Senior Raw Materials Development Lead

Lever, Inc.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Mulberry is seeking a Raw Materials Development Manager to oversee end-to-end seasonal materials development, including sourcing, supplier management, and delivering high-quality components for leather goods and accessories.

You will lead two direct reports, manage budgets, align with sustainability goals, and collaborate with design, product management, and quality teams to ensure timely, brand-aligned material development.

Qualifications

• In-depth leather goods manufacturing knowledge.
• Experience onboarding and managing supplier relationships, including MOQs and terms.
• Ability to source materials aligned with sustainability goals and trends.
• Budget management for raw materials and cost optimization.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration with design, production, quality and sustainability teams.
• Proven leadership to manage teams and seasonal development timelines.
• Proficiency with PLM/ERP and MS Office for data reporting.
• Knowledge of quality control, testing methods, and regulatory requirements.
• Understanding sustainable sourcing and ethical practices in fashion.

Responsibilities

• Lead seasonal development launches and manage supplier communication.
• Oversee critical path and ensure timely leather goods production.
• Collaborate with design on colour palettes and material codes.
• Source materials and provide timely research to design teams.
• Manage material development, approvals, and sign-offs.
• Lead material meetings and pre-production sessions.
• Manage seasonal budgets for raw materials and drive cost savings.
• Maintain leather development lists and ensure proper archiving and sheet distribution.
• Coordinate leather production sign-off with sourcing and quality teams.
• Align sourcing with sustainability goals and communicate with suppliers.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with quality, sampling, and product development.
• Hire, train, and manage direct reports; promote team growth.
• Oversee daily administrative tasks to streamline workflows.

Skills

Leather Goods Expertise

Supplier Management

Material Sourcing

Budget Management

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Project Leadership

Technical Proficiency

Quality & Compliance

Sustainability Practices

Tools

PLM/ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Mulberry is seeking a Raw Materials Development Manager to oversee end-to-end seasonal materials development, including sourcing, supplier management, and delivering high-quality components for leather goods and accessories.

You will lead two direct reports, manage budgets, align with sustainability goals, and collaborate with design, product management, and quality teams to ensure timely, brand-aligned material development.