Director of Product Development

THE ROLE:

We are hiring a Head of Product Development to take full ownership of clothing development across our creator brands. You will work 1-1 with some of the world's biggest creators as the person they trust on product. That means shaping their collections, advising on where to take the brand next and making sure everything that reaches their audience is right.

This is not a role where you hand over a tech pack and wait. You will be in the room with creators, in the factories and involved in every key decision from first idea to bulk delivery.

You will be based in London, working day to day with our brand managers, designers and supply chain team, and directly with our creators to turn their ideas into products their audiences love. You will build and run our manufacturing base: finding the right factories, negotiating hard on cost and terms, and holding suppliers to a high standard on every sample and every bulk order.

The ideal person has held a position in a UK clothing brand, with deep understanding and experience in clothing development at a senior level. This is a hands-on role with the scope to build the function and the team as our portfolio continues to grow.

WHY THIS ROLE:

• Full ownership:

  You will own clothing development across key creator brands.

• Work directly with some of the world's biggest creators:

  You will work 1-1 with creators whose have an audiences of 22M+

• Be the voice they listen to:

  Creators will look to you for direction on their clothing: the next collection, the next category, and what their audience will actually buy.

• Real impact at scale:

  Every range you build goes out to some of the largest and most engaged audiences online. You will see the results of your work quickly and publicly.

• Build it from the ground up:

  We have multiple brands in the pipeline, starting with activewear and outerwear. You will build the supplier base, the process and eventually the team.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Product Develpment

• Own the end-to-end development process, from creator brief and design through to approved bulk production and delivery
• Build and manage tech packs, spec sheets, grading and measurement charts with the design team
• Run fit sessions and sample reviews at every stage (proto, fit, salesman, pre-production), giving factories clear, precise comments and getting to approval in as few rounds as possible
• Lead fabric and trim development, including lab dips, strike-offs and performance testing for activewear (stretch and recovery, opacity and squat testing, pilling, colourfastness, moisture management)
• Set and manage the critical path for every launch, flag risks early and keep launches on schedule

Sourcing and Suppliers

• Source, vet and onboard manufacturers and mills across activewear, cut and sew jersey, knitwear, hosiery and outerwear, as needed.
• Bring and grow a trusted supplier network, and manage those relationships long term
• Negotiate cost prices, MOQs, lead times, payment terms and quality standards
• Build costings and landed cost models (fabric, trims, CMT, freight, duty, packaging) with finance and supply chain to hit target margins
• Carry out factory visits and make sure suppliers meet our standards on ethical compliance and sustainability.

Quality

• Own quality from first sample to bulk, including quality standards, AQL inspections and pre-shipment checks
• Act as the final sign-off before any sample or product goes to a creator
• Manage product compliance for the UK, EU and US, including fibre content, care labelling and testing requirements
• Track quality issues, customer feedback and returns data, and feed what you learn into the next development cycle

Creators and Team

• Work directly with creators to understand their vision, present samples, gather feedback and set clear expectations on what is achievable, by when and at what cost
• Work closely with brand managers, designers and supply chain managers so every handover is clean and everyone knows where each product stands
• Bring trend and commercial insight into range planning: what will sell, at what price point and for which audience
• Build the processes and, over time, the team needed to run development across multiple brands at once

ABOUT YOU:

• 8+ years in clothing product development, including at least 3 years in a senior role (Senior Product Developer, Product Development Manager or Head of Product) at a successful clothing brand
• Confident in the room with high-profile clients. You have a point of view on product and you're comfortable sharing it
• You have taken multiple ranges through the full process from concept to bulk delivery, and can tell us what went wrong along the way and how you fixed it
• An established network of factories and mills, and a track record of building supplier relationships that last
• A tough, commercially sharp negotiator who knows what a garment should cost and why
• A sharp eye for fit, construction and finish. You can pick up a sample and tell a factory exactly what is wrong and how to fix it
• Solid knowledge of garment construction, fabrics, grading, costing and critical path management
• Close to the market. You know what is selling in activewear and athleisure, who is doing it well, and why
• Calm and clear with clients. You can explain a delay or a trade-off to a creator and keep their trust
• Highly organised, with high standards and a strong sense of ownership. When something is wrong, you catch it before anyone else does
• Based in or within easy reach of London, and happy to travel to factories when needed



NICE TO HAVE:

• Experience at a DTC or digitally native brand, or launching a brand from scratch
• Experience with creator, influencer, celebrity or athlete collaborations
• Knowledge of sustainable materials and certifications
• Supplier relationships in key sourcing regions such as Portugal, Turkey, China, Vietnam or Sri Lanka