Junior Designer

DCK is a fast paced, commercial fashion business and we have an exciting opportunity to join our leading design team in our Billericay office. You will be working as part of a friendly design team, designing and delivering tailored commercial products/ranges which target and focus on the customer and satisfy the customer expectation, whilst striving to innovate and influence the fashion market.

**About us**

DCK Group a global leader in the design, supply of fashion jewellery and accessories. #pride

Here at DCK our people are central to everything we do. We are welcoming, friendly and have a culture that promotes learning and development from day one. #care #community

Diversity, equality and inclusion are the core of who we are and reflect this in every aspect of our company culture, DCK DNA.

It’s a great time to join DCK, we are looking for dynamic individuals who are as passionate about our business as we are, as it continues to flourish and grow.
**The Role**
- Responsible for creating innovative, original designs, concepts and ideas that translate into complete ranges for a smaller/less complex brand(s)
- Source & develop new materials & components in line with ethical, testing & quality requirements.
- Ensure designs enable product development within target margins, displaying an understanding of materials & assembly costs & adapt design to meet targets where necessary.
- Proactively resolve design specification queries with suppliers when incorrect samples are received
- Lead Ingredients meetings, presenting original inspiration themes, through colour, trend, handmade samples and design sheets.
- Undertake competitive shops to keep up to date on brand positioning, emerging themes, new techniques & materials & feeding back findings to team
- Identify gaps in the market and react quickly to emerging trends and ‘must have’ products, ensuring speed to market.
- Influence buying and merchandising when required to back big deals with authority, taking measured risks in line with emerging trends
- Build strong customer knowledge. Ensure collections meet the customer profile and brand identity, delivering an appropriate balance of product assortment between high fashion and commerciality
- Actively monitor trading across the brand and react to sales, making timely decisions and seeking new selling opportunities.
- In partnership with buying, identify, support and grow key suppliers, understanding their capabilities & seek to improve ways of working that are mindful of oversampling & balance brands supplier mix
- Manage and implement key activities in the critical path to ensure design compliance for all products and ranges.
- Compile all information necessary for trip development and prepare trip packs giving suppliers enough time to source components & sample before meetings
- Work collaboratively across the business, ensuring achievement of KPIs and contribute to creating a positive working environment for all colleagues, inspiring team in a professional manner to work to the best of their ability.
- Understand requirements for packaging & marketing material for license brands, ensuring brand identity is coherent throughout product and branding material.
**Requirements;**

**- **Ideally educated to degree level or equivalent in design with jewellery or accessories experience
- Competent Adobe suite skills and good working ability with Microsoft office suite.
- Sound commercial acumen, trading experience and a good ability to understand and interpret financial data.
- Creative flare, with at least 2 years design experience.
- Competent hand making skills - construction of buying samples.
- Knowledge of Far East suppliers and jewellery production processes.
- Understanding of the retail market, customer, fashion trends and brand positioning.
- Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate competently and clearly with all levels
- Strong organisational and task management skills, with the ability to prioritise and work in a fast moving reactive business with multiple deadlines.
- Ability to design across multiple brands and work under pressure/tight deadlines.