Head of Product Development

HEAD OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT | NORTH WEST | PERFORMANCE BRAND | £75,000 - £90,000 + BENEFITS |

If you love apparel, more importantly performance sports & athleisure product, then this is a role where you can embrace innovative thinking whilst pushing the boundaries!

Arguably, these guys are one now becoming one of the biggest retailers in their field, making market leaders watch their backs. They're now on the lookout for making certain departments bigger so that they can go after, and deliver their ambitious growth plans.

AS THE HEAD OF PRODUCT, YOU WILL:

Manage all ranges with merchandising, product developers and designers
Work collaboratively with your product developers, designers and garment techs to ensure quality is at all times the best it can be and in line with company standards & expectation
Be responsible & accountable for all ways of working across the product development function: costing and negotiating exercises, margin targets, clear pricing architectures, range building, lessons learnt, trading actions on a weekly basis, new product development, sourcing innovative fabrics and trims.
You will want to know how each product line fits into the overall category mix across the full product offer so will be actively involved at the start of each season or each collection that is being developed
Ability to maximise best-selling, historic lines vs implementing exciting GTM strategies around growing certain ranges with newness
Review all product proposals at a detailed level, from fabric, price point, supplier and volumes
You will monitor and review department mixes with the merchandising function
Attend wholesale & partner meetings, supporting the selection process
Create parameters with the supply base to overcome delays, cancellations and phasing issues with pragmatic solutions with the support of the merchandising function
Work closely with the merchandising function when monitoring all reporting, actions and strategies at category & line level
Continuously strive for improving product - working closely to design and product developers - always staying one step ahead!
Define and strategically plan the full trading calendar whilst then managing the product teams' full critical path for them to manage
Monitor and regularly track critical dates with the product teams and suppliers
Review all market intel monthly (if not weekly) by always having your eye on the competition along with the wider product team
Plan key strategy decks, sharing with all internal and external stakeholders
Review the full supply base with identifying all levels of risk or opportunity for the brand
You will actively work with the sourcing manager to ensure that all quality, capacities and supplier capability is in line to the brands overall direction when going to market
As the Head of Product, you will want to strategically plan volume with suppliers and set to achieve advantageous returns on bottom line margin
Along with the Sourcing Manager and wider product team you may introduce new suppliers for better trading reactions, whilst also exploring and building out a tendering programme as you look to always improve the product offer.

HEAD OF PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS:

Motivate and encourage team members around you, whilst pushing personal development goals for them
This is an entrepreneurial thinking business so you will naturally champion innovative and new ways of working
Track and monitor team development monthly and annually
Be approachable and empathetic at all times
Have a positive outlook and attitude to all situations & challenges
Be a true team player
Must have at least 6 years' experience in a Buying, Product Development or Category Management position
Sports or Performance athleisure background is essential

Zachary Daniels is a Niche, National & International Recruitment Consultancy.

BBBH30917

Head of Product Development

Posted by Zachary Daniels.

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