Outdoor Apparel Designer (Maternity Cover)

Nims Dai Ltd.; Southampton; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative outdoor apparel company based in Southampton is seeking a skilled Outdoor Apparel Designer for maternity cover. The successful candidate will oversee product development, manage day-to-day tasks, and create on-brand designs. With at least 3 years' experience in the outdoor industry and proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, you will thrive in a dynamic and creative environment. Join us to contribute to high-quality outdoor apparel and equipment design.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years’ experience as an apparel designer or developer within the outdoor or performance industry.
• Proven experience in product development with a strong portfolio.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee ongoing product developments and ensure projects stay on track.
• Create visually compelling designs for apparel and accessories.
• Manage calls/messages from the founder.

Skills

Communication skills

Technical knowledge of apparel construction

Creative problem-solving

Project management

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Tech packs

Job description

Nimsdai LTD is the overall brand which incorporates the Nimsdai suite of companies.

These were founded by Nimsdai Purja, the ground-breaking mountaineer who has the greatest number of successful summits over 8,000m, and famously climbed all 14 of the world’s highest peaks in just 6 months and 6 days and in 2021, led the first-ever summit of the ‘Savage Mountain’ K2 in winter with a 10-strong Nepalese team.

The Nimsdai Brand includes:

• Elite Exped, the guiding company Nimsdai set up which offers treks and mountaineering adventures around the world.
• Skydive Nimsdai, combining Nimsdai’s love of skydiving with adventure trekking, the company offers high-altitude skydiving experiences over the Himalayas, as well as tandem and solo jump sin a variety of locations globally.
• Nimsdai Store is the clothing brand Nimsdai has launched to provide apparel and accessories for all adventures. This includes an online store and two physical shops in Kathmandu.
• Nimsdai Foundation, with a mission to Inspire, Educate and Protect, the Foundation supports projects that redefine what is possible. Current initiatives include the Big Mountain Clean Up and the Lobuche Porter’s Lodge.

The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and proactive Outdoor Apparel Designer to join the team on a maternity cover basis. This role is hands‑on and requires both creative and technical expertise. You will oversee designs and developments already in the pipeline while also taking responsibility for day‑to‑day product development tasks, including liaising with suppliers, creating tech packs, measuring samples, managing BOMs, quality control, checking size sets, and handling calls and messages with direct feedback from the founder.

You will play a central role in ensuring our designs are brought to life with both creativity and precision, across apparel, equipment, accessories, and marketing materials.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee ongoing product developments and ensure projects stay on track.
• Undertake day‑to‑day product development tasks: updating CADs, comments on new samples, measurements, updating tech packs, BOMs, and size set reviews.
• Liaise with suppliers, respond to queries, and manage calls/messages from the founder as required.
• Create visually compelling and on-brand designs for apparel, accessories, and equipment.
• Collaborate with internal and external teams to execute design concepts aligned with brand identity.
• Stay current with outdoor industry trends, fashion trends, and competitor activity to ensure designs remain fresh and relevant.
• Provide creative input to the overall brand strategy and product direction.

Personal Profile

• Exceptional communication and listening skills, able to translate feedback from field testing and internal teams into actionable design outcomes.
• Comfortable managing multiple projects under tight deadlines and reacting to urgent requests.
• Strong technical knowledge of apparel construction, fabrics, trims, and components, with the ability to make informed design and development decisions.
• Able to turn high-level concepts into clear, commercially viable product designs.
• Highly detail-oriented, creative, and solutions-focused.
• Flexible, professional, and available to be contacted as required on personal phone for urgent matters.

Requirements

• Minimum 3 years’ experience as an apparel designer or developer within the outdoor or performance industry.
• Proven experience in product development, with a portfolio demonstrating both creative and technical capability.
• Deep understanding of fashion and trend application within technical outdoor apparel.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite;
• Must have your own laptop and be prepared to work flexibly and responsively.

If you are passionate about technical outdoor apparel, thrive in a hands‑on design role, and are ready to take ownership of both creative and technical aspects of product development, we would love to hear from you.

Apply now to join Nimsdai LTD as an Outdoor Apparel Designer (Maternity Cover).