Product Development Manager

A fantastic opportunity to join the Head Office of a successful and rapidly growing fashion business. We are looking for a proactive and efficient team player with an entrepreneurial spirit to assist with our strategic growth and expansion plans.

Key Responsibilities:

• Managing the development of our womenswear ranges from design sketches to bulk production 
• Accurately interpret sketches with manufacturers and ensure that prototypes and samples are cost effectively manufactured to company standards 
• Establish credibility and provide strong leadership, managing Critical Path and the development of all collections 
• You will negotiate with suppliers to get the best results in terms of price, timing and quality 
• You will travel to suppliers, continuously reviewing and reporting on their ability to manufacture high quality products that are delivered on the agreed critical path dates.
• Effectively liaise with design & merch to ensure that lead times are respected for the issue of range plans, design packs, proto and pre-production set samples.
• A strong knowledge of garment costing is essential
• Proto-types and pre-production samples must be costed and signed off prior to the commencement of production.
• Adhere to proto-type, sample and production financial budgets.
• Responsible for running a very small atelier Specify, approve and control garment fit, construction and quality throughout the sample and production processes
• Detail, maintain and communicate garment specifications using tech packs
• Responsible for the update and accuracy of Zedonk for RM inventory and BOM costing.
• Management of the Product library including HTS codes
• To demonstrate an empathy with design and a strong creative affinity, passion & respect for the brand
• Extensive knowledge of global manufacturers who produce woven and knitted goods, primarily in UK & Europe.

The ideal candidate:

• Minimum 5 years Production or Product Development experience
• Solid working knowledge of construction, patterns, materials and manufacturing processes
• Experience of sourcing and developing raw materials
• Proven project management experience and Critical Path experience
• Excellent PC skills (Design Software, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc)
• Must be able to organize and prioritize multiple projects

• Able to think proactively, spot red flags and identify solutions
• A team player understanding cross-functional dependencies
• People management experience
• Enjoys working in a highly pressurized environment
• Adaptable to meet the ever changing demands of the business.

Salary:

• Salary dependant on experience