Product Developer (Handbags & Accessories)

Lulu Guinness is a start-up with a 30-year-old history. While steeped in legacy-making heritage, with an archive of iconic, conversation-starting bags; we are at a new phase of our journey defined by change, a lean team, close cross-functional collaboration.

We are looking for a Product Developer to play a crucial role in the production and development cycles that help create our iconic collections.

About The Role In this role you will report to our Production & Product Development Manager and will have the freedom, trust and autonomy to identify opportunities for growth and improvement. You will be expected to bring new and innovative ideas to the table and make them happen quickly. You will not only have a high level of control over the performance and direction of our product development activity, and yours will be a key voice in all PD decisions.

What You'll Be Doing

• Be our internal product development subject matter expert, helping the Product Development Manager identify areas of improvement and supporting them on implementing agreed actions.
• Supporting the development and execution of our PD strategy grounded in insight and data, ensuring high level of alignment with business objectives, mission, vision and brand.
• Working closely with the Product Development Manager, you will launch development requests across all product categories, considering costs/margins, design aesthetic and functionality and vendor strength
• Take ownership of collating all samples and pricing at each stage of the product development process
• Support on seasonal prep for all milestone events throughout the critical path
• Management of internal product systems, processes including Sku creation and product specifications
• Ensure all fabrics, components, compositions and trims and product are compliant to the correct quality standards and are fit for purpose
• Approve lab dips and bulk fabrics
• Take full responsibility for the creation of fit logs, ensuring you understand each product in a high level of detail and are able to guide manufacturers on avoiding errors and delivering high quality and accurate prototypes and samples
• Arrange and conduct fit sessions/queries with the relevant team members
• Management of all SMS sample requirements and distribute amongst key stake holders
• Upkeep of all TOP samples to be stored at the Mill for future archive reference.
• Oversee all wear trial distributions, collating feedback and rolling out action points.
• Ensure all costs and invoices are processed aligned with Month end deadlines
• Working closely with CX team to review product returns, customer feedback and capture lessons learnt to roll out wherever
• Host company-wide seasonal collection presentations and additional product training sessions where necessary
• Ensure all product detail requirements for all departments are documented in PIM system aligned with trade requirements.
• Support the Digital and Brand teams with any sample requirements.
• Work closely with the Product Development Manager on archive processing, leveraging team members from across the business to complete this project within 6 months
• Taking a minimum viable product approach to all projects and activities, aiming to deliver fast results internally with minimum reliance on external agencies or consultants and delivering high impact with small budgets
• Driving regular exchange of insights and learnings across the production and digital functions, as well as the wider team.
• Staying abreast of emerging tools, platforms, trends and tech to drive innovation and test new approaches, functionalities and technologies.
• Regular review of all existing processes, agencies, software and platforms and ways of working and make necessary changes to maximize efficiency, effectiveness and cost-saving.
• Delivering exceptional results against your KPIs and other key metrics including: sample error rate, development lead time

Requirements This role is for you if you are... - A doer, you are happy to be hands-on and get stuck in the weeds to make sure we achieve our goals. As a very lean business, all roles, regardless of seniority are expected to own a wide remit ranging from high level strategy to day-to-day admin.

• You are excited by the prospect of working with a high level of autonomy and control over your remit
• Ability to learn new areas of work and take on new responsibilities with ease and confidence
• Ability to coordinate and align a wide range of PD activities with a high level of efficiency.
• Always searching for more efficient ways of working by maximizing automation and minimising manual admin
• A proactive problem solver - you are always searching for better ways to do things and always have a solution ready for any issue that arises.
• Be commercially minded and results-driven, prioritising and focusing on the activities that will drive the biggest business and customer impact.
• Customer-obsessed, with the ability to use insights to drive improvements to the customer experience.
• You own your position as the subject matter expert in all things product development and are excited to share your knowledge and expertise with the wider team and advise on where improvements can be made.
• A doer, you are happy to be hands-on and get stuck in the weeds to make sure we achieve our goals. As a very lean business, all roles, regardless of seniority are expected to own a wide remit ranging from high level strategy to day-to-day admin.
• You are excited by the prospect of working with a high level of autonomy and control over your remit
• Ability to learn new areas of work and take on new responsibilities with ease and confidence
• Ability to coordinate and align a wide range of PD activities with a high level of efficiency.
• Always searching for more efficient ways of working by maximizing automation and minimising manual admin
• A proactive problem solver - you are always searching for better ways to do things and always have a solution ready for any issue that arises.
• Be commercially minded and results-driven, prioritising and focusing on the activities that will drive the biggest business and customer impact.
• Customer-obsessed, with the ability to use insights to drive improvements to the customer experience.
• You own your position as the subject matter expert in all things product development and are excited to share your knowledge and expertise with the wider team and advise on where improvements can be made.

Benefits Perks & Benefits - 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays

• A generous product purchase scheme offering 75% discount on Lulu Guinness products, post-probation
• Salary sacrifice pension to maximise your take home pay??
• Financial wellbeing and pension management platform through Mintago, giving you full control over your finances and free access to expert financial advice??
• Health cash plan via Medicash Proactive allowing you to claim back costs relating to healthcare expenses such as optical, dental and physiotherapy treatments
• Remote working model which gives you the freedom to work from anywhere in the UK. While this is a remote role, due to the hands-on nature of this role, you must be able and willing to travel into our office based near Green Park, London as and when needed for sample processing and product and design review sessions.
• Flexible working, allowing you to tailor your workday around your personal life, giving you meaningful work-life balance