# Footwear Designer - Mens & Womens - Licensed Brands

**Company**: NEXT
**Location**: Leicester
**Work arrangement**: onsite
**Experience**: senior
**Job type**: full-time
**Salary**: £45,000 to £80,000
**Category**: Design
**Industry**: Retail

**Apply**: https://ekeq.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_3001/job/77888?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply
**Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/jobs/job_29aa5745-433

## Description

As a Footwear Designer at NEXT, you will bring a fresh, commercial vision to our footwear collections, taking ownership of driving product innovation across Russell & Bromley Mens & Womens Footwear & Ted Baker Womens Footwear.

Your primary mission is to capture emerging global trends and translate them into versatile, trend-led, and wearable footwear ranges that deliver exceptional value and style to our customer.

In this role, you will make a direct impact on seasonal collections by bridging high-level design concepts with commercial execution. You will collaborate closely with a passionate cross-functional team, including Buyers, Merchandisers, Garment & Footwear Technologists, and overseas sourcing partners to bring cohesive collections from initial concept to the high street.

**Responsibilities**

- Design dynamic footwear collections: conceptualise and develop commercial, trend-driven footwear ranges across varied categories (including boots, shoes, sandals, and casual styles).

- Gather global inspiration: undertake inspirational travel and market research to identify global footwear trends, innovative materials, trims, and construction techniques.

- Drive technical execution: create precise, factory-ready CADs, colour CAD layouts, and detailed technical specification packs for international manufacturers and suppliers.

- Refine construction & fit: partner closely with footwear technologists and suppliers during sample reviews and fit sessions to ensure superior comfort, durability, and silhouette precision.

- Design to cost: work creatively within designated price point frameworks to maximise product design value without compromising on style, material quality, or structural integrity.

- Collaborate cross-functionally: work hand-in-hand daily with buying, merchandising, and external manufacturing partners to deliver cohesive, on-trend ranges to market on time.

**Requirements**

- Footwear design expertise: proven experience designing footwear within a fast-paced fashion retail, brand, or supplier environment, with a strong understanding of lasting, soles, materials, and shoe construction.

- Advanced technical proficiency: expert-level skills in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, with a track record of producing accurate technical spec packs, outsole drawings, and detailed material briefs.

- Commercial trend eye: a sharp natural taste level and strong commercial instinct, with the ability to spot trends early and translate them into high-volume, commercially successful products.

- Vendor & factory experience: practical experience working alongside overseas factories, material suppliers, and sourcing partners to develop prototypes and solve production challenges.

- Collaborative spirit: outstanding communication and team-working skills, with the organisation and agility needed to thrive in a fast-paced design calendar.

**Benefits**

- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays

- Profit-related bonus - based on company performance

- Management share options

- Company car or car allowance

- Private medical insurance

- Sharesave scheme - make savings from your net pay to buy NEXT shares at a discount

- Pension - fixed contribution rates from both an employer and employee perspective, but you're also able to make additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) if you wish to save more.

- Life assurance

- Group income protection

- Wagestream - helping you make the most out of your money

- Salary finance - offers access to affordable loans repaid through salary, simple savings and free financial education.

- 25% staff discount on most NEXT products - plus discount on other products

- Direct to work - NEXT orders delivered free to the office for collection

- VIP sale - early access to the NEXT sale

- Access to NEXT staff shops

- Octopus energy - like cycle-to-work, but for electric vehicles

- Free parking (excluding London locations)

- Travel2NEXT - bus services dependent on location

- On-site dining facilities (excluding London locations)

- National and local discounts on goods and services - this includes things like discounted cinema tickets

- Wellhub - includes access to discounted gym membership

- Simply health - a healthcare subscription service

- Aviva Digicare Workplace+ healthcare service - 7 Free services including Digital GP appointments and an annual health check.

- Onsite GP - Leicester Head Office

- Onsite Physio - Leicester Head Office

- A range of dedicated 3rd party wellbeing partners

- Free eye testing - voucher to use at specific locations

## Skills

### Required
- Adobe Illustrator
- Photoshop
- footwear design
- CAD

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