Raw Materials Development Manager

Lever, Inc.; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Mulberry is seeking a Raw Materials Development Manager to lead end-to-end seasonal material development, including sourcing, supplier management, and timely delivery of high-quality leather goods and accessories.

You will collaborate with design, product management, and quality teams, lead two direct reports, manage budgets, and ensure alignment with sustainability goals across the Made to Last strategy.

Qualifications

• Leather goods manufacturing knowledge: leather types, tanning, construction.
• Supplier management: onboarding, evaluation, MOQs, negotiations.
• Sourcing materials aligned with design aesthetics and sustainability goals.
• Budget management for raw materials and cost optimization.
• Collaborate across design, production, quality and sustainability teams.
• Lead seasonal development timelines and manage teams.
• Proficiency with PLM/ERP and MS Office for data management.
• Quality assurance, regulatory compliance and brand standards.
• Sustainability and ethical sourcing practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead seasonal development launches with strong supplier communication.
• Oversee critical path to ensure timely leather goods delivery.
• Collaborate on colour palettes and material codes with design team.
• Source materials and provide timely research for design.
• Oversee material development approvals and production sign-off.
• Lead raw material and pre-production meetings.
• Manage seasonal raw materials budget and identify savings.
• Track leather development and manage supplier tech sheets.
• Coordinate leather production sign-off with sourcing and quality teams.
• Align sourcing with sustainability goals and communicate with suppliers.
• Foster cross-functional teamwork with sampling and product development.
• Hire, train, and manage direct reports and maintain workflows.
• Oversee daily administrative tasks and ensure efficient processes.

Skills

Leather knowledge

Supplier management

Material sourcing

Budget management

Cross-functional collaboration

Project leadership

Technical proficiency

Quality & compliance

Sustainability practices

Tools

PLM

ERP

MS Office

Job description

Born in 1971, the roots of Mulberry are in Somerset, England. For more than fifty years, Mulberry has been a British lifestyle brand, internationally acclaimed for quality and design capturing the Mulberry Spirit.

Sustainability has been part of the Mulberry ethos since the brand's inception, in recognition of our purpose-driven approach, in 2024 we proudly achieved B Corp Certification.

Today, we are a global brand, but our values remain the same; we are committed to improving our impact on people and the planet. To do this our people are honest, dynamic, and community spirited.

If these are values you share, we would love you to join our team.

The Role

The Raw Materials Development Manager will oversee the end-to-end development of seasonal materials and components (leather, fabrics, hardware and animations), including sourcing, supplier management, and ensuring timely delivery of high-quality materials. The position involves cross-functional collaboration with design, product management, and quality teams, as well as leading two direct reports to achieve seamless product development. Additionally, the role requires strategic budget management, adherence to sustainability goals, and effective communication with external partners to support the company's objectives.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Seasonal Development Leadership: Lead and manage seasonal development launches, ensuring smooth supplier communication and task delegation.
• Critical Path Management to identify and prioritize the sequence of dependent tasks that directly impact the project's completion date, ensuring timely delivery of leather goods and accessories.
• Colour Palette Collaboration: Collaborate with the design team on colour palette development, communicate names and material codes.
• Material Sourcing & Research: Source materials flexibly, provide timely research to the design team.
• Material Development Oversight: Manage material development, approvals, and production sign-off.
• Raw Material Meetings Leadership: Lead raw material meetings with the design team for updates and issue resolution. Lead pre-production meetings, ensuring clarity on seasonal development.
• Budget Management: Manage seasonal budget for raw materials, suggesting cost-saving measures and monitoring expenses.
• Leather Development Tracking: Maintain seasonal leather development list, track updates, and manage system inputs. Distribute and manage seasonal technical sheets from suppliers. Maintain an updated archiving system for research and seasonal references.
• Leather Production Sign-Off: Manage leather production sign-off, coordinate with sourcing, quality teams, and sample distribution.
• Sustainability Alignment: Ensure sourced products align with sustainability goals and communicate with suppliers.
• Cross functional Team Collaboration: Collaborate with quality team to resolve concerns, ensuring effective cross-functional communication. Work with the sampling team and product development teams for timely ordering of leathers and materials.
• Team Management: Hire, train, and manage direct reports, fostering team growth and a collaborative environment.
• Administrative Oversight: Oversee daily administrative tasks, delegating responsibilities and ensuring streamlined workflows.

Culture

• Embrace and demonstrate the Mulberry values and behaviours: honesty, dynamism, and a community-oriented spirit.
• Support Mulberry to deliver an inclusive culture, through behaving in a way that is open-minded and respectful towards others, and understanding that your views, opinions, and experiences may not always be shared by your colleagues.
• Act as an ambassador for Mulberry and communicate positively about the brand.

Sustainability

• As a certified B Corp, we are committed to using business as a force for good. You’ll be encouraged to incorporate environmentally and socially responsible practices into your work, supporting our Made to Last strategy across Climate, Circularity, and Community.
• Help foster a culture where diversity is celebrated and every individual feels valued, respected, and included. Champion equity, empathy, and understanding in all interactions - internally and externally.

Skills & Knowledge

• Leather Goods Manufacturing Expertise: In-depth understanding of leather types, tanning processes, and construction techniques specific to bags, small leather goods (SLGs), and accessories. Familiarity with various construction methods, ensuring the selection of appropriate materials to respond to every request. Knowledge of fabrics, embellishment and decorative techniques applied to accessories.

• Supplier Management & Negotiation: Proficient in onboarding, evaluating, and maintaining relationships with suppliers, including negotiating terms, pricing, and minimum order quantities (MOQs).
• Material Sourcing & Trend Analysis: Ability to source materials that align with design aesthetics, performance standards, and sustainability goals, while staying informed on seasonal trends.
• Budget Management & Cost Optimization: Skilled in managing budgets for raw materials, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and ensuring expenses align with financial targets.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Experience working with design, production, quality, and sustainability teams to ensure cohesive product development and timely delivery.
• Project Management & Leadership: Strong leadership skills to manage teams, oversee seasonal development timelines, and ensure successful project execution.
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with PLM, ERP systems, and Microsoft Office Suite for data management, reporting, and communication.
• Quality Assurance & Compliance: Knowledge of quality control processes, testing methods, and regulatory requirements to ensure materials meet brand standards.
• Sustainability Practices: Understanding of sustainable sourcing and ethical practices within the fashion industry.

Mulberry is an equal opportunities employer and we are passionate about hiring and developing the best talent. All hiring decisions are made only on the basis of qualifications, skills or experience and as they relate to the particular role. If you need us to make any adjustments to our application or interview processes to enable you to be at your best, please email us at [e-mail].