Gift Design Manager

We are seeking a Gift Design Manager to lead and develop the Gifts Design Team at Lush, ensuring a high-performing, collaborative, and creatively ambitious environment. The successful candidate will provide day-to-day leadership, support creative excellence, manage workflow, and develop the team's capability.

Key Responsibilities:

• Team Leadership & People Management:
• Line manage, coach, and develop the Gifts Design Team through regular feedback, clear objectives, and structured career development.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, holiday/sickness processes, and team capacity reviews alongside the Category Lead.
• Maintain an inclusive, highly collaborative culture focused on continuous learning and creative ambition.

• Creative Operations & Workflow:
• Oversee 18-hour part-time workflow planning and resource allocation in partnership with Creative Operations and the Lead Designer to eliminate project blockers.
• Ensure design briefs are prioritised, clear, and delivered efficiently from inception to final sign-off.
• Manage administrative creative processes, including budgets up to £1,500, design proofing, and copyright/licensing approvals.

• Poole Community & External Artist Outreach:
• Build and maintain relationships with local Poole artists and creative communities to source fresh talent aligned with brand values.
• Drive local collaborative projects by creating briefs, visiting local groups, and integrating community insights into collection developments.
• Oversee external artist submissions and identify local and global internship opportunities.

• Creative Direction & Quality Governance:
• Uphold design excellence and consistency across all gift outputs, stepping in with creative direction in the absence of the Creative Lead.
• Support design workshops, internal events, and inspiration trips, contributing hands-on design work for collections when capacity allows.
• Partner with Creative Operations to manage event logistics involving Gifts team representation.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise:

• Leadership & People Development: Proven track record in line management, coaching creative teams, and nurturing talent within a fast-paced design environment.
• Creative Operations & Project Management: Exceptional organisational skills with experience balancing design schedules, managing part-time capacity, and collaborating with operational leads.
• Design Excellence & Direction: Strong eye for visual design and collection development, with the confidence to provide constructive feedback, maintain brand standards, and direct work.
• Community Engagement & Sourcing: Passion for local arts outreach with experience networking, commissioning local talent, and managing creative partnerships/licensing.
• Commercial & Operational Acumen: Comfort managing small project budgets (up to £1,500), handling basic HR admin, and navigating copyright and licensing agreements.
• Adaptability & Communication: Excellent stakeholder management skills to represent the Gifts team at internal events, workshops, and global open calls.

Benefits:

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• 6 months of full pay for parental leave (primary caregiver must qualify for SMP)
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Bonus scheme
• Day off for weekday birthdays
• Holiday purchase scheme
• 50% discount on Lush products and spa treatments
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted rail and bus season tickets
• Employee assistance programme
• Wellbeing & mindfulness sessions
• Access to employee-led Community Networks
• Tailored gender affirming care