Technologist (Outerwear/Denim) - FTC

New Look; Greater London; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discount

Reward platform access

Virtual GP access

Life assurance from day one

Extra leave / buy more holiday

Birthday paid day off

Maternity / Paternity / Adoption leave

Season ticket loan

Cycle to work

Job summary

New Look is seeking a Technologist with deep denim and outerwear experience to drive the quality framework across the value chain. You will work with product engineering and supplier management to deliver value, cost, and lead time improvements while upholding regulatory standards.

You will lead continuous improvement, mentor the BMD and quality teams, and ensure packaging, labeling, and transit methods maintain brand integrity. This role requires office presence four days a week in London.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Technologist in a major retailer or department store.
• Appropriate technical qualification or degree required.
• Knowledge of denim and outerwear manufacturing and materials performance.

Responsibilities

• Translate business strategy into quality objectives for the product category.
• Use customer insights, store/DC visits, and benchmarking to drive product improvement.
• Own and embed the Quality Framework across the value chain and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate with the BMD team to align quality with the department's critical path.
• Apply expertise in materials, construction, pattern technology, grading, and supplier capabilities.
• Lead risk assessment and drive continuous improvement within quality processes.
• Mentor and upskill the wider quality and BMD teams; share knowledge and best practices.
• Drive adoption of new technologies and test-and-learn initiatives.

Skills

Denim & Outerwear specialist

Quality framework

Fit sessions / pre-production

Supplier management

Regulatory compliance

Leadership & mentoring

Negotiation

Interpersonal communication

Data / KPI analysis

Open costing support

Education

Technical qualification / degree

Textile/Engineering degree

Job description

We are looking for a Technologist who has experience within Denim and Outerwear.

Quality means consistently meeting customers’ expectations whilst ensuring fitness for purpose and meeting regulatory requirements. Within your department you will drive the quality of the delivered products by driving the implementation of the New Look quality framework. To work with the wider teams to deliver better value, cost price and lead time through product engineering and supplier management. To apply your proven knowledge of quality assurance techniques and processes to drive continuous improvement and to set an example of what good look like to the wider quality and BMD teams Deputises in the absence of the Technical Manager.

This role requires you to be in the office 4 days a week

WHATS IN IT FOR YOU:

• 40% staff discount plus friends & family discounts throughout the year
• Access to our reward platform for external discount and offers
• Virtual GP access for you and your children – it allows you to speak to a doctor at a time and date that suits you
• All employees are covered by our life assurance policy from day one
• Unlock extra leave with our buy more holiday scheme.
• Celebrate YOU! Enjoy an extra paid day off on your birthday each year
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and shared parental leave.
• Spread the cost of your commute with interest-free season ticket loans
• Do your bit for the environment and save money with our Cycle2Work scheme
• We're proud to partner with the Retail Trust and Fashion & Textile Children's Trust

What you’ll be doing:

• Strategic Contribution: Understands the business strategy and translates it into actionable quality objectives within the product category, contributing to the wider quality team and representing the team in cross-business forums.
• Customer & Market Insight: Uses customer insight tools, store and DC visits, and market benchmarking to understand expectations and competitor advances, driving continuous product improvement.
• Quality Management: Owns and embeds the Quality Framework, ensuring robust assurance processes throughout the value chain and compliance with legal and brand standards.
• BMD Collaboration: Works closely with the BMD team to align quality processes with the departmental critical path, support trading activities, and influence decisions to meet customer expectations.
• Product & Manufacturing Expertise: Applies specialist knowledge of materials, construction, pattern technology, grading, and supplier capabilities to deliver products right first time, balancing cost, quality, and commercial value.
• Risk Assessment & Continuous Improvement: Acts as the risk assessment ambassador for the category, implementing corrective actions where standards fall short and embedding risk assessment within all quality processes.
• Technical Leadership: Mentors and upskills the wider quality and BMD teams, sharing knowledge to improve decision-making, purchasing practices, and product consistency.
• Innovation & Best Practice: Drives adoption of new technologies, feedback loops, and frameworks to deliver consistent, high‑quality products, including overseeing test‑and‑learn initiatives.
• Team Development: Motivates, coaches, and develops direct reports, supporting personal growth, skills transfer, and deputising for the Technical Manager as required.
• Operational Excellence: Ensures packaging, labelling, and transit methods maintain brand consistency and product value, while proactively challenging processes to uphold customer standards.

Who you are:

Technical Knowledge:

• Specialist in Denim and Outerwear
• Assimilates and articulates a clear understanding of customer and expectations and what that means for standard setting and the importance of a Quality framework.
• Applies first hand experience of manufacturing environments.
• Knowledge of product construction, material performance.
• Proficient in running a fit session (clothing/ footwear)/ pre-production meeting (accessories).
• Makes solution-based decisions from skilled interpretation of test reports.
• Understand open costing and able to support buying team through product engineering.
• Proactive in benchmarking product – production for consistency and competitors for innovation.
• Is able to specify packaging and presentation requirements of a product throughout the value chain.
• Understanding of New Look brand and sub‑brand strategy and actively participating in the development and delivery of department strategy.
• Actively implement regulatory requirements within their product area.
• Confident subject matter expert in X business forums.
• Understand roles and responsibilities within the BMD team, uses this to ensure impacts of decisions widely considered and has developed networks networks.
• Assimilates KPI reports and responds appropriately and in a timely way to manage and implement change.
• Ability to convert product requirements into technical terms.
• Ability to conduct a technical factory audit, reporting non‑conformances and agreeing corrective actions.
• Will demonstrate a natural tendency towards leadership in a team to achieve results.
• Proactive & appropriately challenging in their approach within departments and the wider team
• Growing knowledge and willingness to embrace new technologies
• Clearly visible & vocal within the BMD team meetings; sign offs, reviews, order signing etc.
• Delivering and operating the New Look values.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills
• Good interpersonal/ communication skills at all levels.
• Is a team player. Ability to initiate and build strong relationships with BMD and wider business.
• Ability to initiate and build strong relationships with all suppliers.
• Makes decisions from an informed standpoint, and is confident and assertive, ensuring all decisions are solution focussed.
• Risk assessment and SWOT analysis skills.
• Numerical and analytical skills. Organisational skills.
• Technical networking outside the business.
• Ability to line manage, motivate and develop team.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Previous experience as a Technologist within a major retailer / department within New Look
• Product specialist in chosen category Minimum level of education or qualifications
• Appropriate Technical Qualification / Other degree

Why New Look?

We care about you and the planet and believe fashion should be a force for positive change. We celebrate inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We’re proud of our inclusive culture and our talented team members who embrace our shared purpose, behaviours and values.

We prioritise development, offering training to support your progression, so you can be your absolute best and achieve your goals.

We pride ourselves on being a flexible employer, our colleagues work a range of patterns. If you have a specific pattern in mind, we're keen to discuss this with you in line with the output needed for the role.

Please ensure that your CV is in simple format e.g. "Microsoft Word" when applying using your CV to ensure smooth application process.