Product/Raw Material Developer Accessories & Shoes

Job Description

The London office of Vivienne Westwood is currently recruiting for an experienced Product and Raw Material Developer for Accessories & Shoes to join our team based at our Head Office in Battersea.Main responsibilities:

• Acting as interface for Design team and suppliers, following the Shoes Product development and the Accessories & Shoes Raw materials development from sketches to prototypes and final pre-production samples.
• Supporting in devising the collections structure, calendar, and timing together with the PD Manager, Merchandising Team, and the suppliers in order to set key dates and deadlines for meetings, prototypes, samples and materials confirmation.
• Working closely with suppliers to develop samples that respect the expected design, quality and budget standards.
• Following sampling of the collection and resolving potential issues.
• Liaising with Quality Control department on materials tests.
• Supporting in preparing the PEM (Product Educational Manual), technical presentations and all the selling material for the sales campaign.
• Supporting in creating PC production changes reports to present and discuss with the suppliers, in order to improve the products for production and respect design and quality standards.
• Responsible for seasonal research of Raw materials including leathers, fabrics, hardware and trims with an eye to the sustainability and source traceability. This implies going to fairs, arranging meetings with suppliers and agents, carrying out onlineresearch and negotiating prices, MOQ and lead times.
• Responsible for the development of material trials and techniques.
• Getting sourcing certificates for the raw materials, sustainability certificates and production circle for recycled and organic materials.
• Responsible for creating the Sustainability Report for any season, making sure any step toward the Brand sustainability is shown with consistency.
• Building and keeping productive relationships with mills and tanneries suppliers and agents.
• Obtaining raw material updates from tanneries and factories.
• Responsible for creating the seasonal Material Structure, making sure its always up to date, clear and of easy access for designers, suppliers and rest of the team reference.
• Responsible for organising and updating the Materials Archive/library and the hardware library keeping data, pricing, and specifications for future seasons record.
• Dealing with other departments PDs informing about any new R&D in order to increase integration and cooperation sharing outcomes and meeting MOQs /better prices for more consistent collections.
• Creating raw materials codes of the collection along with the Accessories PD on PLM, for sampling and production.
• Supporting in creating the Product File: accurate details about the product for easy consultation and Selling Campaign support.
• Dealing with Traditional artisan Shoemaker and visiting them on a regular basis.
• Placing raw material orders and negotiate prices for any components he may need in order to develop the artisanal shoes collection including leather, clogs, buckles laces, cords etc. and keeping the respective POs record.
• Deal with international deliveries complying with new regulation including custom clearance requirements /deferment/VAT, details from the suppliers collection and relations with the logistic company in Italy (Alpi) which deals with collection abroad.
• Liaising with Customer Care team on any potential issues related to the products.
• Meeting with the buying team for sell thru meetings, VW stores performances, new collection development and commercial meeting.
• Liaising with Logistics for any shipment.
• Liaising with Milan office for packaging management and development.
• Generally assisting the team, preparing the material for the meetings, presentations and shipments.
• Responsible to keep record of all the development and samples POs and relative invoices.
• Liaising with the Account Department for any Supplier invoice query.
• Managing day-to-day queries of any kind that rise within the department.

PROFILE

• Technical understanding of leather and materials essential.
• Experience of working within a Product Development team essential.
• Highly computer literate, particularly in Word and Excel.
• Experience of PLM programmes would be an advantage.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Motivated by working in a highly pressurised environment.
• Available to travel frequently.
• Passionate about product design and development.
• Leather Goods Development experience essential.

*** Fluent Italian speaker would be essential. *** Vivienne Westwood is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, colour, sex,religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by local government laws.