Product & Graphic Designer - Gifting

• £25,000 - £30,0000 DOE + company bonus
• Manchester
• Successful, creative business

We are working with a well-established giftware, homeware, and accessories company that designs and manufactures products for some of the best-known retailers globally. They are seeking a talented and experienced Product & Graphic Designer to join their design team.

You will use your creativity and expertise to identify trends within the market and produce commercial, trend-led designs accross product, packaging & graphics. This role requires a sharp understanding of specific retailer requirements as you will be creating brands and ranges for a variety of leading global retailers, brands and licensors.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a great design team and be part of a successful, innovative business that really values its rich heritage.

Responsibilities for this Designer role:

• Create innovative product ranges, from initial concept through to delivery, across gifting, homewares, accessories, and licensed categories
• Work with the Brand Development Manager to interpret trends and create commercially sound mood boards, packaging concepts, and product designs for leading retailers globally
• Regularly liaise with licensing partners on concepts, ranges, artwork approval, and new product development
• Work closely with external factories and suppliers to design and develop new products, building strong working relationships
• Present mood boards, product designs, branding, and packaging ideas to directors and sales teams
• Create style guides for branding, packaging, photography, and showrooms to maintain high standards of brand consistency
• Staying ahead of the curve, conduct regular competitor shopping trips and market research to stay abreast of current trends, innovations, and price benchmarking
• Collaborate with photography, showroom, and marketing teams to ensure concept/ range delivery aligns with brand guidelines
• Liaise with the Product Technologist across product development from concept stage to ensure appropriate testing is carried out
• Travel within the UK and internationally for market research, product development, and project follow-up as needed, including trips to factories
• Liaise with sales representatives to gather feedback to inform future ranges and product development, identifying any gaps and opportunities
• Attend and assist with UK tradeshows as required

Requirements:

• Excellent product & packaging design experience within consumer products
• Passionate about product design, displaying a genuine passion for and interest in the field
• Experience taking and briefs from leading retailers, brands, and licensors a distinct benefit
• Proficient in Adobe Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign), PowerPoint and Microsoft Office
• Meticulous attention to detail and strong layout skills, with the ability to create appealing artwork compositions
• First class presentation skills, with the ability to present concepts and ranges clearly and in an inspiring way to the wider team and external parties
• Strong time management skills, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously and meeting tight deadlines
• A great communicator with the ability to explain concepts clearly to non-designers
• Adaptive to changing project requirements, and open to incorporating feedback and suggestions
• Ability to travel to the Far East for extended factory meetings and development projects as required
• Friendly persona with a flexible, can-do attitude, and a great team player!