Senior Womenswear Designer - 12 month fixed term contract

Very Group; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in London seeks a Senior Womenswear Designer to join their creative team in Covent Garden. This role involves developing seasonal trends, managing junior designers, and collaborating closely with various departments to create successful product lines. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in Womenswear design, alongside strong leadership skills. Benefits include a flexible working model and generous holiday allowance.

Benefits

Flexible, hybrid working model

£1000 flexible benefits allowance

30 days holiday + bank holidays

Udemy learning access

Bonus potential

Up to 25% discount on Very.co.uk

Matched pension up to 6%

Qualifications

• Proven experience within a Womenswear Design Team, ideally with a strong background in jersey.
• Previous experience managing or mentoring designers.
• A proactive, enthusiastic, and team-focused approach.

Responsibilities

• Develop seasonal trends and colour palettes for Womenswear.
• Oversee presentations and product selection for campaigns.
• Present design concepts confidently in team meetings.
• Collaborate with Buyers to create cohesive collections.
• Produce detailed CAD designs and presentation materials.

Skills

Experience in Womenswear Design

Leadership and mentoring

Strong attention to detail

Proactive and enthusiastic

Tools

Illustrator

Photoshop

InDesign

Job description

About us

We are The Very Group and we’re here to help families get more out of life. We know that our customers work hard for their families and have a lot to balance in their busy lives. That’s why we combine amazing brands and products with flexible payment options on Very.co.uk to help them say yes to the things they love. We’re just as passionate about helping our people get more out of life too, building careers with real growth, a sense of purpose, belonging and wellbeing.

About the team

We’re excited to share a fantastic opportunity to join our Own Brand Design team as a Senior Designer on a 12-month fixed term contract, based in our London office.

Our talented Design team operates across both our London and Liverpool offices. There may also be some travel required between our sites where required.

About the role

We’re offering an exciting opportunity for a Senior Womenswear Designer (maternity cover) to join our creative team in the heart of Covent Garden.

This is a key role within our small but dynamic Womenswear department, where you’ll play a central part in shaping The Very Collection. While your focus will be on Womenswear Jersey, you’ll also support the Design Team Manager with the day-to-day running and development of the wider Design Team; line managing and mentoring 2-3 Junior Designers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Design Manager to develop seasonal trends and colour palettes for Womenswear.
• Assist the design manager in overseeing trend presentations, trend rack ups and product selection for campaigns for womenswear.
• Present design concepts confidently in team meetings and to the wider business.
• Oversee a fast-paced, high-option-count department with strong attention to detail and commercial awareness.
• Collaborate with Buyers to create cohesive, commercially successful collections across Near East and Far East production.
• Work closely with Technical Designers to refine fits and construction across the department.
• Partner with suppliers to identify fabric and trim innovations, sourcing in line with seasonal trends.
• Conduct ongoing research into trends and product direction within your category.
• Apply knowledge of colour, graphics, and print to translate trends into clear design concepts.
• Produce detailed CAD designs and presentation materials using Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
• Create accurate, comprehensive design packs for the supply chain.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers to support sourcing and product development.
• Analyse sales performance and respond by designing fashion-forward, customer-focused ranges.

About you

We’re looking for someone who is not only creative and detail-oriented, but also a confident leader who thrives in a collaborative environment. To succeed, you’ll bring:

• Proven experience within a Womenswear Design Team, ideally with a strong background in jersey.
• Previous experience managing or mentoring designers.
• A proactive, enthusiastic, and team-focused approach.

Some of our benefits

• Flexible, hybrid working model

• Inclusive culture and environment, check out our Glassdoor reviews

• £1000 flexible benefits allowance to suit your needs

• 30 days holiday + bank holidays

• Udemy learning access

• Bonus potential (performance and business-related)

• Up to 25% discount on Very.co.uk

• Matched pension up to 6%

• More benefits can be found on our career site

How to apply

Please note that the talent acquisition team are managing this vacancy directly, and if successful in securing this role, you will be required to undertake a credit, CIFAS, Right to Work checks and if a specific requirement of your role a DBS (criminal records) check. Should your application progress we require you to let the team know if there is anything you need to disclose in relation to any of these checks prior to them being undertaken, including any unspent criminal convictions.

What happens next?

Our talent acquisition team will be in touch if you’re successful so keep an eye on your emails! We’ll arrange a short call to learn more about you, as well as answer any questions you have. If it feels like we’re a good match, we’ll share your CV with the hiring manager to review. Our interview process is tailored to each role and can be in-person or held remotely.

You can expect a two-stage interview process for this position:

1st stage - An informal 30-minute video call with the hiring team to discuss your skills and relevant experience. This is a great opportunity to find out more about the role and to ask any questions you may have.

2nd Stage – A one-hour formal interview where you can expect both competency and technical questions. This can be held either in-person or remotely.

As an inclusive employer please do let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments.

If you'd like to know more about our interviews, you can find out here.

Equal opportunities

We’re an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.