Assistant Designer for Ladies & Mens Nightwear

Reference
1121714

Branch
University of Staffordshire

Start date
30/11/2026

Duration
Ongoing

Hours and days
Mon - Thurs 8am to 5pm, Friday 8am to 2pm - 40 hours a week

Dress code
Smart Casual

Salary from
£28,000

Salary to
£28,000

Role

Our client is a family-owned licensed apparel business with a passion for creating high-quality, trend-led products across a diverse portfolio of global brands. With a hands-on ownership team and a collaborative culture, we value creativity, accountability, and long-term partnerships with our licensors, retailers, and employees.

Working closely with Designers, Senior Designers, and Lead Designers, you will provide essential support to the design team, helping to keep the design process running smoothly from concept through to sampling. This role is ideal for someone at the start of their design career who is eager to learn, highly organised, and ready to build their skills within a fast-paced, collaborative studio environment.

You will begin by supporting the team with administrative and system-based tasks, developing a strong understanding of our accounts, licensor requirements, and design processes. Over time, and with hands-on mentoring, there is a clear progression path toward supporting on smaller accounts and, eventually, taking ownership of your own account as a Designer.

Alongside supporting strong seasonal collections, the Assistant Designer contributes to a positive, collaborative studio culture, sharing ideas and embracing creative exploration.

Duties and responsibilities

Design Support & Documentation

• Prepare and maintain design packs, ensuring all artwork, specifications, and information are accurately compiled and up to date.
• Assist Designers with the creation of licensed kidswear collections, supporting with artwork, graphics, and technical details as directed.
• Pick and confirm pantones for designs, ensuring accuracy and consistency across collections.
• Support the design team with concept approval amends and buyer amends on sampling.
• Act on feedback to develop your design skills and build your understanding of commercial design.

Sampling & Factory Coordination

• Send buying sample requests to factories, ensuring all necessary details and deadlines are clearly communicated.
• Log and track sample requests, monitoring progress and flagging any delays or issues.
• Respond to factory queries in a timely and professional manner, escalating where necessary.
• Coordinate the receipt and distribution of samples to relevant internal teams.

Systems & Administration

• Use our Product Development system to input, update, and maintain accurate design and sampling information.
• Keep trackers up to date, including sampling, approval, and design status trackers.
• Provide regular updates to the design team on progress and potential risks.
• Help maintain a structured, organised design environment with clear processes and communication.

Learning & Development

• Build a strong understanding of fabrications, print techniques, manufacturing capabilities, and cost parameters.
• Develop knowledge of licensor brand guidelines, style guides, and approval requirements.
• Learn how designs are translated from concept through to production, applying feedback from sampling and buyer amends.
• Gradually take on more responsibility, with the goal of supporting on smaller accounts as skills and confidence grow.
• Participate in local comp shops and store visits to build awareness of market trends and consumer insights.

Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with your Account teams to ensure alignment on timelines, priorities, and deliverables.
• Maintain open and constructive communication with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth project delivery.
• Participate in weekly team meetings, providing updates on progress and raising any challenges.
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative working environment where ideas are shared openly.

Skills and experience

• Experience in Licensed Apparel
• BA in fashion design or Surface Pattern Design or similar, industry experience
• Strong adobe illustrator & photoshop skills
• Strong presentation, communication and organisation skills
• Ability to work well individually and successfully as part of a team
• Confident and passionate about design
• Creative and on trend adaptable Handwriting ability
• Experience in factory and customer facing roles
• Basic fabric and print knowledge

Location
Leek

Benefits

• Holiday Pay
• On site free parking
• Excellent opportunity to start a career in fashion industry based locally in Leek

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