Design Manager

**Design Manager - 6 months**

Our Design Managers translate range strategies into customer solutions through an understanding of consumer needs. Providing line level briefs, through the selection of design concepts and realised through highly directed product level briefing. Working in partnership with Creative squads, Editorial, Art working & Product teams to deliver products that are in line with overall vision & CDP.

**A varied role drawing on your creative, print and product understanding your main responsibilities will include**:

- Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day development of ranges within the business across various categories and/or customer accounts demonstrating excellent creative delivery, mirrored with strong organisational skills.
- Strong understanding of different consumer and customer requirements and the ability to translate these at line level whilst meeting the creative strategies set by the Art Director.
- Assist the Art Director with customer relationships and presentations, ensuring both digital SKUs & production mock-ups are available in line with internal and external customer reviews. In some instances, may take the lead in customer presentations.
- In partnership with Art Director and Product Manager provides secondary process and costing direction to Artwork Designers to ensure overall COGs and Value for Money goals are met.
- Applies manufacturing knowledge into design solutions. Attendance, when necessary, at technical meetings, VFM meetings and CDP meetings.
- Cataloguing ideation, ranges & signatures into documents that can be used at builds, to aid range development and to assist Digital Assets team in global sharing of assets where applicable.
- PRODO/MLM searches. Identifies and reserves assets.
- Briefing Artwork Designers in line with CDP & work with Creative Services Manager to manage and amend resource to ensure milestones are met.
- Understanding and management of licensing approvals, and process ensuring all licensing/restrictions rights are met.
- RFT: Working to ensure all spec, data and file accuracy measures and KPIs are managed & adhered to, ready for Pre-Production handover.
- In conjunction with Product Manager, manage sealing process and co-ordinates any print trials required
- Work with Product Co-Ordinator to set up new concepts in PETE in a timely manner,
- Maintains brief tracker to ensure all key information is captured and shared. Update key stakeholders to changes to delivery.
- Working with Product Manager to check supplied packaging files are accurate to specification.

**Organised and resourceful you'll have one eye on your shopper expectations and one on the design and product development process, so to be successful you will need**:

- Working knowledge of the product development lifecycle, technical print and/or creative design processes
- A solid understanding of what's important for the shopper, able to articulate the difference from a design and product/technical perspective
- Excellent organisation, prioritisation, and problem-solving skills to meet deadlines and plan appropriately.
- Resourceful, tenacious, and confident problem solver, with a clear understanding of what factors to take into account when finding a solution and managing resulting impacts
- To be an excellent communicator, both written and verbally, comfortable providing feedback to others and ensuring processes and procedures are followed
- Proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Creative Suite, Illustrator and Photoshop
- Team player, building relationships and supporting others via open and honest communication, being able to work across levels with confidence and authority
- Comfortable with ambiguity, flexible and agile, whilst remaining focused on meeting deadlines
- Previous experience of managing projects, critical date paths and conflicting deadlines and priorities
- To be seen as a technical expert and natural leader of complex processes
- To be abreast of key influences trends and insights, including political, social, economic, to inform your decision making and selection process
- Evidence of making decisions to balance technical/product decision with creative and aesthetic judgements would be a significant advantage
- Commercial acumen and understanding of retail/FMCG, ideally within a creative led business, would be a significant advantage

**Based at our Dawson Lane site in Bradford, close to key motorway links you'll be able to take advantage of**:

- Competitive salary
- 26 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Health cashback scheme
- Pension benefit
- Flexible working opportunities including flexible working hours and working from home options
- Free onsite parking for when you are in the office
- A variety of other cultural and lifestyle benefits, aimed at promoting a positive work/life balance

You may also have experience in the following: Creative Planner, Design Planner, Print Coordinator, etc

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