Senior Product Developer

Retail Human Resources plc; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Retail Human Resources plc in London is seeking an experienced Senior Product Developer to lead apparel product development from concept through pre-production. You will own the development process, manage fabrics, trims, and fit, and drive supplier partnerships.

You'll collaborate with Design, Technical, Production and Supply Chain to turn creative ideas into commercially viable products, mentor the Product Development team, and shape development strategies with a strong focus on quality and

Qualifications

• 7+ years' experience in apparel product development.
• Strong understanding of how garments are actually made.
• Background in ready-to-wear, premium apparel, uniforms, workwear or technical product is welcome.
• Technical knowledge, product instinct and ability to drive execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development from concept to pre-production.
• Fabric and trim sourcing, development and testing.
• Create and approve tech packs, BOMs and specifications.
• Work closely with Design, Technical, Production and Supply Chain.
• Manage development critical path across multiple projects.
• Lead and mentor the Product Development team.

Skills

Fabric knowledge

Trims knowledge

Construction knowledge

Costing & negotiation

Supplier management

Illustrator

Excel skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Critical path management

Tools

Tech packs

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.

Sound like your kind of role? Reference: KMref7/1