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- Tasks: Lead a creative design team to deliver stylish, commercially viable collections across multiple brands.
- Company: Hela Brands, a dynamic multi-brand apparel business with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, career progression, and staff discounts.
- Why this job: Join a vibrant team and shape the future of fashion while making a real impact.
- Qualifications: 7+ years in apparel design, strong leadership skills, and a creative portfolio.
- Other info: Fast-paced environment with opportunities for growth and collaboration.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 ÂŁ per year.
Location: Huddersfield, HD3 4EX
Salary: Competitive, depending on experience
Contract: Full time, Permanent
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary
- Flexible working (1-2 days from home, with flexibility where appropriate)
- Opportunity to work across multiple established and growing brands
- Career progression within a scaling business
- Staff discount and sample sales
About Us:
Hela Brands is a multi brand apparel business operating across menswear, womenswear and kids, spanning apparel, footwear and accessories. Our portfolio includes brands such as Ellesse, Nautica, Reebok, AVX Avirex Dept, Fenchruch, Peter Werth and more.
We are seeking a Design Team Manager to lead and elevate our design function. This is a leadership role responsible for driving team output, aligning creative execution with commercial goals, and ensuring consistent delivery across multiple brands and categories.
The Role:
You will be accountable for managing and directing the design team to deliver commercially focused, brand appropriate collections across all channels. This role sits at the intersection of creative direction, commercial execution, and team leadership, ensuring the business delivers against both brand ambition and revenue targets.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Partner with board and senior leadership to define design priorities, workload planning, and seasonal requirements.
- Own team workload planning and forecasting, ensuring resource is aligned to deliver range architecture, target price points, and seasonal deadlines. Drive pace, efficiency, and accountability across the full critical path.
- Lead and develop a team of designers, providing clear direction to deliver commercially viable collections aligned to brand strategy.
- Collaborate with account managers and customers to interpret SMU briefs, ensuring the team delivers against requirements with speed, clarity, and commercial focus.
- Maintain a strong understanding of market trends, fabrication, and production techniques, embedding this into design output and actively developing team capability.
- Build and maintain effective cross-functional relationships across development, merchandising, sales, and supply chain to ensure seamless execution from concept to delivery.
- Work closely with merchandising and supply chain teams to ensure design output aligns with pricing frameworks and margin expectations.
To be successful in this role, you will have:
- Minimum 7+ years’ experience in apparel design within fashion or sportswear.
- Proven experience managing and developing direct reports.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating both creative capability and commercial awareness.
- Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator (Photoshop beneficial).
- Strong understanding of garment construction, textiles, and manufacturing processes.
- Clear leadership presence with the ability to set direction, challenge, and elevate team output.
- Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong communication skills with confidence working cross-functionally and with external partners.
If you feel you have the necessary skills and experience to be successful in this role click on “APPLY” today, forwarding an up to date copy of your CV for consideration in the first instance. No agencies please.
Design Team Manager in Reading employer: Hela Brands
Contact Detail:
Hela Brands Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Team Manager in Reading
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the fashion and apparel industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your portfolio! Make sure it’s up-to-date and highlights your best work. When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, bring it along or share it digitally. It’s your chance to shine and demonstrate your creative capabilities.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its brands. Understand their design ethos and recent collections. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you’re genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us. So go ahead, hit that 'APPLY' button!
We think you need these skills to ace Design Team Manager in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience that align with the Design Team Manager role. Highlight your leadership experience and any relevant projects that showcase your creative and commercial capabilities.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share your passion for design and how your background in apparel aligns with our brands. Be sure to mention specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to lead a team.
Showcase Your Portfolio: Include a link to your portfolio that showcases your best work. Make sure it highlights both your creative flair and your understanding of commercial design, as we want to see how you can elevate our collections.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hela Brands
✨Know Your Brands
Before the interview, take some time to research Hela Brands and its portfolio. Familiarise yourself with their various brands like Ellesse and Reebok. This will not only show your genuine interest but also help you align your design vision with their brand strategies.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Design Team Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead and develop a team. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully managed a team, driven creative output, or improved processes. Be ready to discuss how you can elevate the design function at Hela Brands.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect questions about garment construction, textiles, and production techniques. Brush up on your knowledge in these areas and be prepared to discuss how your technical skills can contribute to commercially viable collections. Highlight your proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and any other relevant software.
✨Demonstrate Commercial Awareness
Hela Brands is looking for someone who can align creative execution with commercial goals. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve balanced creativity with market trends and pricing frameworks in your previous roles. Show them that you understand the importance of delivering designs that meet both aesthetic and financial targets.