Howdens is looking for a Creative Design Graduate to join our creative Design / Insights Team and contribute to shaping the future of kitchens and other categories such as storage, worktops, handles, sinks and taps, flooring, and joinery doors. This is a 12-month fixed term contract that offers you a hands-on opportunity to identify and create new opportunities, leveraging trend analysis, competitor research, and design exploration. You'll play an integral role in the ‘Discover’ phase of Howdens’ strategy, helping the business understand “what the future of kitchens may look like.” This role is based at our Howden site in East Riding of Yorkshire.
Why join Howdens as a Creative Design Graduate
- Be part of one of the UK's most successful kitchen manufacturers, known for quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
- An opportunity to work on exciting, forward-thinking projects in a dynamic team.
- Experience taking a project from a concept to creative design and prototyping stages.
- Mentorship and guidance from experienced design professionals.
- The chance to influence real-world designs and business strategies.
- Join a company committed to sustainability and responsible business practices, making a difference in the community and environment.
What will you be doing as a Creative Design Graduate
- Conduct trend analysis and research to generate recommendations.
- Delivery of project work that informs and influences 2026 New Product Introduction.
- Influence decision-making by identifying commercial opportunities aligned with strategic objectives.
- Gathering data, highlighting actionable insights, and presenting recommendations dynamically to stakeholders.
- Influencing and engaging stakeholders to demonstrate the value of research and design, ensuring projects translate into action.
- Perform both desk and field-based research to explore new possibilities.
- Collaborate with in-house prototyping, development, and build teams to transition ideas from concept to early exploration phases.
- Present findings and recommendations to stakeholders with credibility, energy, and influence.
- Maintain the Creative Studio space, ensuring it is organised, with up-to-date samples.
What do you need to qualify for the Creative Design Graduate
- Degree in a Design-related discipline
- Experience using a 3D Design Package. Sketchup/Layout and Photoshop experience are desirable.
- Analytical skills, with the ability to interpret and explain the “so what” from research
- Experience working with competing demands and multiple projects.
- High energy, enthusiasm, and passion for design and innovation.
- Confident presenter, able to engage a variety of audiences effectively.
- Adaptable and resilient, able to reprioritise tasks and respond to changing demands and challenges.
- Strong listening skills, adept at understanding the needs of others and adapting to different viewpoints.
- Pride in delivering quality insights and maintaining high standards in work.
- Excellent planning and organisational skills to meet deadlines and objectives.
- A creative mindset, viewing challenges as opportunities for innovation.
- A people-oriented personality, skilled at building professional and meaningful relationships.
- Able to travel to other key sites and locations.
What we can offer you as a Creative Design Graduate
- Competitive salary and annual company bonus
- Competitive Pension Plan with a maximum company contribution of 12%
- 25 days holiday + bank holidays with the option to buy additional days
- Free onsite car parking
- Free lunch at our onsite canteen
- Staff Discount
- Exceptional Reward and Recognition events.
About us
Howdens Joinery is the UK’s number one trade kitchen supplier providing thousands of products across kitchens, joinery, and hardware. We have over 850 depots throughout the UK and Europe – making us the first choice for more than 460,000 loyal trade professionals. With an ambitious and credible growth plan, we continue to build on our £2.3 billion sales made in 2023.
There is a strong entrepreneurial ethos and the opportunity to develop within a fast-paced and commercial environment. That, along with a competitive salary, development opportunities, and exciting rewards, are among the reasons why our people enjoy working for Howdens – and why we have been named as one of the 10 Best Big Companies to Work For.
How to apply
We are building a future where world-class service, innovation, and sustainability are embedded within our DNA. If Howdens sounds like the kind of place where you can build and develop your career as a Creative Design Intern, then we are keen to hear from you.
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