Assistant Designer - Boyswear

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 an Assistant Designer, based in our London office. This role is open to both internal and external applicants with experience in designing own-brand ranges for Boyswear (9 months-16 years).
Our talented Design team operates across both our London and Liverpool offices, and for this position, we\’re looking for someone to be primarily based in London. There may also be some travel required between our sites on a monthly basis.
This is a brilliant opportunity to grow and develop your design skills while working alongside industry experts in a collaborative and creative environment.
About the role.
The Assistant Designer will support the line manager in driving positive sales and developing new, trend lead ranges for our Own Brand Older Boys range (6-14 years) whilst focusing on the customer and key cash drivers. Having the knowledge and ability to \’think like a buyer\’ when developing best seller updates whilst being the enthusiastic, creative eye that also pushes for newness within the range.
Applicants must have competency in Illustrator, Photoshop, Excel & InDesign.
You will be responsible for:

• Working on Casual / Jersey / Leisure / Wovens / Knits/ Denim lines.

• Day to day communication with core supply chain in order to adhere to milestones in the critical path

• Assist in fabric sourcing, designing proto samples, fit approvals, print & lab dip approvals

• Technical design briefs for sample development on both kids, menswear and licence team

• Assist in Range planning alongside buying and merchandising department, Prep for sign offs

• Awareness of the market is key, keeping track of competitor activity, market trends and catwalk trends. Combining this with an understanding of our customer and brand DNA when designing ranges,

• Ability to process critical feedback: amending styles appropriately and communicating amendments to suppliers

• Ensuring weekly checks of best and worst sellers, customer feedback, trade and online product awareness

• Building strong and lasting relationships both internally and externally to maximise commercial opportunities

About you.
The ideal candidate will have/be:

• Previous experience within a design role is essential. Ideally a minimum of 3 years experience within a retailer or brand.

• Experience on designing casual, jersey or athletic leisure / sports.

• Technical and proficient working knowledge of Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign and Excel.

• Proven experience of building relationships, internal, external & international – working cross functionally and collaboratively.

• Problem solving/strategic thinking.

• Ability to prioritise and manage workload.

Some of our benefits

• Flexible, hybrid working model
• Inclusive culture and environment, check out our Glassdoor reviews
• £250 flexible benefits allowance to suit your needs
• 27 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 may be required to undertake a credit, CIFAS and DBS check.
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 30-45 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 task based interview where you can expect both competency and technical questions.
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.