Product Development Opportunities

Margaret Howell; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A contemporary British clothing designer is seeking an experienced product developer to coordinate activities across various categories. This role involves working closely with Design and Buying teams, maintaining supplier relationships, and actively engaging in sustainability initiatives. Candidates should have a strong background in the premium/luxury market, excellent communication skills, and project management experience. Benefits include 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays, generous clothing allowance, and opportunities for flexible working.

Benefits

5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays

Generous clothing allowance

Significant staff discount

Life insurance

Contributory pension scheme

Personal development grant

Cycle to work scheme

Birthday day off

Volunteering day off

IVF support for parents

Flexible working options

Menopause friendly environment

Responsibilities

• Coordinate product development activities across different categories.
• Work with Design and Buying teams to deliver collections.
• Liaise with suppliers for timely delivery of samples.
• Update technical packs and monitor critical paths.
• Engage with ethical trade initiatives.
• Drive towards sustainability goals.

Skills

Product development for clothing / accessories

Communication skills

Supplier relationship management

Knowledge of PLM / ERP systems

Garment fit and construction understanding

Organisational skills

Project management

Sustainable materials knowledge

Negotiation skills

Ability to work under pressure

Proficiency in Italian or Portuguese

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Responsibilities

• Coordinate product development activities across different categories
• Work with Design and Buying teams to build and deliver the collections
• Liaise with suppliers and manufacturers to ensure timely delivery of samples and approvals
• Maintain and update technical packs, specifications, BOMs and sample order placement
• Monitor critical path and flag potential delays or issues proactively
• Attend garment fittings, ensuring fit, construction, and quality meet brand expectations
• Drive towards the Company’s sustainability goals, particularly on raw materials and circularity
• Engage with ethical trade initiatives
• Maintain strong and consistent contact with suppliers based in Italy, Portugal and UK

Qualifications

• Proven experience in product development for clothing / accessories, ideally within the premium / luxury market
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Skilled in building and maintaining effective, collaborative relationships with suppliers
• Knowledge of PLM / ERP systems, proficient in Microsoft Office
• Understanding of garment fit and construction, to support effective fittings
• Strong organisational and attention to detail
• Project management skills, to meet varying deadlines
• Knowledge of sustainable materials and practices
• Confident in negotiating costings and resolving challenges effectively
• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced environment with tight deadlines
• Passionate about design, product development, and ensuring the highest quality standards in every product
• Travel to suppliers in the UK and internationally

The Ideal Candidate

• Proactive, organised, detail‑oriented
• Can build strong supplier relationships
• Technical understanding of garments
• Works well cross‑departmentally
• Resilient and calm under pressure
• Manages multiple priorities effectively
• Italian or Portuguese language skills a benefit

Benefits

• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays, increasing to 6 weeks with service
• generous clothing allowance
• significant staff discount
• life insurance
• contributory pension and salary exchange scheme
• personal development grant
• cycle to work scheme
• birthday day off
• volunteering day off
• IVF support for parents
• opportunity to request flexible working (27% of Head Office employees work Part Time Hours)
• menopause friendly

Margaret Howell is a contemporary British clothing designer who has worked successfully in men’s and women’s clothing for over five decades. Today, Margaret Howell clothes are sold worldwide with 12 own shops in Europe, over 70 outlets in Japan and an established online business.

We actively implement blind recruitment practices to eliminate bias and ensure a fair evaluation of candidates based on their skills, experience, and qualifications. We believe in creating a level playing field for all applicants, and our initiatives reflect our dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Applications will be considered as they are received. Candidates will be shortlisted based on how their skills and experience match our requirements as set out above.