Senior Designer - Swim & Beach (12 month Maternity Cover)

We’re the feel-good fashion brand making style accessible and fun for over 55 years, on our website, mobile app and over 300 stores in the UK. By living our values - we play to win, customer obsessed, we are one and it starts with me - we deliver That New Look Feeling for our customers and each other. The Role: This is the perfect role for an experienced Senior Designer to join our Design team on a 12 month maternity cover contract. The role will be focused on Swim and Beach working closely with the wider design team on all things trend. Design is at the forefront of everything we do, working together to build the vision for the season. If you enjoy working in a fast paced and creative environment, spinning multiple plates and having a good laugh as you do – then the New Look Design team is for you! This role offers a great deal of autonomy, reporting directly into the head of design and working with a super talented team. Here at New Look we put the customer at the centre of everything we do. Working closely and building great relationships with buying and merchandising is key in this role to deliver a balanced and commercial range that maximises sales opportunity. You will support the Company Design strategy by designing and developing core ranges in line with current trend, customer profiles and brand direction. To identify department key item blocks and ensure they are delivered. You will manage direct reports and ensure they are coached and given clear objectives to support their growth within the business.

WHATS IN IT FOR YOU:

40% staff discount plus friends & family discounts throughout the year Access to our reward platform for external discount and offers Private pension scheme Virtual GP access for you and your children – it allows you to speak to a doctor at a time and date that suits you All employees are covered by our life assurance policy from day one Unlock extra leave with our buy more holiday scheme. Celebrate YOU! Enjoy an extra paid day off on your birthday each year Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and shared parental leave (eligible after 2 years’ service). Spread the cost of your commute with interest-free season ticket loans Do your bit for the environment and save money with our Cycle2Work scheme We're proud to partner with the Retail Trust and Fashion & Textile Children's Trust What you’ll be doing: Clearly identifying department key items at the start of the season and ensure they are delivered in line with New Look customer profiles Identifying key item blocks for the season in line with Brand strategy working with buying to create a balanced and commercial range that feels new for the customer. Driving forward the Design team, with support of the Heads of Design, and be a vocal voice in strategic opportunities Strategically manages the critical path from design concept through to final buying samples reacting to market changes and challenges. Creating mood boards, trend presentations and catwalk reports giving clear and concise trend messages to Buying teams Sourcing new fabrications overseas inspired from trend research and to share new ideas on fabrics with the wider Design team where relevant Working in synergy with Buying to build a strong fashion yet commercial range, sharing ideas and information with other product areas to ensure brand / product consistency Good influencing skills and self believe, to ensure that newness is delivered into the range, at the correct grading in collaboration with Buying In-depth trend knowledge, being able to identify emerging trends and influence the business at critical points. Looking at opportunities to react quickly, with strong understanding of the supply base and how to get quick reads on product Identifying new sourcing opportunities and providing focused, clear development direction to current supplier base Developing the right product at the right time, in line with the departmental design strategy to meet customer requirements Monitoring, maintaining and actioning in-depth competitor analysis, and presenting ideas and new product opportunities to gain competitor advantage Sharing information where relevant on product, suppliers, best / worst sellers within business area and across the wider business Communicating effectively with all internal and external teams Working with QA to complete fit sessions in order to develop block and fit that reflects design direction and customer trends Driving trends and themes for each range period and the delivery of these in a timely manner, supporting the Head of Design / Design Manager Planning, development and inspiration trips with the Buyer in line with the critical path An excellent understanding of the New Look Customer Strong understanding of our Customer Insight and Market Share Actively contributing in trend and competitor analysis, making recommendations for changes or developments Ongoing familiarity of the competition’s product range Challenging current ways of working and practices across departments and functions, coming up with new initiatives to benefit the whole Business and implementing these Managing and developing the Team, displaying strong leadership skills to enable achievement of New Look’s strategy Giving 1:1 coaching on the job, transferring skills and knowledge to others Conducting regular catch ups and performance reviews, proactive in managing performance, ensuring constructive feedback, recognition and praise is given. Driving the BMD vision into clear goals and objectives for your direct reports and their teams. Who you are: Previous experience within Swimwear is essential. PC / Mac literate - Photoshop, Illustrator, Excel, Word, Adobe Suite Excellent spec skills using a mix of hand sketching, illustrator and Photoshop Able to present work in an exciting format to Heads Of and / or Directors, influencing buying decisions Management of workload according to the critical path An in-depth knowledge of the current competitive and inspirational market place Excellent interpersonal / communication skills Superb understanding of the department, and the ability to predict trend / key items with full conviction at the start of the season Ability to line manage, motivate and develop the team Ability to initiate, build and maintain strong relationships with Buying/Merchandising /QA Good influencing skills Ability to contribute to the bigger picture and Design department as a whole Good organisational skills Flexible, adaptable and able to work in a fast-paced environment Forward thinking in approach Presentation skills Pro-active in approach and seeks solutions Fully represent and demonstrate our New Look Values Previous experience as a Designer / Senior Designer within a major retailer / department within New Look / established supplier Fashion Qualification / Other degree desirable Why New Look? We care about you and the planet and believe fashion should be a force for positive change. We celebrate inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We’re proud of our inclusive culture and our talented team members who embrace our shared purpose, behaviours and values. We prioritise development, offering training to support your progression, so you can be your absolute best and achieve your goals. We pride ourselves on being a flexible employer, our colleagues work a range of patterns. If you have a specific pattern in mind, we're keen to discuss this with you in line with the output needed for the role. Please ensure that your CV is in simple format e.g. Microsoft Word when applying using your CV to ensure smooth application process.