NPD Product Development Exec

Strive Supply Chain LLP; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave + bank holidays

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Exclusive employee discounts

Job summary

Strive Supply Chain LLP is seeking a proactive NPD specialist to drive the end-to-end development and launch of furniture products in the UK. You will manage the NPD pipeline from concept to launch, coordinate with manufacturing partners in China and ensure milestones, samples, photography and product information align with launch dates.

You will maintain a rolling development pipeline, identify risks early and coordinate recovery plans with factories and internal teams.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in product development, NPD, sourcing or a related product role.
• Experience working directly with factories and suppliers in China is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of physical product development from concept and sampling through to production and launch.
• Excellent critical path and pipeline management skills, with the ability to manage multiple products and launch dates simultaneously.
• Strong supplier management skills, with the confidence to follow up, challenge and elevate where required.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end NPD critical path from approved concept through to launch, ensuring key milestones and deliverables remain on schedule.
• Maintain a clear and accurate rolling pipeline of all products in development, including timelines, actions, dependencies and launch dates.
• Coordinate prototypes, samples, revisions, specifications, testing and approvals throughout the development process.
• Work backwards from agreed launch dates to ensure production, samples, photography, product information and Marketing requirements are completed at the right time.
• Identify risks or delays early and coordinate recovery plans with factories and internal teams to protect launch dates.
• Coordinate with factories to ensure product photography, imagery, dimensions, specifications and product information are completed accurately and supplied on time.
• Manage the handover of factory imagery and product information to Marketing for website renders, CGI, retouching and other customer-facing assets.
• Ensure samples and product information required by Marketing, Operations and other teams are available in line with the launch critical path.
• Provide clear and regular updates to stakeholders on pipeline status, upcoming milestones, risks and launch readiness.
• Support post-launch reviews and incorporate relevant learnings into future product development and launches.
• Lead regular development meetings with China factories to review progress and actions.

Skills

NPD management

Project management

Supplier management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Job description

Our client is a fast-growing, design-led furniture brand.

Working at the centre of a small, dynamic team including the founders, you will be joining them at the start of a period of expansion in the UK following huge success abroad.

Sitting within the Supply Chain team, the role will be responsible for managing the New Product Development (NPD) pipeline from approved concept through to successful launch.

You will ensure critical paths are managed effectively, development milestones are achieved and all product and launch requirements are delivered on time, and coordinate product development with manufacturing partners in China.

Key Responsibilities

Manage end-to-end NPD critical path from approved concept through to launch, ensuring key milestones and deliverables remain on schedule.

Maintain a clear and accurate rolling pipeline of all products in development, including timelines, actions, dependencies and launch dates.

Coordinate prototypes, samples, revisions, specifications, testing and approvals throughout the development process.

Work backwards from agreed launch dates to ensure production, samples, photography, product information and Marketing requirements are completed at the right time.

Identify risks or delays early and coordinate recovery plans with factories and internal teams to protect launch dates.

Coordinate with factories to ensure product photography, imagery, dimensions, specifications and product information are completed accurately and supplied on time.

Manage the handover of factory imagery and product information to Marketing for website renders, CGI, retouching and other customer-facing assets.

Ensure samples and product information required by Marketing, Operations and other teams are available in line with the launch critical path.

Provide clear and regular updates to stakeholders on pipeline status, upcoming milestones, risks and launch readiness.

Support post-launch reviews and incorporate relevant learnings into future product development and launches.

China Factory Supplier Management

Manage day-to-day product development relationships with factories and suppliers in China.

Lead regular development meetings to review the NPD pipeline, progress against critical paths, outstanding actions and upcoming deadlines.

Provide factories with clear briefs, specifications, feedback and approval requirements.

Coordinate factory deliverables including samples, revisions, costing, testing, product information, photography and production requirements.

Work with factories to resolve issues relating to product development, quality, manufacturing, cost and lead times.

Identify supplier or production risks that could impact launch dates and escalated where appropriate.

Use customer feedback, returns, product reviews and quality data to identify opportunities for product improvement.

Ensure products meet relevant regulatory, compliance and internal quality requirements.

Experience Needed

Previous experience in product development, NPD, sourcing or a related product role, ideally within furniture, homewares, interiors or physical consumer products.

Experience working directly with factories and suppliers in China is highly desirable.

Strong understanding of physical product development from concept and sampling through to production and launch.

Excellent critical path and pipeline management skills, with the ability to manage multiple products and launch dates simultaneously.

Strong supplier management skills, with the confidence to follow up, challenge and elevate where required.

Highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and follow-through.

Proactive in identifying risks and resolving issues before they impact the critical path or launch date.

Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to coordinate effectively across internal teams and international suppliers.

• Annual leave entitlement + bank holidays, tailored to support work-life balance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Wellbeing support
• Exclusive employee discounts across a wide range of well-known retailers and brands