Account Manager / Senior Designer – Childrenswear

Danielle Ward Recruitment; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Danielle Ward Recruitment is assisting a fashion supplier in East Midlands to recruit an Account Manager/Senior Designer for the childrenswear division. You will lead the design team, nurture talent, and reinforce key customer partnerships while balancing creativity with commercial goals.

You will drive seasonal ranges, liaise with customers and overseas factories, and shape product development in line with business objectives.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a Design or similar senior leadership position.
• Extensive experience within Children’swear.
• Strong people management and team leadership skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities; commercial fashion awareness.
• Experience working directly with customers and overseas suppliers.
• The ability to balance creativity with commercial objectives.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Design team.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and potential customers.
• Design and present commercially successful product ranges.
• Analyse sales performance and report to the design team.
• Support budgeting and forecasting relating to design costs.
• Source fabrics, trims, and new product opportunities.
• Collaborate with overseas factories, including visits to the Far East.
• Drive innovation with a strong market-trend focus.

Skills

Design leadership

Children's wear

People management

Client relationships

Presentation skills

Commercial awareness

Factory collaboration

Job description

Location: East Midlands

Job Reference No: S008

Recruiting Consultant: Dani

Details

Our client, a highly successful and well-established fashion supplier, is seeking an experienced Account Manager/Senior Designer – Childrenswear to lead and inspire their talented design team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a commercially minded and creative design professional to play a pivotal role within a thriving business, driving innovation, nurturing talent, and building strong customer relationships.

The Role

As Account Manager/Senior Designer, you will be responsible for managing the Design team, overseeing designers from Junior through to Senior level. You will ensure customer expectations are consistently exceeded while maintaining a strong commercial focus across all product development activities.

Working closely with both existing and prospective customers, you will be instrumental in developing long-term partnerships, presenting seasonal ranges, and identifying new opportunities for growth. The position also involves regular collaboration with factories, ensuring product development is aligned with customer and business requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Design team.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and potential customers.
• Design and present commercially successful product ranges.
• Analyse sales performance and communicate key findings to the design team on a regular basis.
• Support budgeting and forecasting processes relating to design costs.
• Source and develop fabrics, trims, and new product opportunities.
• Work closely with overseas factories, including regular visits to the Far East.
• Drive innovation while maintaining a strong commercial awareness of market trends and customer requirements.

The Candidate

To be considered for this opportunity, you will possess:

• Previous experience in a Design or similar senior leadership position.
• Extensive experience within Childrenswear
• Strong people management and team leadership skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities.A keen commercial eye with a strong understanding of the fashion market.
• Experience working directly with customers and overseas suppliers.
• The ability to balance creativity with commercial objectives.

The Opportunity

This is a rare opportunity to join a highly respected fashion supplier and take ownership of a significant design function. The successful candidate will have the chance to further develop their career within a dynamic and growing business, where creativity, innovation, and commercial success are highly valued.