Senior Product Manager-West Sussex

Create have teamed up with a heritage Brand who are looking for a Senior Product Manager to be based at their Head Office in West Sussex. This Role has the responsibility of spearheading and delivering new opportunities that build on the brand aesthetic supporting the Product & Supply Director with the entire sourcing, development, and production process to deliver the vision of the Business. It will also involve supporting the team in the organising of key focus group meetings, research, analysing and building of these new collections for the brand. To identify new opportunities and developing new categories that expand the product areas and preparing strategies and sales plans with the support of the Product and Merchandising Director.

To support the Product Director in all aspects to ensure that the launch of new products, strategies is rolled out within the key business stakeholders and where necessary support in the core collection where necessary.

This role requires the ability to be in the office at least 4 days a week in west Sussex

Accountable for:

• Research of Opportunities and comp shops of key competitors.
• Research current product offering and understand current sourcing and pricing strategy.
• Being conscious of the business margin and the deliverables required to meet the product team goals.
• Develop initial prototypes, SMS, PPs where necessary with key stakeholders or direct with new suppliers.
• Work with key stakeholders in PD, Design and Production to deliver key milestones.
• Set Up of new suppliers in the brands Protocol – Supplier manual, NDA, Sedex, Supplier contracts.
• Being a key part of new supplier partnerships.
• Initial Cost price negotiation and intake margin to agreed targets with the support of the product Director.
• Support in ensuring the system is up to date throughout the full process, ensuring POs are raised in a timely manner through to invoices matched to the business needs.
• Managing the on-going development pipeline list to ensure all chairman’s requests are noted.
• Attending the Friday design meetings and managing the agenda and actions for the meeting prepared for the Monday download and task assignment.
• Supporting the Product Director in on going projects where applicable.
• Passing of all key information to the merchandise teams in terms of costings, milestones dates etc when handing over to the production team.

Range Plan, Range building, Business critical path & Development Tools

• Be present at the start of the season to analyse and review new opportunities on the Business and any range plan requirements to be managed outside the core team
• Support the Product & Supply Director in the preparation of the brief for new opportunities to deliver the required product.
• Analysing any current business that is being moved due to margin strategy in terms of qty, Business needs and margin.
• Support the Head of Product and Product & Supply Director in the updating and rolling out of the business-critical path.
• Support the Product & Supply Director in reviewing all samples and documenting comments.
• Management of any free-lance designers being used to deliver new categories.

Pricing & Margin

• Ensure all prices are checked and in line with the set agreed rules for the season.
• Responsible for keeping a close track on the raw material price sheet to accurately track 1st prices.
• To be aware of the business margin for the FY, to proactively develop the product with this in mind coming with solutions in cost saving.
• Ensuring all new products are added to the team master document.

Product Development

• Be aware correct range mix & price architecture, given history, competitor analysis & new sales insight.
• Plan proto development with each supplier ensuring they can achieve on time delivery of all prototypes.
• Be aware of the Supplier Strategy, how to evaluate key suppliers, strengths and weaknesses and evolve and rationalise accordingly within business parameters.
• Work with the supplier and design on any new styles in terms of costing and raising any issues with design and merchandising in a clear and concise manner.
• Work with the PD team if product is developed with approved supply base.
• Work with design if CAD is needed for development or prepare samples or rough sketches to aid development

Supplier Management

• Develop supplier relationships with support of Management.
• Manage and set up new suppliers so that they are clear on all requirements from proto development, Product lifecycle, Production, and shipment.
• Attend seasonal trips to meet suppliers to review samples, be aware of cost negotiation and foster key relationships being the Brand Ambassador.

Production Handover

• Support the Head of Product handing over the agreed price, master sheet, agreed construction, completed fabrication to Production.
• Be responsible for the hand over meeting presenting in the collection to the production team.
• Flag any product that is still under development, agreeing a timeline to handover completed.
• Ensure that history is passed over in agreed timelines to ensure on time delivery.

Training and Packaging

• To prepare training information of all key stakeholders of any new product or concept before launch.
• Fully understand constraints of any new supply base in terms of lead times and mins.
• Ensure brand Packaging suits new product if not develop alternatives with senior product manager.
• Ensure warehouse team are aware of new products and any new processes that are in place.

Competencies

• Confident using Excel.
• Self-motivated and proactive.
• Able to conduct supplier meetings.
• Able to travel unaccompanied.
• Personal time management and prioritisation.
• Strong communication skills with All team departments as well as suppliers
• Attention to detail.
• Strong work ethic
• Confidentiality.

Due to high volumes of response, those who are suitable will only be contacted