Digital Design Studio Graduate in Manchester

JD Group is a leading omni-channel retailer of Sports Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms.

About The Role

This is a 2‑year graduate role within the JD Group Creative Studio, spanning the Retouch, Design and Motion Graphics teams. The placement is divided into four six‑month segments designed to give a motivated undergraduate a deep, progressive grounding in commercial creative content creation.

Year 1 (Months 1 – 6): Retouch Foundations

The placement begins in the Retouch team. The focus is on building precise, repeatable skills in commercial image retouching, working at volume across e‑commerce and campaign photography.

What you’ll work on:

• E‑commerce image retouching across footwear, apparel and accessories
• Product colour matching for accuracy across digital channels
• Footwear still‑life retouching – a core specialist area of the studio
• Paid and organic social image retouching
• Campaign retouching and colour grading
• Generative AI briefs and training
• Working to briefs and managing feedback via Frame.io

Skills developed:

• Photoshop proficiency
• Attention to detail
• Colour correction
• Brief interpretation
• Studio workflow and time‑management

Year 1 (Months 7 – 12): Digital Design & Artwork

The placement moves into the Design & Artwork team, focusing on layout, typography and multi‑format asset production.

What you’ll work on:

• Producing campaign and daily digital artwork across digital sites, e‑mail, social and OOH
• Applying and interpreting brand guidelines across formats
• Typography, layout and colour in channel environments
• Creating style‑setters for retail and digital campaigns
• File preparation and delivery across print and digital specifications

Skills developed:

• Improved application within Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign
• Design and brand systems
• Layout principles
• Multi‑channel artwork production
• File management

Year 2 (Months 13 – 18): Motion Design

The second year introduces motion design, combining image skills from both previous roles to create motion graphics at scale.

What you’ll work on:

• Motion graphics for social (Reels, Stories, paid video banners)
• Motion graphics for retail (standard and special execution screens)
• Animation of existing design assets – typography, product reveals, logo locks
• Introduction to motion workflow

Skills developed:

• Improved After Effects skills
• Motion principles
• Design‑to‑motion pipeline

Year 2 (Months 19 – 24): Extended Discipline Focus

The final segment allows the candidate to spend six months with their preferred department, integrating skills from previous phases.

What Courses We're Looking For:

We welcome applicants from a range of undergraduate programmes. The strongest candidates tend to come from courses with a practical creative or digital production element. Relevant degrees include:

• Digital Media Production / Creative Media Production
• Graphic Design or Visual Communication (with a digital / image focus)
• Fashion Photography or Fashion Media

Also Worth Considering:

• Illustration or Fine Art (with strong Photoshop skills)
• Fashion Design or Fashion Buying & Merchandising (with a strong digital portfolio)
• Art Direction or Advertising (with hands‑on production skills)

The specific course matters less than the candidate's portfolio and practical ability – we look for evidence of careful, precise image work and a genuine interest in commercial retouching.

Essential Skills & Attributes:

• Photoshop proficiency – Working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop
• Attention to detail – High attention to detail and a careful, methodical approach to image work
• Consistency – Ability to maintain consistent quality across a set of images
• Brief interpretation – Ability to interpret and execute a creative brief
• Time management – Ability to manage time effectively within deadlines in a studio environment
• Collaborative mindset – Self‑motivated, proactive, team‑first attitude and willingness to learn from feedback

Desirable:

• Colour awareness – Understanding of colour theory and colour correction tools
• Wider Adobe CC knowledge – Familiarity with Adobe Creative Cloud Software
• Multi‑channel awareness – Understanding of image output requirements across digital channels (e‑com, social, print)
• AI image & video tools – Awareness of or interest in AI‑powered image and video software and how it shapes commercial creative production

Personal Attributes:

• Curious and enthusiastic about commercial image‑making
• Resilient under volume and comfortable with repetitive precision work
• Open to feedback and able to adapt quickly
• Takes pride in craft – quality matters to them personally
• Curious about AI image and video tools and their future role in creative production
• Organised and self‑motivated once shown the way

What We Offer:

• A structured 2‑year placement with clear progression
• Hands‑on experience within a live commercial studio
• Exposure to real briefs, campaigns and deadlines
• Regular 1:1s and development support
• A collaborative environment with experienced creatives
• A career pathway conversation at the end of your placement

We also offer staff discounts on JD Group brands and personal development opportunities to learn and grow at work.