Head of Design- Ladieswear

Because we strive to put people first.   

Culture, our way.  

As Head of Design you will help create and develop the vision for the department working alongside your Leadership team. Leading and working with your team of Designers, alongside Assistant & Trainee Designers, we will deliver key products and trends, enabling us to surprise and delight our customers across all of our markets. A key focus will be empowering your Design team, fostering a high-performance culture constantly seeking new opportunities to enhance our product proposition working closely with trusted suppliers and freelancers.

As part of this role, you will work alongside the Buying and Merchandising leadership teams and ensure the Design function is represented in senior leadership and sign off meetings, influencing department decision making on Strategy and Product to maximise profit and sales.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Design Vision & Strategy

• Communicate and translate strategic priorities to the Design team and relevant stakeholders, setting clear metrics and deliverables.
• Build effective relationships with business leaders and stakeholders.

Product Design

• Responsible for overseeing product design and ensuring that the trends are translated into commercially successful products.
• Oversee the Design team in building and maintenance of critical paths to support commercial opportunities throughout the year.
• Identify opportunities to utilise technology to improve trend forecasting and ways of working.
• Responsible for establishing forums to communicate trend to stakeholders across BMD, Brand, sourcing/quality, Suppliers and Freelancers.

Leadership

• Build, manage and mentor a high performing team focused on delivering the Design vision and strategy across departments.
• Set goals and provide feedback against these.
• Build trust and credibility across Primark and develop strong internal networks and partnerships to achieve strategic objectives.
• Build talent and succession plans in line with current and future business needs, providing opportunities within the team for growth and development.
• Oversee the Design budget and manage to drive best return on investment for the business

Collaboration

• Collaborate effectively with Buying and Merchandising to deliver on monthly product sign-off
• Work with and influence other design leads to ensure a unified Design ‘voice’ within and across departments.
• Form strategic partnerships and productive working relationships with preferred suppliers aligned to Primark strategy.
• Provide ongoing direction to drive outsourced design, and coordinate/ manage Supplier Designers and Freelancers

Knowledge, education, skills and experience:

• 10 years in a Design role with at least 5 years in a management position
• Experience in a global/International retailer preferable
• Demonstrated experience in the implementation and execution of Design strategies and plans
• The ability to effectively manage complex tasks and prioritise multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to effectively coach, guide and mentor while ensure the team achieves its goals
• Strong creative vision and ability to foster and encourage a culture of creativity within your team
• Outstanding written and interpersonal communication skills
• Experience in creating a high-performance culture through target setting, performance evaluation, and employee engagement.
• Demonstrated experience creating effective relationships across the business, with prior experience of relationship management at Executive levels. 
• Demonstrated ability in developing a culture that embraces innovation, and challenges existing ways of working without compromising business performance
• Experience managing 3rd party suppliers and Freelancers. Demonstrated ability to manage 3rd parties to deliver services

Personal Attributes:

• Creates trusted relationship and collaborates across multi-functional teams to successfully drive business objectives.
• Promotes customer centricity and ensures focus on creating great customer experiences.
• Sets aggressive goals and is accountable for continuously driving improved performance, leading change and ensuring high standards
• Excellent planning and organisation skills, ability to multi-task, plan and prioritise work schedule for self and team and work within agreed timescales.

About Primark

At Primark, people matter. They’re the beating heart of our business and the reason we’ve grown from our first store in Dublin in 1969 to over 80,000 colleagues and 500 stores in 19 countries today and growing.

So, what’s a career at Primark all about? The positive impact you’re making, the experiences you’re having and the people you’re with. It’s that feeling that turns a job into something more. Celebrating the wins, working at pace, and pulling through the challenging times with passion, courage, and your team by your side. It’s what drives us every day.

You’re our driving force. Embrace what sets you apart, own your career and develop in ways you never expected. Leave your mark. And do it your way.