Senior Fabric Developer

Burberry; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Burberry in London is seeking a Senior Fabric Developer to lead fabric development across product categories, driving innovation and developing strategic supplier partnerships. You will provide leadership to the Fabric Development team and champion technical excellence.

This role requires strong experience in fabric R&D, vendor management, budgeting and delivering fabrics meeting quality, cost and performance.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in fabric research and development, including testing, performance standards, treatments and finishes at fabric and garment level.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and working with suppliers to deliver against creative, technical and commercial requirements.
• Relevant commercial awareness, including experience managing budgets, product costs and target margins.
• Able to balance creative ambition with quality, functionality, timing and commercial considerations.
• Clear and collaborative communicator who can negotiate credibly and work effectively across cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the research and development of new fabrics, treatments, finishes and technologies in response to creative direction and product requirements.
• Partner with Design on development and prototype launches, translating creative ideas into fabrics that meet quality, performance and aesthetic expectations.
• Own the fabric development critical path, anticipating risks, proposing solutions and driving issues through to completion.
• Build effective relationships with vendors, providing clear briefs and developing a strong understanding of their capabilities, capacity and availability.
• Deliver fabrics within agreed quality, cost and margin parameters while ensuring they are consistent, functional and fit for purpose.
• Lead and nurture a team of Fabric Developers and Assistants, balancing priorities and resources to deliver exceptional craftsmanship, innovation and operational excellence.

Skills

Fabric development

Vendor management

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

INTRODUCTION At Burberry, we believe creativity opens spaces. Our purpose is to unlock the power of imagination to push boundaries and open new possibilities for our people, our customers and our communities. This is the core belief that has guided Burberry since it was founded in 1856 and is central to how we operate as a company today.We aim to provide an environment for creative minds from different backgrounds to thrive, bringing a wide range of skills and experiences to everything we do. As a purposeful, values-driven brand, we are committed to being a force for good in the world as well, creating the next generation of sustainable luxury for customers, driving industry change and championing our communities.

JOB PURPOSE Burberry is looking a Senior Fabric Developer to join our London team. In this role, you will lead fabric development across multiple product categories, driving innovation, building strategic supplier partnerships, and championing technical excellence. You will also provide leadership and development to the team, fostering a culture of high performance, collaboration, and continuous growth.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the research and development of new fabrics, treatments, finishes and technologies in response to creative direction and product requirements.
• Partner with Design on development and prototype launches, translating creative ideas into fabrics that meet quality, performance and aesthetic expectations.
• Own the fabric development critical path, anticipating risks, proposing solutions and driving issues through to completion.
• Build effective relationships with vendors, providing clear briefs and developing a strong understanding of their capabilities, capacity and availability.
• Deliver fabrics within agreed quality, cost and margin parameters while ensuring they are consistent, functional and fit for purpose.
• Lead and nurture a team of Fabric Developers and Assistants, balancing priorities and resources to deliver exceptional craftsmanship, innovation and operational excellence.

PERSONAL PROFILE

Strong experience in fabric research and development, including testing, performance standards, treatments and finishes at fabric and garment level. Experience managing vendor relationships and working with suppliers to deliver against creative, technical and commercial requirements. Relevant commercial awareness, including experience managing budgets, product costs and target margins. Able to balance creative ambition with quality, functionality, timing and commercial considerations. Clear and collaborative communicator who can negotiate credibly and work effectively across cross-functional teams. Organised and responsive, with the ability to prioritise changing requirements, identify risks and take considered action.

Burberry is an Equal Opportunities Employer and as such, treats all applications equally and recruits purely on the basis of skills and experience.