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Wovens Product Developer/Buyer

Employer
ME+EM
Location
London (West), London (Greater)
Closing date
23 Sep 2022

View more

Function
Buyer
Level
Manager
Contract Type
Permanent
Hours
Full Time

Job Details

Job Role: Wovens Product Developer/Buyer

Reporting to: Senior Buyer

Location: Head Office, West London

Contract type: Full Time, 37.5 hrs per week

Workplace Type: On-site 

Closing Date: 23/09/2022

 

ME+EM Culture

ME+EM is one of the UK’s fastest-growing luxury fashion brands. As a direct-to-consumer business we operate in a truly multi-channel sense with six London stores, as well as concessions in Harrods and Selfridges, supporting a rapidly expanding global digital business. In the past 12 months sales have more than doubled to over £50m, and we now sell in more than 75 countries. 

We are an entrepreneurial, creative, and passionate group of people. We work hard, are enthusiastic to learn and aren't afraid to take risks. Everyone contributes to our success at all levels, and that's precisely what makes being a member of the team so rewarding. 

Our goal is to make ME+EM as diverse and inclusive as we possibly can and so, with that in mind, we have put into place processes and targets to help us achieve that goal. We make sure everyone has a voice with annual engagement surveys, employee-led committees, focus groups and quarterly town hall meetings. We pride ourselves on being approachable, supportive, and welcoming and ensure that everyone’s hard work is rewarded.

 

Job Responsibilities:

Critical Path Management

  • Manage and drive the business calendar, ensuring proto’s and costs are ready for selection and subsequent meetings (Proto, Intake, Fit, Pre Prod, Shoot).
  • Lead and manage the team to ensure critical dates are achievable, realistic and all information is accurate on the tracking sheets to be able to make informed decisions.
  • Manage the priorities and team workload to ensure that styles can achieve ‘into production’ deadlines and all fabric/ yarn/ trims are booked and actioned in line with the suppliers critical path.
  • Placing the Me& Em product with the appropriate supplier. Reviewing capacities in line with planned orders, ensuring production is equally distributed to maintain quality and delivery performance, anticipating and proactively managing any blockages or risks within the supply chain.
  • Managing Garment Tech workload to ensure fit comments and CP deadlines are met

​Product

  • Working closely with Design to ensure the collection contains the Brand DNA, Fashion lego, considered end use, balance of styles, colour and retail prices. Highlighting any option discrepancies, gaps, risks, or new opportunities to ensure a commercial and well balance range is built.
  • Work closely with Merchandising for trade reactions, trade concerns, being aware of sales, ‘best and worst’ information, input in units and sizing ratios using the knowledge for future decision making.

​Product Continued…..

  • Attend the fit session ensuring the appropriate samples are being fitted and approved in accordance with the brand DNA, critical path, cost and quality. Always considering - flattering, function, forever
  • Liaising with the Garment Tech to ensure garments are fit for production, analysing risk, highlighting problems, and supporting them to reduce returns and write offs.
  • Management of fabric/ yarn/ trim issues in a factory to ensure the delivered product is to Me and Em standards
  • Management of quality rejects, driving the team to ensure rejected garments are processed, rejected or released as quickly and cost effective as possible to minimise lost sales. Taking action to reduce future quality issues.

​Margin

  • Work with the Designer to ensure fabric & trim costs are workable to the target margins.
  • Present cost price/ margin in the Proto meetings, with recommendations for any styles under the target margin
  • Have an understanding of product make and costing, engineering cost prices, working with Design and the Supplier without compromising the design integrity and/ or quality.
  • Responsible for the negotiation of cost prices with suppliers
  • Work with merchandising to ensure the Retail Price architecture is achieved, including entry price points for each category.
  • Takes responsibility for the management of late deliveries and substandard quality issues, negotiating cost price reductions or payment of freight costs when relevant, protecting the margin wherever possible.
  • Ensure excess fabrics are utilised quickly and in the most cost effective manner.
  • Liaison with accounts on any supplier payment issues; authorising invoices, credit, debits etc

​Customer and Brand Focus

  • Attend Customer feedback meetings
  • Seasonal store visits – with Design & Technical to ensure brand KPI’s are consistently achieved
  • Seasonal Competitive shop – ensuring knowledge on competitor activity is up to date
  • Attend the Pre Production meeting to ensure management of shoot preparation, working closely with Design Director to ensure initial design concept is coming through on shoots
  • Attend the Shoot, as and when required.
  • Liaise with marketing to ensure ‘Intelligent Style’ and Product information is consistent across the departments. Reviewing: Copy, Product names, Trading the site weekly meeting Book and imagery checks, Press days / campaigns
  • Demonstrate a broad business and commercial acumen and contribute to the strategic business direction

​Management

  • Responsible for the recruitment and induction of new team members, providing structured training, coaching, feedback and reviews
  • Provide clear communication, direction, roles and responsibilities
  • Responsible for the development and performance management of the team.
  • Reviews the department procedures and implements change when necessary.
  • Supports peers within the business
  • Highlights key area’s of concern to the Buying Director.

Please note this list is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.

Skills and Experience Required:

  • You have experience working with fabric, trims and garment manufacturing suppliers
  • You must have 10 years experience working in a Buying office or for a designer/ brand
  • You will have wovens product development/ buying experience (Tailoring or Soft wovens)

Employee Benefits:

  • 25 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays and a day off to celebrate your birthday
  • Discretionary annual bonus scheme
  • Generous Staff Discount of up to 70% off
  • Various Health and Wellbeing insurances
  • Cycle to Work and Tech Scheme
  • Length of Service Award
  • Refer a friend incentive scheme
  • Monthly social and wellbeing events, annual summer, and Christmas parties
  • Mental Health Awareness and First Aid training
  • Sample sales
  • Real Living Wage Employer

Please note, due to the large number of applications we receive, we can only reply to those that are successful to the next stage.

 

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