Head of Technical and Quality

Strathberry; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

29 days annual leave

Birthday day off

Product allocation & discounts

Early finish Friday

Long service award

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Strathberry, Edinburgh-based luxury fashion brand, seeks a Head of Technical and Quality to safeguard and elevate craftsmanship and product quality across leather goods and accessories. The role leads technical and quality functions, driving innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence while supporting long-term growth.

Hybrid work model with a minimum of 3 fixed days in the city centre offices. The position is full-time and based in Edinburgh or London, offering strategic leadership

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a senior Technical and Quality leadership role within luxury fashion, leather goods, accessories, or a similar sector.
• Strong technical knowledge of product development, manufacturing processes, materials, quality assurance, and product testing.
• Proven experience developing quality strategies and leading continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive quality control strategy aligned with brand positioning and growth plans.
• Lead, mentor, and manage the QC and technical teams.
• Establish KPIs and continuous improvement frameworks for product quality and supplier performance.
• Oversee technical development of bags, small leather goods and accessories from concept to production.
• Ensure accurate tech packs, specifications, and construction standards are defined and maintained.
• Collaborate with Design, Product Development, and Merchandising to ensure design feasibility and quality consistency.
• Approve and onboard suppliers based on technical capability and quality standards.
• Define and enforce inspection protocols (pre-production, in-line, final inspections).
• Oversee all testing (raw material and finished goods).
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of material safety and sustainability requirements.

Skills

Senior leadership

Quality leadership

Fashion industry knowledge

Job description

Strathberry is one of the most exciting contemporary luxury brands to emerge from the UK in the past decade. Founded in Edinburgh and handcrafted by skilled artisans in the renowned leather workshops of Spain, the brand is defined by its minimalist design language, refined craftsmanship and its signature bar hardware. Loved by global tastemakers, celebrities and royalty, Strathberry has cultivated a fast-growing international community drawn to modern elegance, timeless design and exceptional quality.

Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a strong pace of growth, the brand has built a significant direct-to-consumer business and is stocked in leading global retailers including Selfridges, Liberty, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. The retail footprint continues to expand with flagship stores in London and Edinburgh, supported by a new in-house atelier that brings craft, sampling and repair together in one creative space. This investment in infrastructure, talent and product innovation positions Strathberry for its next chapter of global scale.

Joining Strathberry means becoming part of a dynamic, ambitious and design-led business at a pivotal moment in its evolution. This is an opportunity to contribute to a brand with a clear identity, strong momentum and a bold ambition to reimagine contemporary luxury on an international stage.

The Role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Technical and Quality to join our team. This role is responsible for safeguarding and elevating Strathberry's commitment to exceptional craftsmanship and product quality. The role leads all technical and quality functions across leather goods and accessories, ensuring products are developed, manufactured, and delivered to the highest standards while supporting innovation, sustainability, operational excellence, and long-term business growth.

Please note: This is a full-time, permanent position based in Edinburgh or London. We are currently operating a hybrid working approach with a minimum of 3 fixed days required each week working from our city centre offices.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive quality control strategy aligned with brand positioning and growth plans.
• Lead, mentor, and manage the QC and technical teams.
• Establish KPIs and continuous improvement frameworks for product quality and supplier performance.

Product Development & Technical Oversight

• Oversee technical development of bags, small leather goods and accessories from concept to production.
• Ensure accurate tech packs, specifications, and construction standards are defined and maintained.
• Collaborate with Design, Product Development, and Merchandising to ensure design feasibility and quality consistency.
• Approve and onboard suppliers based on technical capability and quality standards.
• Conduct regular performance reviews.
• Drive supplier accountability for quality, compliance, and ethical standards.

Quality Assurance & Control

• Define and enforce inspection protocols (pre-production, in-line, final inspections).
• Oversee all testing (raw material and finished goods).
• Manage inspection standards and ensure consistent execution across all workshops.

Compliance & Standards

• Ensure all products comply with international regulations.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of material safety and sustainability requirements.
• Lead root cause analysis for quality issues and implement corrective actions.
• Manage customer feedback loops to improve product quality.
• Mitigate production risks and ensure timely resolution of technical challenges.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Design, Product Development, Production.
• Support pre-production meetings and critical milestone reviews.
• Lead, coach, and develop a small team, encouraging a high-performance and collaborative culture.
• Set clear objectives, priorities, and performance expectations for team members, ensuring alignment with company goals.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, provide feedback, and identify training and development opportunities.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the team, promoting efficiency, accountability, and best practice processes.

What we offer

• 29 days annual leave, plus 3 additional fixed bank holidays
• Never work on your birthday! Additional day holiday on your birthday
• Allocation of Strathberry products & discounts
• Early finish Friday
• Long service award
• Employee Assistance Programme

About You

To be a star candidate for this position, you must be able to demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• Significant experience in a senior Technical and Quality leadership role within luxury fashion, leather goods, accessories, or a similar.
• Strong technical knowledge of product development, manufacturing processes, materials, quality assurance, and product testing.
• Proven experience developing quality strategies, leading continuous improvement initiatives, and managing supplier performance.
• Sound understanding of international product compliance, material safety, and sustainability standards.
• Experienced in leading cross-functional teams and collaborating with Design, Product Development, Production, and Merchandising.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of building, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, organisational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Commercially minded, detail-oriented, and passionate about delivering exceptional product quality and craftsmanship.