Junior Technologist - Footwear/Accessories

Junior Technologist - Footwear/Accessories

Entry level 26116 - 28000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
New Look

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Manage product quality and fit from design to delivery, ensuring customer satisfaction.
  • Company: Join a feel-good fashion brand with over 55 years of making style accessible.
  • Benefits: Enjoy 40% staff discount, virtual GP access, and extra paid day off on your birthday.
  • Other info: Flexible working patterns and excellent training opportunities for career progression.
  • Why this job: Be part of a team that values inclusion, diversity, and positive change in fashion.
  • Qualifications: Understanding of fit requirements, product testing, and strong communication skills.

The predicted salary is between 26116 - 28000 £ per year.

We’re the feel-good fashion brand making style accessible and fun for over 55 years, on our website, mobile app and over 300 stores in the UK. By living our values - we play to win, customer obsessed, we are one and it starts with me - we deliver That New Look Feeling for our customers and each other.

The Role

To develop and manage a product offer that meets customer requirements for quality and fit, maximising sales and profit opportunities while minimising faulty and fit returns. As a Junior Technologist you will be responsible for managing your own department from first fit through to delivery. This role requires you to be in the office 4 days a week.

What’s in it for you

  • 40% staff discount plus friends & family discounts throughout the year
  • Access to our reward platform for external discount and offers
  • Virtual GP access for you and your children – it allows you to speak to a doctor at a time and date that suits you
  • All employees are covered by our life assurance policy from day one
  • Unlock extra leave with our buy more holiday scheme.
  • Celebrate YOU! Enjoy an extra paid day off on your birthday each year
  • Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and shared parental leave.
  • Spread the cost of your commute with interest‑free season ticket loans
  • Do your bit for the environment and save money with our Cycle2Work scheme
  • We’re proud to partner with the Retail Trust and Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust

What you’ll be doing

  • Take responsibility for fitting and sealing of a department
  • Maintaining departmental quality, fit, testing and grading standards to uphold manual compliance with support from your manager
  • Working with design and supply base to develop product briefs, providing accurate measurement and fabric requirements
  • Risk assess product and supplier capabilities to ensure correct quality standards are achievable
  • Manage the product development process from first fit through to production, liaising with design, buying, merchandising, suppliers, franchise, international, supply chain and E‑Commerce as required
  • Understand product construction and suitability for mass production
  • Understand how to adapt product to minimise costs
  • Negotiate effectively with suppliers to achieve desired quality and fit objectives
  • Ensure full understanding of packaging and labeling requirements to ensure consistency of brand and quality
  • Conducting regular New Look store visits to identify faults and action improvements
  • Monitor the market, identifying competitor advances in quality/ fit, and highlight to managers
  • Monitor and manage weekly faulty returns using weekly reports and highlight to suppliers and BMD
  • Review supplier compliance in a commercial manner to resolve DC on holds within 48 hours of ‘Supplier Compliance Authorisation’
  • Manage test reports through ‘Datalink’
  • Completes factory/ testing laboratory/ distribution centre trips in line with departmental needs
  • Providing reporting on quality and fit at department level in order to identify which areas to focus improvements with support from your manager
  • To be responsible for the motivation and development of direct reports in your department

Who you are

  • Good understanding of fit requirements for product area and ability to communicate clearly the relevant changes required to achieve an approved fit and required quality
  • Ability to put together a comprehensive and clear design brief outlining measurements and fabric requirements
  • Good understanding of product testing with the ability to review failed results commercially in line with the product
  • An understanding of grading and sizing
  • Understanding of fabric and trim requirements to ensure suitability for product type
  • Understanding of open costings
  • Understanding of supply chain issues, for example: lead times/ flexibility/ supplier capability
  • Start to understand factory processes to identify potential issues and cost saving opportunities (lay planning/ construction/ line flow/ etc)
  • Knowledge of the current competitive market place to identify relevant product developments in quality and fit
  • Understanding of labelling, packaging and presentation of a product to include legal compliance
  • Numerical and analytical skills in order to review returns data and grade rules
  • Previous experience in quality with a major retailer / supplier/ department within New Look

Why New Look?

