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Menswear Category Design Lead

  • Job
    Full-time
    Expert Level
  • Design
  • London
  • 19d left

AI generated summary

  • You need strong people management skills, menswear design experience, project management expertise, a commercial focus, creativity, a relevant BA degree, retail studio experience, and a solid industry network.
  • You will lead design direction, manage a team, analyze trends, foster innovation, collaborate with stakeholders, and ensure customer-focused, unique product collections.

Requirements

  • Substantial Experience in People Management, demonstrating a passion to develop and acquire leadership skills and capabilities.
  • Menswear design experience
  • Extensive Experience in project management, can clearly demonstrate organisational skills.
  • Proven commercial focus and understanding.
  • A track record of high calibre creative achievements.
  • A strong understanding of the JL&P brand, customer base, the brand values and potential for product.
  • Ability to switch between strategic creative thinking, guiding product design, creating creative direction documents, designing & development of a team.
  • Strong ability to articulate and communicate design aesthetic and the nuances between brands.
  • BA degree in Design (Product, Fashion, Furniture, Textiles, Surface Pattern, Decorative Arts)
  • Substantial experience within a retail product design studio
  • Good external network across the design industry

Responsibilities

  • You will be responsible for setting the clear product design direction within your category and contributing to the seasonal and sub brand product design direction, set by the Director of Design.
  • You will lead a team of specialist designers, empowering, inspiring & designing products alongside where and when necessary for your category to create distinct, relevant and customer-centric Own Brand products, utilising customer insights to design products that will delight our customers and achieve the planned growth in sales.
  • This role will require you to use in-depth industry knowledge of your specialist area, to understand strengths and carve out areas of competitive advantage for John Lewis & Partners, ensuring we are at the forefront of innovation.
  • You will play a part in influencing the overarching, seasonal and sub brand product design direction, led by the Director of Design, through a clear vision & understanding of your specialist categories.
  • Set clear direction, clearly assigning & managing tasks and projects within the team, to achieve the best creative & commercial outcomes for our customers on an annual and bi-annual critical path.
  • Ensure key category trends are covered and interpreted commercially by design, while remaining customer-centric and in keeping with the Own Brand strategy and vision.
  • Drive efficiency and performance forward to deliver deeper product differentiation, ensure our customer offer is truly unique and ultimately optimise our design hit rate.
  • Coach & empower a team to design and develop original, relevant and distinct product collections within the Brand / Sub Brand framework ensuring specifications are appropriate to the manufacturer and within the market.
  • Empower and support team members to make decisions and resolve challenges and take responsibility for the development of team members skills and capability.
  • Demonstrate strong creative leadership, with ongoing investment in self to develop your own style, practicing & learning new creative, design & leadership skills, that will draw out the strengths within your team & ultimately deliver more for our customers and business.
  • Create great working relationships with relevant product leads & decision makers in buying, merchandising, sourcing & tech to agree and then to achieve stretching goals and ambitions for your product categories. Shared KPI’s with the relevant buying and merch leads.
  • Optimise your external design network to bring in handwriting or skills not fulfilled in-house to contribute to our competitive advantage within specialist areas in which we aim to lead.
  • Leverage insight and internal and external networks to keep abreast of key customer requirements, market trends and conditions, product trends including technological advancements.
  • Limits risk and protects intellectual property with clear records & archiving of design.
  • EU and International travel may be required to develop products as appropriate.

FAQs

What is the expected salary for the Menswear Category Design Lead position?

The expected salary ranges from £71,100 to £99,000, depending on experience.

What type of contract is being offered for this role?

This position is a permanent contract beginning in March 2025.

What is the working pattern for this role?

The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, allowing a mix of office and home-based work, with the design team aiming for about 3 days a week in the office.

Where is this role located?

This role is based at the Pimlico Head Office campus.

Are there any travel requirements for this role?

Yes, travel to John Lewis branches, suppliers, and trade shows may be necessary, and EU and international travel may also be required for product development.

Is there any travel allowance provided for commuting to the office?

No, any costs incurred for travel to the office are the responsibility of the successful candidate, and there is no travel allowance for this role.

What do I need to provide during the application process?

The application process requires you to upload a portfolio or examples of your work, and if invited for an interview, you will need to present your portfolio and a project provided in advance.

What essential skills and experience are required for this position?

Candidates need substantial experience in people management, menswear design, project management, a proven commercial focus, and a track record of creative achievements.

Are there any desirable qualifications for this job?

Yes, a BA degree in Design and substantial experience within a retail product design studio are considered desirable.

What is the company culture at John Lewis?

The company culture emphasizes employee ownership, collaboration, inclusivity, and a strong commitment to personal and collective growth.

Will the hiring manager discuss flexible working arrangements during the interview?

Yes, it is encouraged to discuss flexible working arrangements with the hiring manager during the interview.

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Retail & Consumer Goods
Industry
10,001+
Employees
1864
Founded Year

Mission & Purpose

We’re on a journey, an ongoing experiment to find happier, more trusted ways of doing business and all of our Partners have a part to play. By joining the Partnership you’ll be joining a different kind of business. One that seeks to make a difference, not just to its Partners, but to the lives of everyone. It’s this shared purpose that drives us. Guides us. And we believe that by working together, in Partnership, we can help create a place with happier people, for a happier business and a happier world. #FindYourHappier #DrivenByPurpose