Job Description
A fabulous opportunity has arisen for a Product Development Manager to join my client, who are leaders in their field a British brand that celebrates individuality between fashion and jewellery.
As part of the jewellery design & development team, your role will be driving the Design to Production Critical Path and managing multiple product development work streams. You will be fully responsible for owning, driving, working to and reporting against our critical path timelines, ensuring their full team and suppliers are kept on track with development of designs. Working closely with the design team, you will oversee the creation of specifications and will then move these into development stages working with our suppliers to facilitate timely delivery of collections. All products should be developed with an on-brand approach, with innovation and quality in mind as well as ensuring the practicalities of production and maintaining margins are considered.
The role reports into the Design Manager and will sit within the New Product Development Team, and has the scope to manage direct reports (although this will not be the case to begin with). The role requires someone who is a strong team player but also proactive with the ability to manage their own time well.
Main responsibilities will include:
- The planning, tracking, maintenance and forward planning of the critical path. Owning the document and driving weekly meeting to keep the full team on track. Liaison with Regional Teams to prepare for Trade meeting deadlines.
- Oversee Initial Briefs & Supplier Presentations between Suppliers & Supplier Managers
- Overseeing development prototyping with external suppliers
- Working closely and collaboratively with the Design & Developer role to work as a team, cross pollinate ideas, and keep clear simple and effective work streams
- Report weekly to Design Manager with clear, concise development updates by factory and identify potential delays or obstructions to delivery milestones.
- Updating of technical specifications as prototyping evolves
- Loop in with the commercial team on progression of development through ranging process and for sign off on agreed designs relative to commercial architecture, cost and RRP
- Ensuring all designs & development updates are raised & signed off by the Design Manager & CEO throughout the development process.
- Working closely with the Supplier & Quality Assurance Teams to ensure as developments are sealed that preparation for manufacture is optimised.
- Owning the development of gift with purchase products (non-jewellery) and the coordination with suppliers & internal teams for development and manufacture
- Coordination of sampling of non-jewellery GWP product via Franchise partners to meet our quality and compliance standards
- Coordinate QA handover of finalised samples to Inbound teams and ensure relevant documents & processes are completed, ready for product to be manufactured to specification within a production capacity
- Fortnightly follow up with our merchandising teams planning product handover to launch timelines & priorities
- Working closely with the Quality Assurance Team to ensure compliance of materials in all approved designs
- As design issues crop up, work with NPD, QC and Inventory teams to minimise impact and find quick solutions.
- Take on sourcing projects to bring innovation to our portfolio of products including new stones, findings and components.
- Working with the Legal team to design register all appropriate designs ahead of launch.
- Follow up communication between designers, commercial team, merchandising team and suppliers
Person specification:
- Degree level educated or equivalent in a business/science type degree (not jewellery specific)
- 4+ years in a product development role (jewellery experience not required)
- Sound ability of Microsoft Office including Excel and Powerpoint
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal)
- Excellent written and spoken English
- Well organised, can multi-task and prioritise effectively, with meticulous attention to detail
- Experience of working in teams with a willingness to carry out a range of tasks to support the NPD team
- Sound judgement and great common sense.
- Excellent problem-solving skills
- Experience with managing external suppliers & product management experience preferable, but not essential
- Self-motivated with a clear sense of drive and ownership
Nice to have:
- Technical understanding of prototyping and manufacturing methods
- Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator