The role

We are looking to hire a Senior Strategist for Activewear to join our fashion content team in London on a fixed term basis for 12 months starting from July to cover the maternity leave of a current employee.

Working at WGSN

Together, we create tomorrow

A career with WGSN is fast-paced, exciting and full of opportunities to grow and develop. We're a team of consumer and design trend forecasters, content creators, designers, data analysts, advisory consultants and much more, united by a common goal: to create tomorrow.

WGSN's trusted consumer and design forecasts power outstanding product design, enabling our customers to create a better future. Our services cover consumer insights, beauty, consumer tech, fashion, interiors, lifestyle, food and drink forecasting, data analytics and expert advisory. If you are an expert in your field, we want to hear from you.

Role overview

In this role, you will create actionable, informed and inspirational content used by clients to develop new products and strategies for the active and outdoorwear market. You'll be an inspiring thought leader experienced in creating and presenting world-class content while directing and supporting the output of the Active team.

You will have proven experience within the activewear industry, working in a creative role within design, trend forecasting, colour or materials. You are an enthusiastic and efficient collaborator with strengths in identifying micro and macro shifts that will affect activewear, a broad range of sports, colour, materials and aesthetics for women’s and men's across categories.

The team

You will join a dynamic, diverse, high-performing team of very talented people with one goal in common - to be the proudest WGSN brand ambassadors.

Key accountabilities

• Create and direct solution-driven content, clearly understanding client needs across the active and outdoor categories. This includes the seasonal active forecast themes, colour, materials, key items and print and graphics for men and women, across sports-specific and mass-market levels. Ensure forecast reports are a world-class standard, delivering information in a concise, informative and inspirational manner in either written, visual or video format.

• Identifying drivers and innovations that will impact and shape the future of activewear using WGSN’s STEPIC research framework. Analysing and synthesising those directions into future drivers and aesthetics. Communicate these findings via report content, internal presentations, workshops, and client-facing briefings.

• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of market shifts and challenges and create content that enables clients to navigate those successfully. Collaborating beyond the fashion department e.g working with the consumer Insight team and the new Sports and Outdoors team to further shape and communicate the impact of these shifts.

• Mentor and lead team members and uphold best practices within the team. Give constructive feedback and guidance through clear communication in person, on screen and in written form.

• Ensure diversity and inclusivity is represented across your content. Researching and self-educating on product innovations that relate to diversity and inclusivity.

• Work with data team to design and deliver meaningful and indicative data sets, graphs and visuals.

• Share knowledge and insights on the active sector on WGSN podcasts, videos and webinars and other public and industry-facing events when required.

• Travel nationally and internationally to cover industry trade shows, conferences and other events when required.

• Sourcing and briefing freelancers and providing feedback on their content.

• Provide quotes for press and broadcast media as required.

This list is not exhaustive and there may be other activities you are required to deliver.

Skills, experience & qualifications required

• Proven career experience within the active market with a background in trend forecasting, design or buying, demonstrating an understanding of the apparel industry across design, buying, textile and material innovation and lifestyle drivers.

• Solid knowledge of the global active market from directional to commercial trends across fashion, lifestyle and performance product areas, and the ability to pin-point trends that will impact the market.

• Expert level of experience in writing, editing and reporting through an extensive career path within design, buying or content creation.

• Excellent standard of written English. Ability to convey complex ideas in concise and digestible formats written in the WGSN house style.

• Good understanding of how macro and micro trends within society, technology, the environment, politics, industry and creativity will impact innovation within the active industry.

• An understanding of the role data and analytics plays in commercial success.

• An ability to present and explain trend concepts to internal and external audiences.

• Ability to take ownership of personal assignments, prioritise workload and support other members of the team.

• Ability to manage your own time effectively to meet exacting content deadlines.

• Excellent organisation, communication, and collaboration skills and the ability to work within an international team to ensure production standards, reports, or outputs are consistently high and submitted on time.

• Willing to invest time to build strong working relationships with the wider Content Team, as well as Sales, Client Services and Marketing.

• Technical skills: Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace.

What we offer

Our benefits and wellbeing package offers flexible benefits you can tailor to your own personal needs, including:

• 25 days of holiday per year - with an option to buy/ sell up to 5 days

• Pension, Life Assurance and Income Protection

• Flexible benefits platform with options including Private Medical, Dental Insurance & Critical Illness

• Employee assistance programme, season ticket loans and cycle to work scheme

• Volunteering opportunities and charitable giving options

• Great learning and development opportunities

For the USA select the below benefits only

• Paid Time Off – 15 days of vacation per year with an additional day for each year of service up to 20 days. WGSN also observes the 12 Federal holidays. We also offer 6 weeks of paid Parental Leave.

• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan – allows employees to save and invest for their own retirement on a tax deferred basis. WGSN matches 50% of the first 6% contributed by employees.

• Medical, Dental and Vision plans with Aetna

• Life Insurance, AD&D, Short and Long-Term Disability - all eligible employees receive coverage at no cost.

• Mental Health – WGSN provides many ways for employees to access mental health care including an Employee Assistance Program and inpatient, outpatient and virtual care if enrolled in an Aetna medical plan.

More about WGSN

WGSN is the global authority on consumer trend forecasting.

We help brands around the world create the right products at the right time for tomorrow’s consumer.

Our values

• We Are Everywhere

The future is everything, it happens everywhere. WGSN is the world-leading forecaster because we track and analyse consumer behaviours, product innovation, design and creativity, everywhere.

• We Are Future Focused

We utilise our global resources and intelligence to research, source and analyse quantitative and qualitative data to produce our forecasts. Everything we do is focused on working with our customers to create a successful and positive tomorrow.

• We Are Rigorous

We source, review and assess quantitative and qualitative data to produce robust, actionable forecasts. To provide credible insights and design solutions for our clients, it is essential that rigour runs through everything we do.

Our culture

An inclusive culture is one of our key priorities. We want our people to truly be themselves and thrive. We love having a diverse team of people who bring new ideas, different strengths and perspectives & reflect the global audience we work with.

Inclusive workforce

We are committed to supporting the environment and sustainability, including ensuring our pension plan defaults to sustainable options and striving to be net zero by 2030.

Recognising great performance is a key part of our culture. Our Awards schemes recognise and reward the brilliant achievements of our people.

We have a truly flexible working environment with a wide range of flexible, hybrid and agile-working arrangements. Conversations about flexible working have always been - and will continue to be - actively encouraged here.

We want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to perform their best when interviewing, so if you require any reasonable adjustments that would make you more comfortable during the process, please let us know so that we can do our best to support you.

If we inspire you, why not join and inspire us? Find out more on what our People say