Designer

Matalan; West Kirby; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30% staff discount

Thrive Recognition Scheme

Wellbeing support by Retail Trust

Life Assurance

Retail Rewards platform discounts

Pension Scheme

Career development

Job summary

Matalan is seeking a Design Lead to drive category design across key product areas in a fast-paced, omni-channel retail environment in the UK. You will translate customer insight into commercially relevant concepts, leading a creative team to deliver cohesive ranges aligned with brand direction.

You will own the seasonal framework, collaborate with Buying and Merchandising, and mentor your team to balance creative ambition with trading performance.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a Senior Design role, ideally within a fast-paced omni channel retailer.
• Homeware experience essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design direction for your product category in line with the design strategy.
• Own the seasonal framework for your category and ensure alignment to KPIs and range architecture.
• Oversee end-to-end design process from concept to final sign-off, balancing creativity with commercial requirements.
• Partner with Buying & Merchandising to deliver cohesive, commercially robust seasonal ranges.
• Lead, coach and develop your team, setting clear expectations and accountability.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Buying, Merchandising, Technical, and Marketing teams to deliver category objectives.

Skills

Senior Design

Team Leadership

Cross-functional collab

Trend translation

Homeware experience

Job description

As a Design Lead, you are responsible for the category design of key product areas translating strategy and insights into commercially successful, brand-aligned product. You will provide creative team leadership and mentoring to co-create a cohesive range in line with creative direction for your division. Strategy & Creative Direction:

Strategy & Creative Direction

• Lead the design direction for your given product category in line with the overarching design strategy, set by the Design Manager.
• Translate customer insight, market trends and trade priorities into commercially relevant design concepts and seasonal ranges.
• Own the seasonal framework for your given product category, ensuring alignment to KPIs, key stories, and range architecture.
• Maintain a strong creative point of view while ensuring designs are appropriate for the brand, customer, market.
• Support the Design Manager in the curation of the season trend development.

Range Planning & Development

• Take hands on ownership of key product areas, from concept through to final sign-off, ensuring design integrity and executional excellence.
• Support and oversee your team through the end-to-end design process for your given product area, balancing creative ambition with commercial requirements.
• Partner closely with Buying & Merchandising to deliver cohesive, commercially robust seasonal ranges.
• Own category-level design across colour, prints, textiles and finishes to ensure consistency and quality.
• Deliver clear, confident range presentations that articulate design intent, performance insight, and style credentials.
• Ensure timely delivery against the critical path, quality standards and commercial guardrails.

Leadership & People Management

• Lead, coach and develop your team, setting clear expectations and accountability.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture that encourages creativity, ownership and continuous improvement.
• Act as a trusted partner to the Design Manager, providing clear insight, risk and solutions.
• Represent the Design team effectively in cross-functional forums and contribute to wider design initiatives.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Buying, Merchandising, Technical, and Marketing teams to deliver category objectives. Proven experience in a Senior Design role, ideally within a fast-paced omni channel retailer.
• Homeware experience essential
• Strong ability to translate trend, customer and market insight into commercially successful product ranges.
• Demonstrated experience leading seasonal range development, from concept through to delivery with clear ownership of category frameworks.
• Commercially astute, with experience partnering closely with Buying and Merchandising to balance creative ambition with trading performance.
• Confident communicator able to present design direction and influence cross-functional stakeholders at a senior level.
• Collaborative leadership style with the confidence to challenge constructively and drive clarity in decision-making. From humble beginnings to disruptive innovations in the retail industry, find out about how Matalan is ever-evolving here.

We know as a team, we are stronger together - we champion equality for all and make lasting connections that go beyond work. We thrive off our inclusive culture, encouraging our colleagues to bring their true selves to work and contributing to collective creativity, open-mindedness and growth.

In addition to competitive salaries, we also offer the below core benefits:

• 30% staff discount, which increases with length of service
• Thrive Recognition Scheme
• Wellbeing support provided by the Retail Trust
• Life Assurance
• Retail Rewards platform offering discounts for other retailers
• Pension Scheme
• Access to a wide range of career development
• Additional benefits may apply depending on your role and area of the business