Assistant Designer (Younger Boys Jersey) - Next Sourcing - 12 Months Fixed Term Contract in Leicester

Working Pattern: Typically 5 days in the office, with core hours flexible between 8am-6pm.

The Role

As an Assistant Designer for Younger Boys Jersey, you’ll be the creative spark within our In-House Global Supplier, turning street-style trends into the "cool" wardrobe staples our customers love. Working alongside Senior Designers and our global manufacturing partners, you’ll help push the boundaries of our jersey collections, ensuring every piece is as fresh as it is high-quality.

What You’ll Take On

• Designing the Full Range: Owning the design process for all Next Sourcing boyswear jersey, with a specialised focus on creating high-quality, trend-led basics.
• Turning Trends into Reality: Constantly researching global trends and translating them into elevated, wearable products that our customers love.
• Designing at Pace: Responding quickly to creative briefs and producing high-impact, fast-turnaround designs to keep our collections fresh.
• Balancing Style and Value: Working smartly within price point guidelines to ensure we never compromise on quality or aesthetic.
• Collaborating Globally: Partnering daily with Buyers, Sourcing teams, and our Global Suppliers to ensure every garment is delivered on time and to exact specifications.
• Driving Variety: Supporting everything from exciting project-based "capsule" collections to the essential core lines that form the backbone of the brand.

What You’ll Bring

• Design Expertise: You have a solid background in Childrenswear Jersey design, ideally gained within a similar-sized retailer or supplier.
• Technical Fluency: You are a pro at using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to bring your creative visions to life with precision.
• A Trend-First Mindset: You are genuinely passionate about fashion and always have your finger on the pulse of new opportunities and emerging trends.
• Collaborative Spirit: You’re a natural communicator who enjoys working with others; experience collaborating with factories, brands, or retailers will be a huge advantage.
• Commercial Awareness: You understand the balance of design and business, comfortably navigating price points and production specs without losing your creative edge.
• Resilience & Organisation: You stay grounded and organised during busy periods, handling fast-turnaround briefs with a positive, "can-do" attitude.

A Quick Note: We can’t wait to see your style! Please ensure you attach your digital portfolio to your application, as we won’t be able to consider your journey with us without it.

We are looking for work that is trend-focused, demonstrating your ability to translate high-fashion concepts into commercially successful, elevated designs for the Younger Boys Jersey market.

Sponsorship Candidates wishing to apply who would require sponsorship for this role will be required to meet the Home Office sponsorship requirements.

We encourage early applications for our roles, as our recruitment process begins as soon as the role is advertised. If we successfully fill the position, this advert may close earlier than planned.

We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email headoffice_careers@next.co.uk (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.