Product & Technical Lead

Bowmay Consulting Ltd; West Hallam; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Early finish Fridays

Profit related bonus

28 days holiday

Job summary

Bowmay Consulting Ltd is seeking a hands-on Product & Technical Lead to own the development and manufacture of textile products. You will work closely with production, sales, purchasing, suppliers and customers to turn ideas into viable products.

You'll guide material selection, fabric constructions and sampling through to testing and bulk production, solving technical challenges and ensuring manufacturability across teams.

Qualifications

• Experience in textile product development, technical management or similar manufacturing-based role.
• Good understanding of warp knitting and/or weft knitting, including yarn selection and fabric construction.

Responsibilities

• Lead product and technical development from idea to production.
• Collaborate with customers and internal teams to meet requirements.
• Advise on yarn selection, fabric construction, materials and feasibility.
• Support production with technical guidance to resolve issues.
• Coordinate trials with suppliers to explore new materials and improvements.
• Provide technical support to sales and explain product capabilities.
• Lead and develop a small technical team and share knowledge.

Skills

Textile manufacturing

Product development

Technical leadership

Project management

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Textile technology

Job description

Are you someone who loves understanding how products work, developing new ideas and finding practical solutions to technical challenges?

We're looking for a hands-on Product & Technical Lead to play a key role in the development and manufacture of textile products. This is an opportunity to take ownership of product development and technical activities, working closely with production, sales, purchasing, suppliers and customers to turn ideas into successful, commercially viable products.

You'll be involved throughout the process, from selecting materials and developing fabric constructions through to sampling, testing and getting products ready for full-scale production.

This isn't a role where you'll be stuck behind a desk. We're looking for someone who understands textile manufacturing, enjoys solving problems and can bring people together to make things happen.

What You Get

• A salary of £40-50k DOE
• 28 days holiday including bank hols (up to 10 additional days accrual with long-service)
• Early finish on Fridays
• Annual profit related bonus

About You

You'll have a solid background in textile manufacturing, with the technical knowledge and practical experience to understand how materials, fabric construction and production processes influence the finished product.

You might already be working in a technical management or product development role, or be an experienced textile technologist ready to take the next step.

• Experience in textile product development, technical management or a similar manufacturing-based role.
• A good understanding of warp knitting and/or weft knitting, including yarn selection, fabric construction and product performance.
• Experience taking products from initial development and sampling through to testing, approval and bulk production.
• The ability to work closely with production teams to resolve technical challenges and make sure products can be manufactured effectively.
• Good communication skills, with the confidence to work with customers, suppliers and colleagues across different departments.
• A practical, organised approach to problem-solving, with an eye for detail and an understanding of commercial priorities.

Experience of dyeing, finishing, coating or lamination would also be useful, although the main focus is on textile technology and product development.

About The Role

You'll take the lead on product and technical development, helping to bring new products to life and continually improve existing ones.

• Managing product development projects from the initial idea through to sampling, testing and production.
• Working with customers and internal teams to understand requirements and develop products that meet their needs.
• Advising on yarn selection, fabric construction, materials and technical feasibility.
• Supporting production with technical guidance and helping resolve manufacturing or product performance issues.
• Coordinating trials and working with suppliers to explore new materials, constructions and opportunities for improvement.
• Providing technical support to the sales team, helping them understand product capabilities and respond to customer enquiries.
• Leading and supporting a small technical team, sharing your knowledge and helping others develop.
• Working with colleagues to improve processes, product consistency and technical standards.

Quality will form part of the role, but the emphasis is on developing products, applying your technical expertise and making sure ideas translate successfully into production.

About The Company

This is an established textile manufacturing business with a strong focus on its products, technical capability and ongoing development.

With a varied role spanning product development, manufacturing and customer support, this is an opportunity for someone who wants to use their technical knowledge in a practical way and make a visible difference to the business.

If you enjoy getting to the heart of a technical challenge, developing products and seeing the results of your work on the production floor, we'd love to hear from you