Contract Designer in Newton Aycliffe

The Danesmoor Group is a leading UK manufacturer of kitchens and bedrooms, with a proud heritage dating back to 1909. We’re a fifth generation, family‑owned company with a long track record, but with a clear focus on what is next. Our ambition is to combine the stability, investment and long-term thinking of a heritage business with the pace, mindset and capability of a modern organisation.

Our success is built on skilled people, strong teamwork, and a commitment to quality. From manufacturing, design, logistics, customer service and business support, every role plays an important part in delivering outstanding products and service to our customers. We are passionate about creating a workplace where people can develop their skills, contribute new ideas, and build rewarding careers.

Life Contract supports customers with a focused, agile, and service-led approach—offering high-quality kitchen solutions, reliable lead times, and a collaborative way of working that reflects the Group’s long-standing values. As we continue to expand our trade offering, we’re looking for a talented Contract Designer who can bring speed, accuracy, and commercial awareness to our growing team.

Based at our Group headquarters you’ll be responding to small, medium and large contract enquiries and tenders. These will be both kitchens and bedrooms. Anything from 10 plots to 200 plots. Often there will be specific deadlines that have to be worked to. You will be designing on the Winner software and quoting through EQ. We offer the most diverse and extensive range of design choices but at the heart of the contract world is price, value for money, reliability and consistency; from handleless to traditional in-frame and everything in between.

We offer excellent in-house training and continual support to help you build a successful career and the opportunity to thrive and develop. As a contract kitchen designer you should be creative with an aptitude and passion for kitchen design, coupled with a strong eye on detail and practical solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Delivering designs, plans costings and presentations back to the Contract customer / Contract Sales Director. These need to be accurate based on the information at hand.
• Responsible for specifying the most relevant appliance brands to suit the needs and price points of the contracts.
• Specifying and costing worksurfaces, whether that be laminate / quartz etc.
• You will identify and interpret our clients’ needs and deliver true, well thought out kitchen solutions. This will cover HA, (Housing Association) SO (Shared Ownership) and PD (Private Dwellings) kitchen types.

Knowledge, Skills & ExperienceEssential

• Proven kitchen/interior design background with a minimum of 2 years’ experience.
• Experience of working with commercial clients (interior designers/ architects/ trade).
• Strong design ability, proficient in the latest design software, with a knowledge and passion for the latest styles and trends.
• Experience of working under pressure.
• Must be able to plan and prioritise work schedules to meet strict customer deadlines.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to work unsupervised.
• Flexible, open attitude and keen to collaborate, learn and share knowledge.
• Proactive problem solver and willingness to own responsibility.
• Highly motivated and effective team player.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Demonstrates a positive ‘can do’ attitude.
• Excellent time and project management skills.

Desirable

• Extensive Kitchen industry experience.
• Competent using EQ & Winner software packages.

QualificationsDesirable

• Bachelor’s degree in design.

Company Values

Though our business has grown over the years, our dedication to integrity, empathy, honesty, and authenticity has never changed. These five values alongside our purpose shape every interaction and help us build lasting trust with our customers, teams, and partners. We’re proud to share the values that define who we are as a business. At the heart of everything we do are five core values — not just words on a page, but guiding principles that shape how we think, act, and grow with purpose. All employees are expected to always demonstrate company values. They are:

• Customer at the heart
• Accountability
• Pace – Progress over perfection
• One Team
• Innovation without limits

Additional Information

This job description outlines the main duties and responsibilities of the role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list and may be reviewed and amended in line with business requirements.

Application Guidance

We encourage applicants to ensure their CV and application accurately reflect their own skills, experience, achievements, and career history. While tools such as AI may be used to support formatting, spelling, or grammar, candidates should ensure all content is a genuine and accurate representation of their knowledge, experience, and suitability for the role. Information provided during the recruitment process may be explored in greater detail at interview.

What Happens Next?

Once you’ve submitted your application, our Recruitment & Talent Partner will review your CV and assess your skills, experience, and suitability for the role. As part of this process, we may contact you to obtain additional information, discuss your experience in more detail, or arrange the next stage of the recruitment process. Suitable applications will then be shared with the Hiring Manager for further consideration. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we may not be able to provide individual feedback at the application stage. Thank you for your interest in joining The Danesmoor Group. We appreciate the time taken to apply and look forward to learning more about you.