Novocastrian is looking for a senior product designer to join its team in Washington, UK.

Job title: senior product designer

Location: Unit 5-6, Armstrong Road, Washington NE37 1PR

Contract: full-time

Hours: 40 hours per week; 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Thursday and 8:00am to 2:30pm Friday

Salary: competitive, depending on experience

About us

Novocastrian is a closely-knit team of designers, craftsmen, and metalworkers. We strive to create an exciting, inspiring workplace full of highly-talented people. We are seeking a senior product designer to take a pivotal role in our studio, leading projects and mentoring our growing team.

Role overview

As a senior product designer, you will lead projects from sale through design and delivery, managing a significant portion of the company’s projects while maintaining target profit margins. You will effectively manage accounts to ensure a steady flow of work and actively lead and contribute to wider office, studio and workshop improvements. Additionally, you will be tasked with developing new products and bringing them to market under guidance from the creative director.

Key responsibilities

Design and technical execution:

demonstrate a creative and original approach to design, delivering high-quality outputs across multiple types of projects
design within Novocastrian’s company ethos, with a clear understanding of the differing needs of private and commercial clients
guide design direction and create the visuals required to convey design intent; manage the risk of using known processes versus new processes
work up designs from initial concept to full production drawings
manage jobs through the manufacturing process, working closely with our team of makers and external suppliers
monitor projects through the workshop to ensure manufacturing success
produce O&M manuals and final handover documentation to successfully close out projects

Project and commercial management:

manage designated project types from start to finish, including Novocastrian products, Special Projects, Bespoke work and Architectural Metalwork
ensure project budgets are met and flag any intended spend that exceeds the quoted allowance by over 5%
assist in job quoting when required
ensure strict compliance with our Standard Operating Procedures and our ISO9001 management system
monitor in-house resource burn and project profitability

Client management:

support the directors in key client presentations, taking a lead role when asked
manage the client and gain approvals when required, keeping them informed of project particulars at all times

Team leadership:

manage, mentor and train others when required, specifically acting as a mentor to junior team members
lead by example in instilling a positive attitude and help enforce studio protocol

Requirements and experience

Essential:

eight-plus years’ direct industry experience
extensive experience in furniture design
excellent concept design and technical drawing skills
high proficiency in Fusion 360, AutoCAD, Photoshop and InDesign
deep understanding of manufacturing techniques and technologies
a thorough knowledge of suppliers, materials and capabilities, with a drive to seek out new suppliers and processes to innovate
demonstrable experience successfully delivering multiple projects from initial concept through to final handover
a proactive and positive attitude, with the ability to be strong yet fair to all team members
must have an existing right to work in the UK
must have a car and be able to commute to Washington, Tyne & Wear
must be able to start within four weeks of a job offer

Preferable:

experience in luxury furniture design and lighting
metalworking knowledge

Benefits:

early Friday finish
private healthcare after two years
enrollment in our quarterly profit share scheme

To apply

Please apply by sending your CV or via the ‘apply for job’ button below.

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