Design Manager – Private Label

French Selection; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Maternity cover 9 months

Hybrid work model

Job summary

French Selection is seeking a Design Manager for Private Label in Manchester, offering hybrid work: 3 days in the office and 2 days from home. The role leads design and product development for private-label collections and manages customer accounts from concept to production.

The candidate will have solid textile/fashion/product design experience, leadership background, and strong skills in Illustrator and Photoshop, with excellent presentation and project-management capabilities.

Qualifications

• Solid experience in textile, fashion or product design.
• Design Manager, Senior Designer or similar leadership experience.
• Experience with UK supermarkets and private-label design is desirable.
• Strong print, pattern, colour and textile knowledge.
• Excellent Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and product development for key retail customers.
• Develop seasonal concepts, prints, patterns, colour palettes and collections.
• Translate customer briefs into commercially successful products.
• Present concepts and collections to customers.
• Lead and support designers in the UK and India.
• Travel in the UK and internationally as required.

Skills

Customer-facing

Presentation

Project management

Team leadership

Print and textile knowledge

Leadership experience

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Job description

FRENCH SELECTION (FS)

Design Manager - Private Label

Location: Manchester

Hybrid work: 3 days in the office, 2 days from home

Salary: £40,000-£45,000 per annum

Maternity cover 9 month with potential to become permanent

Ref: 757BD

The company

A fast-growing international design and manufacturing business supplying private-label products to major UK and European supermarket, high-street and fashion-led retailers.

Main duties

Lead the design and product development of private-label collections, managing customer accounts and projects from concept to production while supporting designers and working with sales, sourcing and manufacturing teams.

The role

• Lead design and product development for key retail customers
• Develop seasonal concepts, prints, patterns, colour palettes and collections
• Translate customer briefs into commercially successful products
• Present concepts and collections to customers
• Manage licensed and branded projects
• Research fashion, lifestyle and retail trends
• Manage projects from concept through to production
• Review samples, lab dips, strike-offs and approvals
• Work closely with sourcing, product development and manufacturing teams
• Lead and support designers in the UK and India
• Identify new product, design and sustainability opportunities
• Travel in the UK and internationally as required

The candidate

• Solid experience in textile, fashion or product design
• Design Manager, Senior Designer or similar leadership experience
• Essential: previous experience working with UK supermarkets
• High-street and fashion-led retail experience highly desirable
• Private-label design experience
• Strong customer-facing and presentation skills
• Strong print, pattern, colour and textile knowledge
• Licensed or branded product experience advantageous
• Excellent Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop skills
• Good understanding of product development and manufacturing
• Commercially aware with an understanding of retail price points
• Trend-focused, creative and confident
• Strong project management and organisational skills
• Personable, collaborative and confident managing a team

The salary

£40,000-£45,000 per annum, depending on experience