Assistant Designer - Home Textiles Accessories

Next Careers; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK retail company in East Midlands seeks an Assistant Textiles Designer on a 12-month fixed-term contract. The role involves designing innovative patterns for home textiles, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring alignment with market trends. Candidates should have strong CAD and Adobe skills, along with effective communication abilities. A degree in a related field is essential, and applicants must submit a portfolio. This is a great opportunity to enhance your design experience and contribute to exciting projects.

Qualifications

• Strong presentation skills with proven experience presenting designs.
• Experience working as a Print & Pattern Assistant Designer.
• Highly proficient in CAD and Adobe Creative Suite.

Responsibilities

• Design product patterns for Homeware collections aligning with brand aesthetics.
• Research and identify commercial trends in fabrics and patterns.
• Collaborate with teams for range alignment and product development.

Skills

Presentation Skills & Stakeholder Communication

Print & Pattern Design Expertise

CAD & Adobe Skills

Strong Communication & Negotiation Abilities

Range Building & Commercial Awareness

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Influence

Education

Degree in a related field

Tools

CAD software

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

Assistant Textiles Designer for Next Home

12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Location - Enderby

This is a super exciting opportunity to join our Home Textile Design team on a 12 month fixed term contract and broaden your design knowledge!

Our Designers here at Next are always looking forward. Looking for that Next thing, focusing on trend and pushing the boundaries of what we can offer our fantastic customer base. Working as a key part of the critical path; creating new and innovative Print & Pattern designs!

Designing Product & Pattern for our Homeware Textile collections across various categories

• Ensuring that your work aligns with the brand’s aesthetic and market needs.

Trend Research & Opportunity Identification

• Deep expertise in researching, analysing, and identifying commercial trends in Fabric, embellishment & Pattern for Home Textiles.
• Skilled in recognising emerging styles that resonate with diverse customer profiles.

Cross-Functional Teamwork

• Close collaboration with buying and merchandising teams to build ranges that align with Next Home's style and price architecture, ensuring each product meets market demands.

Manufacturer Collaboration

• Work collaboratively with manufacturers, guiding them through product development and ensuring design fidelity during production.
• Involved in product development trips and inspirational travel to inform design decisions.

Collaboration & Communication

• Expertise in communicating ideas through mood boards and sketches/renders, transforming concepts into technical specs and drawings that brief manufacturers accurately and effectively.

About you

• Presentation Skills & Stakeholder Communication Strong, polished presentation skills with proven experience in presenting ideas and designs to key stakeholders. Skilled in clearly articulating design concepts, range strategies, and product innovations in a compelling manner.
• Print & Pattern Design Expertise Experience of working as a Print & Pattern Assistant Designer, ideally across multiple products!
• CAD & Adobe Skills Highly proficient in CAD software and the Adobe Creative Suite, utilising these tools to create precise technical drawings, visualisations, and digital designs for a range of projects.
• Strong Communication & Negotiation Abilities Excellent communicator with the ability to influence and negotiate effectively, ensuring that design visions are understood and executed across all stages of the product development process.
• Range Building & Commercial Awareness Ability to challenge existing norms and ensure products meet both customer expectations and business objectives.
• Collaboration & Cross-Functional Influence A highly collaborative approach, working closely with buying, merchandising, and manufacturing teams to deliver on cohesive design looks.
• Qualified & Passionate Degree-qualified or equivalent in a related field, backed by some hands-on experience in the industry.

Please note, as part of the application process we require you to submit examples of your portfolio, please ensure you provide a link to your digital portfolio. Applications without a portfolio will not be considered.

Sponsorship

Candidates wishing to apply who would require sponsorship for this role will be required to meet the Home Office sponsorship requirements. For further information please see: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa