Footwear Designer, Girlswear

Position Summary

Our Design Team deliver stand‑out, affordable fashion with the unique style and touches that underpin the River Island handwriting.

• Deliver excellence in product design, from concept to completion, that represents key trends and commercial opportunities, and create a balanced range for your category.
• Through strong understanding of fabric, engineering, fit and quality, produce designs to a high technical standard and an excellent first sample hit rate for the level of the market.
• Lead and shape Product Development discussions that address key trends and opportunities, applying broad market and customer awareness and research, and a thorough understanding of the River Island brand.
• Identify and realise new product and design opportunities aligned to our overall Product strategy, based on industry and competitor awareness.
• Incorporate sustainable practices in design, development and production to deliver on our sustainability commitments and role‑model this to the whole Design team.
• Understand sales history, sales and margin targets and range plans across your own area of countability and across all divisions to ensure designs are aligned to commercial opportunities.
• Collaborate with suppliers, fabric mills, Fabric Sourcing and Buying counterparts to identify and realise opportunities for newness, trends and sourcing.
• Mentor and develop all team members, creating learning opportunities and fostering inclusion and diversity of opinion.
• Provide direction to Designers and Assistant Designers, managing their workload so they contribute effectively to the design process.
• Grow talent within the Design team, identifying readiness for the next role, providing learning opportunities, coaching and mentoring in a timely way to enable everyone to realise their potential.

• Substantial previous experience as an established Designer or equivalent is essential.
• Qualifications or studies relevant to Design are essential.
• Must be able to provide a portfolio of Design work.
• Track record of successfully mentoring and developing others.
• Excellent network in the market and industry.

• Advanced Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop skills are essential.
• Excellent Product Development skills.
• Excellent technical and creative design skills.
• Strong organisation skills, intentional with time and focus.
• Strong verbal communication skills.
• Excellent mentoring and development skills.
• Strong commercial acumen.
• Strong interpersonal effectiveness and collaboration skills, emotional intelligence and self‑management.
• Builds strong, genuine relationships with peers, highly collaborative approach.
• Self‑starter.
• Forward‑thinking, innovative.
• Change champion with a curious, continuous learning mindset.
• Tenacious, resilient and adaptable to change.
• Passion for the RI brand and customer.
• Disciplined and conscientious, results‑oriented.

• Generous 50% staff discount.
• Bargain staff shop on site.
• Free onsite gym, subsidised restaurant and café.
• Various social events throughout the year.
• Support for diverse family setups, enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fertility treatment.
• Flexible working plus payday and summer early finish Fridays.
• Give as you earn scheme, a Giver Island day each year and matched funding.
• Up‑skilling support through on‑the‑job training and qualifications.
• Succession plan.
• Generous bonus scheme and private pension plan.
• Option to opt in for healthcare through provider AXA.
• Allowance supporting commute to work.
• 25 days paid holiday, exclusive of Bank Holidays, with the option to purchase additional holiday twice a year.