Footwear Designer

About the role

As a Footwear Designer, you will be at the creative heart of our product development, responsible for designing and delivering original, customer-centric products that define the John Lewis aesthetic. This isn't just about making beautiful things, it's about utilising customer insights to create "distinct, best-in-class" products that inspire and delight our customers while driving strategic growth for our categories. You will play a pivotal role in drafting design briefs and bringing products to life, working with a high degree of independence while enjoying the support of a collaborative community of designers, buyers, and suppliers.

Why this role?

• Salary: £33,000 - £51,700.00 per annum based on skill and experience
• Contract type: This is a permanent position
• Hours and location of the role:
  • 35 hours per week
  • Your home location will be our London Pimlico Head Office
  • The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The team attends the office 3 days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday being the core days, and attend key meetings on more of an ad-hoc basis
  • EU and International travel may be required to develop products as appropriate

• Play a critical role in delivering product design that will form a coherent category assortment aligned to brand / sub brand guidelines and in service of our customers. Support the Design Team and studio in fulfilling key tasks across the season
• Produce commercial and innovative design solutions to briefs. Develops product design handwriting, displaying a breadth of design handwriting to ensure our customer offer is truly unique
• Assist in the research, preparation and presentation of relevant and appropriate category trends. Demonstrate a good level of research and analytical skills to keep abreast of key customer requirements, market trends and conditions, product trends including technological advancements
• Ensure the sampling process is efficient for your sub-category. Produces precise design packs and fulfils delegated seasonal design briefs with commercial and innovative solutions, supported by illustrating / briefing / sourcing key materials and details. Ensure accurate samples are produced. Maintains comprehensive records of design projects
• Works on designated product ranges/projects. Takes ownership of design, product development and sampling process, engaging relevant stakeholders throughout, with the support from L6 Designer and L5 Design Manager
• You will bring proficiency in design software (e.g. Adobe Suite, CAD or Clo3D) and be able to bring designs to life digitally, using technology to sketch and design
• Where applicable, deliver task management for L9 Design Assistants to achieve and deliver work, in line with business outcomes and with the voice of the customer at the heart of decision making

• Support success driven cross-department working through effective stakeholder relationships, build and maintain strong supplier relationships

• Consistently demonstrate a Continuous Improvement mindset
• Think boldly and see issues and opportunities from all angles and multiple perspectives, even the unprecedented, to draw out meaning and connections and make recommendations to adjust strategy and outcomes as a result. Generate a number of workable options and overcome barriers to finding solutions

• Plans and reviews workload regularly and is prepared to adapt to ever changing circumstances. Assesses workload realistically in terms of urgency and importance and is ready for "curve balls" and changes plans where necessary to ensure optimum achievement and deadlines are hit and stakeholder relationships are maintained.

• Identifies who is impacted by or involved in your goals/objectives and therefore who is key to achieving the desired successful outcomes. Understands the…