain clear, timely communication with team members
• Coordinate work using Google Workspace and project systems

Qualifications

Required

• Strong illustration portfolio demonstrating range and storytelling ability
• Experience in creative direction or leading visual projects
• Ability to manage multiple projects and contributors
• Strong understanding of visual storytelling and composition
• Alignment with MAP’s mission and dignity-centered values

Preferred

• Experience in children’s media, publishing, or educational content
• Experience managing creative teams
• Familiarity with brand systems and visual identity development
• Interest in socially driven or mission-based storytelling

Commitment

• Volunteer leadership role
• Approximately 5–10 hours per week
• Minimum 6-month commitment preferred
• Hybrid / remote with optional NYC-based collaboration

What You’ll Gain

• Leadership experience overseeing a creative department
• Opportunity to shape the visual identity of a growing nonprofit
• Portfolio development across books, curriculum, and campaigns
• Collaboration with writers, educators, and creative teams
• Professional references and letters of recommendation

How to Apply

Interested candidates must apply directly through Idealist and submit:

• Resume (required)
• Portfolio (required)
• Cover letter (required) describing relevant experience and interest in MAP’s mission

This role shapes how our stories are seen.

Help ensure that every illustration reflects dignity, truth, and the lived experiences of the communities we serve.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints.