Senior Product Developer

FASHION PERSONNEL; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Fashion Personnel in London seeks an experienced Senior Product Developer to lead product development from concept to pre-production. You will oversee fabrics, trims, fit, construction, sourcing and development, with autonomy to guide projects, influence suppliers and develop a team.

You will work closely with Design, Technical, Production and Supply Chain to turn concepts into commercially viable products, leading multiple projects and mentoring the wider Product Development team.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in apparel product development
• Strong understanding of garment construction and manufacturing processes
• Experience with suppliers/factories and cost negotiation

Responsibilities

• Lead product development from concept to pre-production
• Sourcing and testing fabrics and trims
• Create and approve tech packs, BOMs and specs
• Collaborate with Design, Technical, Production and Supply Chain
• Lead and mentor the Product Development team
• Own development critical path across projects
• Sign off fabrics, trims, branding and samples
• Explore new materials and sustainable solutions
• Work with clients on development projects
• Manage sampling and pre-production approvals

Skills

Product development

Fabric & trims

Costing & negotiation

Leadership

Technical drawing

Illustrator

Excel

Tools

Illustrator

Excel

Job description

We're looking for an experienced Senior Product Developer to join a brilliant London-based apparel business, taking the lead on product development from initial concept right through to pre-production.

This is a great role for someone who loves the detail behind making exceptional product - fabrics, trims, fit, construction, sourcing and development - but also wants the autonomy to lead projects, influence suppliers and develop a team.

The role

Sitting at the heart of the product process, you'll work closely with Design, Technical, Production and Supply Chain to turn creative concepts into commercially viable, beautifully executed product.

You'll be getting stuck into:

• Leading product development from concept to pre-production
• Fabric and trim sourcing, development and testing
• Creating and approving tech packs, BOMs and specifications
• Working closely with international suppliers and factories
• Negotiating costs and achieving target margins
• Leading fit sessions alongside Design and Technical
• Managing sampling and pre-production approvals
• Owning the development critical path across multiple projects
• Signing off fabrics, trims, branding and development samples
• Exploring new materials, techniques and sustainable solutions
• Working directly with clients on development projects
• Leading and mentoring the wider Product Development team

Who are we looking for?

You’ll need 7+ years’ experience in apparel product development and a seriously strong understanding of how garments are actually made.

Your background could be within ready-to-wear, premium apparel, uniforms, workwear or technical product - we’re more interested in your technical knowledge, product instinct and ability to make things happen.

You’ll bring:

• Brilliant fabric, trim and construction knowledge
• Strong fit and pattern understanding
• Experience managing suppliers and factories
• Confident costing and negotiation skills
• Excellent technical drawing skills
• Illustrator and strong Excel skills
• Experience managing complex critical paths
• Strong commercial awareness
• Leadership or mentoring experience
• A genuine interest in innovation, sustainability and better ways of developing product

Why this one?

It’s a role with real ownership.

You’ll be able to influence how product is developed, introduce new ideas and materials, build strong supplier partnerships and help shape the development function - while still staying close to the actual product.

Perfect for an experienced Product Developer who wants more responsibility, more influence and plenty of variety.