Working Pattern:
Typically 5 days a week onsite with core flexible hours between 8am to 6pm
Next Sourcing are looking for a trend driven experienced Footwear Designer, looking to push our Mens & Girls Footwear designs!
We’re so much more than just a British retailer. From Istanbul to Shanghai, our Sourcing teams live and work in some of the most iconic cities in the world.
They're at the heart of finding, developing and delivering the products our customers love, wear and use every day. Located across the globe, our Next Sourcing teams specialise in all different parts of the sourcing operation, from design and technology to product development.
What You’ll Take On:
Design the Full Menswear & Girlswear Footwear Range:
Create everything from trend-led casual trainers and streetwear to sandals and slippers, ensuring a cohesive, modern, and versatile aesthetic across the department.
Translate Global Trends:
Research and filter global street style, runway trends, and material innovations into "must-have" products tailored to the NEXT customer.
Inspirational & Development Travel:
Embark on seasonal trips to key global fashion hubs for trend inspiration, and visit international factories and tanneries to oversee prototyping and strengthen manufacturing relationships.
Drive Rapid Design Cycles:
Respond swiftly to design briefs with high energy and precision, producing fast-turnaround CAD concepts, material specs, and technical details without compromising on style.
Balance Cost, Comfort, and Quality:
Design intelligently within strict target price points, selecting the right leathers, textiles, and soling components to maintain a premium feel and maximum comfort at a competitive price.
Partner with Global Teams:
Work daily with Buyers and Merchandisers to align on range plans, and collaborate directly with overseas technical factories to ensure designs are executed to exact construction specifications.
Ensure Timely Delivery:
Manage your critical path effectively to meet tight production calendars, driving products seamlessly from initial sketch to final production-ready sample
What You’ll Bring
- A Passion for Product:
A strong understanding of footwear construction, lasts, materials, and components across both formal and casual categories.
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Commercial Awareness:
The ability to look at high-end trends and understand how to translate them into volume-selling, wearable products for the high street.
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Technical Proficiency:
Excellent CAD skills (using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop) to produce clear, detailed tech packs for factory manufacturing.
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Strong Organisation & Pace:
Comfort working in a fast-paced environment, with the organisational skills to manage multiple seasonal deadlines at once.
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Collaboration & Communication:
A positive, team-focused attitude with the confidence to pitch your design ideas clearly to buyers and build strong relationships with international suppliers.
Portfolios
To help us get a feel for your style, please attach a digital portfolio. We’re looking for work that demonstrates a sharp eye for the future of menswear & girlswear footwear, how these concepts can be commercially viable for NEXT, and showcases your design process, material specs, and CAD work within this!
Applications without a portfolio will not be considered.
Sponsorship
Candidates wishing to apply who would require sponsorship for this role will be required to meet the Home Office sponsorship requirements. For further information please see:
https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
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We encourage early applications for our roles, as our recruitment process begins as soon as the role is advertised. If we successfully fill the position, this advert may close earlier than planned.
At NEXT, we believe the best work happens when there are no barriers to collaboration. That’s why we are a Google-powered workspace. From your very first day, you’ll be using the full Google Workspace suite; Docs, Drive, and Meet, to stay connected and move fast.
If your previous experience is rooted in other software suites, don’t worry! We’ll point you to a digital Google toolkit the moment you join, packed with handy guides and insider tips to help you transition smoothly and hit the ground running.
#LI-Onsite
You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!
