Senior Fabric Development Manager

At Burberry, we believe creativity opens spaces. Our purpose is to unlock the power of imagination to push boundaries and open new possibilities for our people, our customers and our communities. This is the core belief that has guided Burberry since it was founded in 1856 and is central to how we operate as a company today.

We aim to provide an environment for creative minds from different backgrounds to thrive, bringing a wide range of skills and experiences to everything we do. As a purposeful, values-driven brand, we are committed to being a force for good in the world as well, creating the next generation of sustainable luxury for customers, driving industry change and championing our communities.

PURPOSE

The Fabric Development Senior Manager will be responsible for the Creation, Development and Sampling of the seasonal collections for Runway and Mainline. The Senior Manager will be accountable for establishing a proficient connection with the design team and to leading Mainline and Runway teams in the execution of the collections

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Act as lead contact point and take responsibility for Fabric Development for the Mainline and Runway collections

2. Initiate research, development, and presentation of fabrics for the Burberry Mainline and Runway collections, taking the whole outfit into consideration

3. Support the design vision through exclusive development and market research

4. Lead a high performing technical team of Fabric Developers and Assistants, taking responsibility for ensuring growth (technical and personal) of his\her direct reports, leading by example

5. Ensure commercial and technical requirements are achieved and support the design, quality, testing, lead-time, and pricing strategies

6. Manage communication and effective working relationships with Fabric Suppliers and Internal partners

7. Guarantee the adherence to the critical path and take accountability to ensure the development budget is respected throughout the season

EXPERIENCE

Demonstrated people management experience within Fabric Development, including coaching and career development of team members

Significant experience working collaboratively with a design team at luxury level

Proven effective relationship management with design, product development teams and external suppliers

Knowledge of current market and trends and competitors' products

Demonstrated ability to deliver in line with budget, critical path, and commercial and technical requirements

QUALIFICATION AND SKILLS

Extensive fabric and leather development abilities

Highly developed communication and leadership skills, with demonstrated ability to lead and motivate a qualified team in a dynamic environment

In depth technical knowledge of substrates, plating and finishing production techniques

Extensive network of supplier relationships in European and Asian markets

Italian language skills an advantage

At Burberry, we believe creativity opens spaces. Our purpose is to unlock the power of imagination to push boundaries and open new possibilities for our people, our customers and our communities. This is the core belief that has guided Burberry since it was founded in 1856 and is central to how we operate as a company today.

We aim to provide an environment for creative minds from different backgrounds to thrive, bringing a wide range of skills and experiences to everything we do. As a purposeful, values-driven brand, we are committed to being a force for good in the world as well, creating the next generation of sustainable luxury for customers, driving industry change and championing our communities.