We care about you and the planet and believe fashion should be a force for positive change. We celebrate inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We’re proud of our inclusive culture and our talented team members who embrace our shared purpose, behaviours and values. We prioritise development, offering training to support your progression, so you can be your absolute best and achieve your goals. We pride ourselves on being a flexible employer, our colleagues work a range of patterns. If you have a specific pattern in mind, we’re keen to discuss this with you in line with the output needed for the role.

Please ensure that your CV is in simple format e.g. Microsoft Word when applying using your CV to ensure smooth application process.

Junior Technologist - Footwear/Accessories employer: New Look

At New Look, we are dedicated to fostering a vibrant and inclusive work culture that empowers our employees to thrive. As a Junior Technologist in London, you will enjoy a generous 40% staff discount, access to a virtual GP, and enhanced parental leave, all while working in a supportive environment that prioritises your professional growth and well-being. Join us in making fashion accessible and fun, while contributing to a company that values sustainability and celebrates diversity.

New Look

Contact Details:

New Look Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Junior Technologist - Footwear/Accessories

Tap into Fashion-Specific Platforms

When you're hunting for that entry-level role in fashion, check out platforms like Fashion Jobs or Not Just a Label. These sites focus on the fashion industry and can help you get your foot in the door with relevant listings that might not be on mainstream job boards.

Show Off Your Style on Social Media

Utilise Instagram and Pinterest to showcase your eye for fashion. Create a portfolio of your style or even designs if you’re feeling creative. This not only builds your personal brand but also gets you noticed by potential employers who are always on the lookout for fresh talent.

Join Fashion Networking Events

Get yourself along to local fashion events, pop-up shops or trade shows. Networking is key in fashion, so chat with industry professionals, and don't be shy to hand out your contact details. You never know who might put in a good word for you when an entry-level role opens up.

Apply Directly to New Look

Don't forget to keep an eye on the careers page at New Look for any entry-level openings. Applying directly through their website can often put you ahead of the competition, especially if they’re looking to fill roles quickly. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of their team!

We think you need these skills to ace Junior Technologist - Footwear/Accessories

Fit Requirements Understanding
Design Brief Development
Product Testing Knowledge
Grading and Sizing Understanding
Fabric and Trim Requirements Knowledge
Open Costings Understanding
Supply Chain Issues Awareness

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Off Your Style:When you're applying for a job in fashion-apparel, it's crucial to let your personal style shine through in your application. Incorporate design elements or a unique layout in your CV that reflects your understanding of current trends and your creative flair. This helps us see how you think about aesthetics from the get-go!

Highlight Relevant Education & Experience:If you’ve taken any fashion courses or have experience in retail, make sure that's front and centre on your CV! Whether it's a part-time job at a clothing store or a fashion-related project you worked on at university, we want to see how your background aligns with our fashion-forward ethos at New Look.

Passion Over Experience:Since this is an entry-level position, we understand you might not have loads of experience. So, in your cover letter, focus on your passion for fashion! Share why you're excited about working with us at New Look, and connect it to your motivation for wanting to enter this vibrant industry.

Include a Portfolio, Even If Small:If you have any sketches, designs, or mood boards, don’t hesitate to share them! Even a small portfolio links creativity to your application and can set you apart. If you don't have any portfolio pieces yet, consider including links to your favourite fashion blogs or Instagram accounts that inspire you — we love seeing what gets you excited about fashion!

How to prepare for a job interview at New Look

Show Off Your Passion for Fashion

Let’s be real; the fashion world is super competitive. So, we need to showcase our passion! Bring a portfolio of our best styling looks, whether it’s a mood board, personal projects, or even student work. It’s our chance to show New Look that we live and breathe fashion!

Stay Trendy and Informed

Before the interview, we should catch up on current trends, famous designers, and industry news. It might just be the perfect icebreaker or the punchline to a question! Plus, it shows New Look that we’re not just here for a job; we’re genuinely keen on what’s happening in the world of fashion.

Demonstrate Your Creativity

Since we're stepping into an entry-level role, we should be prepared to discuss our creative process. Maybe sketch a design or outline how we’d style a specific piece if asked. New Look wants to see our imagination at work, so don’t be shy about expressing our unique ideas!

Know Your Fashion Terms

Let’s brush up on our fashion vocabulary! From ‘couture’ to ‘athleisure’, knowing the lingo can really help us in the interview. New Look might throw in some technical questions, so being fluent in fashion speak will show we’re ready to dive into the industry headfirst.