Product Developer

We are recruiting a Product Developer for a highly confidential role. our Client is a creative menswear brand dedicated to designing affordable premium menswear, so menswear experience is essential.

Job Description

You will be responsible and accountable for successfully delivering the development and production of all the collections. Reporting to the Managing Director you will be required to develop prototypes, salesman samples and bulk production to a high level of quality and detail to meet the company critical path. This will include providing comprehensive technical advice and support, creative/technical solutions during fittings and fabric selection, accurate costings and any adhoc requests from the Creative Director.

Accountabilities:

• Managing the end-to-end adherence of the critical path from concept to production.
• Own and maintain the business calendar
• The allocation of styles to the most suitable supplier given a matrix including cost, capability, lead time, quality, reliability and compliance
• Ensuring samples and prototypes are delivered on time to the design and technical specification, within the cost range and to the required quality standards.
• Maintaining accurate costs against budget and target prices including all on-costs
• Maintaining strong relationships with suppliers to ensure high quality standards are met and responding with a sense of urgency to meet timelines.
• Collaborating with Design, and Operations to ensure clear briefings, updates and deadlines are met.

Main Responsibilities:

• Responsible for maintaining a close and productive working partnership with Design.
• Using in-depth product knowledge and taking ownership of the product development end-to-end process and ensuring quality and attention to detail is maintained, e.g. developments are to the required standard including correct fabric, trim, colour, pattern etc.
• Responsible for delivering prototypes and samples on time, to a high-quality level, within target cost price in order to achieve or exceed target margin. This includes taking responsibility to raise awareness where there is a risk of not achieving the desired look and feel by working with design and the suppliers to find solutions.
• Responsible for ensuring functionality (including consistency and standardisation) and end-use is maintained. Ensure products developed are fit for purpose for the customer, brand and business. This includes ongoing risk assessment during the development process and proactivity in taking action.
• Responsible for maintaining effective working relationships with suppliers, developing a strong working knowledge of their capabilities, capacity and availability to meet our requirements.
• Responsible for managing product testing.
• Responsible for negotiating costs with manufacturers and identifying opportunities for cost reduction.
• To provide accurate information and resolve problems that arise during and after the development of the collections.
• Continually seek to evolve the way the business approaches product development by improving processes to improve efficiencies.
• Organizing and scheduling fit meetings between the design team and product development teams.
• Responsible for same management within the office