Senior Product Developer - 12 Month Maternity Cover

Rapha; London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sportswear company in London is seeking a Senior Product Developer for a 12-month maternity cover. In this role, you will own product engineering, ensuring all quality standards and timelines are adhered to. The ideal candidate has at least 7 years of experience in apparel, strong leadership skills, and proficiency in Adobe Illustrator as well as Mac OS. This position offers a dynamic work culture with various employee benefits.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

25 days annual leave

Health cash plan worth up to £1405 annually

50% staff discount

Qualifications

• At least 7 years' experience working for an apparel brand.
• Experience with technical performance materials.
• Strong understanding of costing templates and variables.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for product ranges and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Build and maintain relationships with vendors.
• Drive the sample approval process throughout the product lifecycle.

Skills

Leadership

Product engineering

Cost engineering

Effective communication

Attention to detail

Education

Degree in fashion/textiles/sportswear or equivalent experience

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Mac OS

Job description

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Senior Product Developer - 12 Month Maternity Cover, London

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Client:

Rapha

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

cc029ddc45c8

Job Views:

7

Posted:

12.08.2025

Expiry Date:

26.09.2025

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Job Description:

THE ROLE

:

THE ROLE

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• A key role that is accountable for product ranges and direct reports to ensure all briefs and critical dates are met. Owning the engineering of a product collection, ensuring functionality and performance requirements.

• A strong leader who is able to coach/manage more junior members of the team in knowledge and behaviours.

• Responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with our tier 1 and tier 2 vendors with trips and continuous daily communication. Ensuring all critical path dates and KPIs are met by Rapha and our vendors.

• Analysing reports from tracking documents, highlighting when inaccuracies or missed stage gates occur.

• Collaborate cross functionally with design, atelier and supply chain and garment tech teams to ensure that products are risks assessed in a timely manner and that any subsequent risks are mitigated and elevated to management levels.

• Work closely with the design team on initial pattern development and construction.

• Drive the sample approval process throughout the product lifecycle.

• Experience in cost engineering, ensuring the product is built to meet target costs and margins, working x-functionally throughout the process.

• Communicate all fit and constructional comments to our vendors through the PLM system. Collaborate closely with Product Management, Design and Atelier teams to ensure continuity across all areas.

• Take part as a key function in weekly meetings and fit sessions, offering feedback on vendor capabilities and constructional restraints that will impact the development of products.

• Support more junior members of the team to measure prototype samples and size sets before fitting to ensure they conform to construction specifications.

• Initiate and manage wear testing and lab testing protocols

• Review construction, measurements and quality of all samples.

• Build, maintain and update product tech packs and the product Bill of Materials on our PLM system, across new styles, carry overs and prints.

• Travel to suppliers, trade shows and events as required.

• Ensure that Rapha quality and performance standards are met throughout the sampling and production process.

• Along with Supply Chain, ensure the manufacturing of the products runs smoothly in sampling and production.

• Be part of the quality assurance process within Rapha, an ability to understand and assess Quality Control reports from the supplier, identifying product risks.

THE CANDIDATE:

Reporting to a Product Development Manager or Head of Department, this role will ensure that all products are truly fit for purpose, are of the highest quality and delivered in a timely manner. An effective internal negotiator, this person will be a natural role model to the team in terms of their professional conduct.

• A graduate, ideally with a degree in fashion / textiles / sportswear or equivalent work experience.

• At least 7 years’ experience working for an apparel brand.

• Excellent time management and organisational skills.

• They must lead by example, encouraging and motivating the team to participate in any task with a positive attitude, to ensure business needs are met.

• Confident in making decisions within their remit, a strong and natural leader.

• Effective communicator at all levels of the business.

• Ability to adapt and help lead change in structural updates of a growing company and team.

• Strong understanding of costing templates, variables within manufacturing and the impact of construction, materials and patterns to a product.

• A determined team player, a strong and encouraging manager who is able to support more junior members with their knowledge and confidence.

• Has experience working with technical performance materials.

• Must have an excellent attention to detail and be proficient in using Mac OS, Adobe Illustrator and G Suite. Confident working on CAD’s, Lay-plans and print files using Adobe Illustrator.

• Must be able to challenge the status quo and question to ensure the product brief is met and that the vendors are receiving all correct and up-to-date necessary technical information

• Be able to work to tight and challenging deadlines.

Working at Rapha

We are continuously looking into ways to invest in our employees and build a better working culture and environment. Here are just some of the internal benefits we offer.

• Flexible working hours
  
• Support for ad-hoc remote working during the week - minimum 4 days in office
• 25 days annual leave
• 2 additional days paid time off to participate in a sportive or similar related cycling event
  
• A company bonus scheme
• A health cash plan provided by Healthshield worth up to £1405 per year
• Mental health support with MyndUp
• Free barista coffee and social drinks in the office
• Subsidised lunches 3 days per week
• Monthly department social events and quarterly office social away days
• A flexible riding benefit to allow you to go out riding on a Wednesday morning with colleagues or learn to cycle to cycling through our Getting Started Scheme
  
• Bike racing expenses up to £35 per race entry
• A 50% staff discount and a discount for family and friends
• An annual clothing allowance of £1,120 for testing and promotional purpose
  
• Industry discounts on brands such as Patagonia, Osprey, Finisterre, Wahoo
• Free membership to the Rapha Cycling Club
• Cycle2Work scheme
• Company Pension Scheme
• Enhanced Parental Leave and Pay