Assistant Designer - Menswear

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. Here, everything in our Sainsbury’s stores starts out in Sainsbury’s Commercial. Whether it’s the product, proposition, packaging or price, or the fact that something tastes great, our team is responsible for all food, non-food and Clothing items available in Sainsbury’s stores, digitally and on demand. You’ll discover it’s incredibly fast-paced. People here are in it together and not afraid to take risks. They’re enthusiastic too, and their amazing leadership team is right behind them. The knowledge and experience you gain here could set you up for career moves anywhere else in the business. So, if you’re passionate about your products and just as hungry to learn, you’ll fit in perfectly.

Joining Sainsbury’s as an Assistant Designer within Menswear is a great opportunity to work with a trusted brand that values strong design and quality. This role is firmly focused on menswear, and prior experience in menswear or boyswear is essential.

As part of the Menswear Design team, you’ll support the delivery of inspirational, commercially driven designs that align with the category vision and ambition. Working closely with Designers, suppliers, and cross‑functional partners, you’ll help create original and exclusive product, using your strong design software skills and organisation to drive newness across the range. This role is ideal for creative, detail‑driven designers with a solid understanding of male and/or boyswear product, fit, fabrications, and trends, contributing to fashion‑forward ranges that balance style, quality, and value.

As an Assistant Designer at Tu Menswear, you’ll play a key role in supporting the delivery of seasonal and trend‑led designs. Working closely with Designers and Senior Designers, you’ll build strong relationships with suppliers and their design teams to help create original and exclusive menswear product. You’ll support the development of key seasonal styles and help introduce newness across the range. Strong proficiency in Photoshop and Illustrator is essential, as you’ll contribute to creating product briefs and design packs independently when required. You’ll help deliver innovative, commercially viable designs that meet the needs of a diverse menswear customer. As a confident communicator, you’ll represent the design team with key stakeholders, manage your workload effectively, and work to critical path deadlines. Your creativity, attention to detail, and understanding of menswear trends and market dynamics will support the delivery of the overall design strategy, while embedding sustainability principles throughout your work.

You’re a creative and detail‑oriented Assistant Designer with a genuine passion for menswear, supported by previous experience in menswear or boyswear design. You thrive in a collaborative environment and enjoy working closely with Designers, Senior Designers, and suppliers to deliver original and exclusive product. You’re confident using Photoshop and Illustrator to create and amend product briefs and communicate clearly and professionally with stakeholders across the business. With strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks to deadline, you support the delivery of key seasonal styles, maintain material and swatch libraries, and contribute to ongoing sustainability initiatives. You’re a proactive team player who enjoys working in a fast‑paced, flexible environment and is motivated by continuous learning and development.

Essential Criteria

• Previous experience in menswear or boyswear design
• Fashion Design or Textiles degree
• Strong Adobe Suite expertise (Photoshop & Illustrator)
• Ability to communicate clearly across functions and with suppliers
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills
• Strong time management and ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Collaborative team player able to work with Design, Buying, Merchandising, Suppliers, and Marketing

You’ll split your time between home and the Ansty SSC (Coventry), coming into the office when collaboration and business needs require, with a minimum of two days per week on site. At second stage interview, candidates will be asked to present a set project. When applying, please include examples from your portfolio. We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new — whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working.

When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them: Starting off with colleague discount, you’ll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and instore at Sainsbury’s, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to 15% at points during the year. We’ve also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You’ll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 5% of salary, depending on how we perform. Your wellbeing is important to us too. You’ll receive an annual holiday allowance and you can buy up to an additional week of holiday. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an employee assistance programme. Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.