Technologist - Hardlines

Our Role

As the QA Technologist – Hardlines you will be accountable for maintaining and monitoring the legality, safety and quality (including fitness for purpose) standards of hardlines, with a focus on furniture and electricals in our Homewares department.

You will drive and maintain QA systems and processes using QMS principles for continuous improvement; and to monitor and report on compliance with those processes. Carrying out Technologist responsibilities on specific categories, i.e. ensuring all products are in own departments are approved for safety, legality and quality (including fitness for purpose), in line with QA processes and critical path. You will be responsible for the development, management and maintenance of the supplier relationships in your departments, ensuring transparency of the supply chain with regard to Quality and Ethical behaviors and standards.

As the QA Technologist for Hardlines you will be a role model for the QA department and foster close working relationships with the Buying, DC & Customer facing teams to influence product development and improvement of hardlines.

What you'll be doing

Product

• Maintaining & monitoring all legal, safety and technical aspects of Hardlines
• Maintaining own working knowledge of current and emerging legislation and ensuring relevant Home Team have proper understanding of relevant and/or new requirements
• Driving continuous improvement across all hardline product areas, in line with Company & QA Strategy.
  • Keeping abreast of innovations, best practice and industry competitor standards and support, guide and co-ordinate team activities including e.g.
    • researching and benchmarking exercises
    • conducting analysis/evaluation of customer feedback, complaints and returns levels
  • Establishing log and report on innovations and improvements achieved
• Providing support to Buying teams on new product developments: customer feedback: and current or emerging technical, environmental, ethical and legal issues
• Inputting minimum safety, legal and technical requirements to Product Briefs (via Generic Specifications, when available) so that products can be developed to these minimums whilst allowing innovation

Process

• Regularly reviewing the product approval process, critical path milestones and other QA requirements with Technical Manager
• Ensuring risk assessments are conducted on all products within own ranges: ensuring that documentary and other evidence exists to provide robust due diligence
• Monitoring performance of own products against agreed quality KPIs and effect corrective actions and improvements
• Ensuring technical files & specifications are produced and effectively maintained.
• Developing procedures for consistent, comprehensive and robust Technical Files.
• Reviewing generic specifications and other associated documentation for hard-line products
• Maintaining a QA reference library and control procedure for the management and storage of all QA reference documents e.g.
  • Manuals & procedures
  • Generic specifications, defect classification lists, test methods etc.
  • Guidance documents and templates
• Reviewing all QA documentation in line with schedule (at least every 2 years) and revise as required, liaising with all relevant stakeholders

Suppliers

• Working with your line manager, CSR manager and sourcing manager to support the development and continuous improvement of new & existing suppliers/sources in line with company and QA strategy
• You will be responsible for reviewing & approving of FAF paperwork, CAP follow-up and new supplier sign-off.
• Ensuring that all own suppliers achieve and practice satisfactory ethical standards and behaviours and quality management systems that will deliver consistently safe, legal and quality products, and support techs with other hard-line suppliers
• Building strong relationships with suppliers, communicate specifications and provide feedback on compliance issues, returns levels and performance with recommendations for improvements to increase customer satisfaction
• Monitoring and reporting on the performance of hardline suppliers

Direct Reports

• Managing, guiding and supporting direct reports through everyday activities, on-the-job/formal training, objective setting and company review process

Personal Development Plan

• In association with line manager, identifying personal development or training needs and agree actions and activities accordingly
• Developing and delivering QA department. initiatives that build strong working relationships within and outside the department.

Core Responsibilities

• To fulfil health & safety obligations by ensuring that safe working practices are always followed

What we’ll offer you

At The White Company, we value our employees for always going the extra mile for every one of our customers; we reward this with great benefits and competitive salaries.

• Discount -Up to 50% discount and access to regular Sample Sales
• Holiday - 23 days rising to 25 with length of service
• Holiday Buy – opportunity to buy up to 5 days holiday
• Pension Scheme - enrolled in our Group Personal Pension schemes upon joining the business.
• Bonus - In addition to our competitive salaries, all our employees are entitled to join a discretionary bonus scheme (based on policy eligibility)
• Perkplace Benefits Platform – offering a variety of discounts across well-being and lifestyle
• Wagestream Money Management app - access to Wagestream gives you power over your pay and supports financial wellbeing
• Continued Development – We offer structured support from our own in-house Learning and Development Hub
• Salary Sacrifice scheme for Electric vehicles (dependent on grade and meeting policy eligibility)
• Continued Development - Inclusion on our Leadership Development Programme (eligibility for contracts of 6 months plus Grade D & E roles only)
• Continued Development – We offer structured support from our own in-house Learning and Development Hub
• Private Healthcare with additional Babylon Digital Healthcare (based on contract duration)
• Life Assurance

Additional Benefits

• Fruit basket daily
• Tea and coffee provided
• Working from Home - option to work from home on Mondays and Fridays
• Social - Christmas party/social events throughout the year
• Seasonal Sample Sales
• Volunteer Day - with a charity of your choice
• Great Location - Close to transport links - over ground Shepherds Bush station /underground White City & Wood Lane stations. Westfield shopping centre with shops restaurants/bars/cinema and gyms

Our Equality Diversity and Inclusion statement of commitment

At The White Company we are committed to creating an inclusive culture that welcomes and celebrates a diversity of backgrounds and identities.

We are working together to ensure our environment is one where people can bring their authentic selves to work, where their contribution is valued, ability enhanced, and perspective appreciated. Where difference is respected, encouraged, and celebrated. Where you can feel you belong.

We are committed to an active Equality Diversity and Inclusion Policy, which starts with our recruitment and selection process.

We'd love you to join us on our journey.