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My client is looking to recruit a Product Specialist/Category Manager/Buyer for their team that is continuously growing. The role of a Product Specialist is for a curious and enthusiastic product lover, responsible for developing best-in-class product ranges, maximising value for money and driving innovation in the marketplace. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for continuous improvement, consistently delivering exceptional products that meet and exceed customer expectations.
Key Responsibilities
Overall product development working in a four-point approach to product
- Seasonal ranges by brand
- Overall ownership of key categories / brands becoming an expert in your space.
- Curating product ranges by season touching all applicable price points and formats.
- Trend led product
- Being an expert in your space, identifying trends or trending products.
- Responsible for reacting to trends, working with factories and internal teams to be first to market.
- Customer specific product
- Responsible for reacting to customer specific briefs set by sales.
- Sourcing, costing and sampling adhering to short deadlines whilst delivering best cost and quality product.
- Everyday 365 product
- Applying an adaptable approach to continuous development on everyday core skus.
Product sourcing / supplier management
- Identifying key suppliers and suitable factories understanding the appropriate sourcing route and preferred supplier for product.
- Establishing and maintaining good relationships with existing and potential new suppliers.
- Completion of new factory profile forms and ensuring all new factories are approved by QA.
- Negotiation of trading terms.
- Cost negotiation and completion of costing sheets ensuring margin is in line with company expectations.
- Ensure products costs are in line with material costs with the support of the head of PD.
- Responsible for samples across all lines negotiating samples with factories minimising costs to the business.
- International travel as and when required to visit supplier's showroom / factories.
- Attending trade shows to meet with suppliers to manage relationships and to source new suppliers.
- Regular video calls to maintain and strengthen supplier relationships.
- Sourcing of new trends, hot products.
- Creating product briefs for suppliers and factories, working with design and QA to ensure we are up to date with standards for products and factories.
- Manage the performance of suppliers, with support from the head of PD dealing with issues quickly and effectively ensuring minimal impact to the business.
- Working with the sales team on reactive briefs for the customers, ensuring the appropriate sourcing route is utilised.
Critical path management
- Ownership of the product Development Critical Path Management.
- Ensuring product critical paths and weekly workloads are on track to achieve deadlines from concept to pre-production with design and factories.
- Ensuring deadlines are adhered to and follow up on all sample issues to resolve and drive to completion.
- Identifying, calling out and making recommendations to mitigate any risks/challenges identified at all stages.
- Monitoring order Critical Path with Merch to ensure intake dates are met.
- Continuously chasing artwork, samples, testing to ensure CP dates are met.
- Responsible for delivering samples on time, to the quality standard, and within cost price range, to achieve target margin.
- Responsible for ensuring functionality (including consistency and standardisation) and ensuring products that are developed are fit for purpose for the customer, brand and business.
Only relevant candidates will be contacted.
