A senior-level role with a leading Furniture brand….
As a Lead Technologist on Upholstery & Cabinetry, you'll provide technical support to the business ensuring all products and suppliers meet (and preferably exceed) legal and industry standards. But most importantly, you'll be driving the rigorous product standards. Our Client’s product quality and attention to detail is what sets them apart.
Key Responsibilities:
You will be involved in the entire product lifecycle, including safety, legality, quality, product development, manufacturing and sustainability. You will ensure products within your area of responsibility are the best they can be, with consideration given to compliance with technical policies and standards. Using your extensive knowledge and experience of product and process development and supply chain risks, you will build strong stakeholder relationships at both a local and organisational level to ensure the business’s product quality requirements are met.
Defining Quality Standards for New Product Development
● Ensuring that all new products meet Client’s (and any legal and safety) quality requirements.
● At all key stages, from initial design to sealed samples, you will work on the product's technical development, ensuring designs are safe, durable, fit-for-purpose and meet due diligence requirements, as well as evaluating potential product performance issues.
● Helping deliver our sustainability goals by specifying preferred materials that meet our standards and are then locked into our product development process.
● Owning the product specification process and all associated documentation.
● Responsible for assessing product suitability, including performance and durability, testing and functionality, labelling and packaging, and care and assembly instructions.
● Review technical standards across the supply base to ensure these are consistent.
● Ensuring labelling and packaging meet technical standards and regulations.
● Support technical sign-off for final product sample approval.
● Contributing to and updating the quality elements of the critical path for product development.
Continuous Product Improvement
● Analysing returns data, managing, and reporting on returns reduction workstreams.
● Managing the process for identifying continuity product optimisation opportunities and tracking the benefit. Working with the Product Development team and suppliers to deliver these benefits.
● Supports the suppliers in resolving technical problems arising during product design and development, actively proposing cost-effective solutions and resolving issues without compromising design integrity.
Compliance
● Ensuring all product testing certification is obtained, renewed where necessary and recorded in line with company and legal requirements.
● Managing ethical supplier audits on designated categories.
● Developing and maintaining a testing matrix of product regulation requirements and test standards.
● Sit on industry bodies, actively influencing new policies and standards and demonstrating in-depth knowledge of changing legislation around the area of expertise.
● Take a business view of compliance and advise our supply base on the implementation of new standards.
● Regularly review and improve the quality of all aspects of the products within the range of agreed performance criteria.
● Research, understand and guide the wider Product Development team and suppliers on manufacturing techniques and process development.
● Provide advice to the Product Development team concerning product re-engineering, value engineering or new manufacturing techniques, which could lead to margin benefits or production and manufacturing efficiencies.
● Drive product innovation, quality standards, safety, integrity, performance, and legal compliance within the categories of responsibility and provide guidance and expert advice to the wider team.
● Be up to date on new developments within the industry, new technical innovations, processes, standards, materials, and finishes, as appropriate and in support of the product development process.
● A leader of change and innovation within the quality team, delivering and supporting cross-function projects.
Suppliers
● Create, build, and maintain strong relationships with agents and suppliers within your designated categories, notifying those where quality standards have not been met. Holding suppliers accountable for manufacturing defects and poor service and supporting the improvement of the supplier and product performance.
● Monitor supplier and product performance within your designated categories through a clear understanding of the returns process and reporting. Identifying the most cost-effective solutions in a timely and supportive manner and ensuring a quick resolution of issues to reduce product returns.
● Review factory evaluations, quality management systems, technical audits, and corrective action plan reports as required to meet the business's needs.
● Obtaining supplier performance review feedback and reporting on the same to relevant stakeholders in the business.
● Conducting supplier visits both locally and internationally to review quality and technical processes and to conduct on-site quality checks.
● Supporting the Product Development team to ensure the right product is produced by the best supplier from a quality and technical perspective.
Skills and Attributes:
● Obsessed with beautiful upholstery & cabinetry and enthuses others about great quality products (with fantastic specifications!)
● Experience gained from working in a technical capacity or quality-based role within the retail industry or a supplier or manufacturing business.
● Knowledge and understanding of furniture and homeware construction, testing, and manufacturing methods.
● An understanding of industry standards and regulations, such as British and European Standards, ISO’s, furniture and hard goods performance criteria, and REACH and UK/EUTR.
● Demonstrable track record of both internal and external stakeholder management.
● Working knowledge of supplier ethical compliance and auditing.
● Strong analytical skills and the ability to make confident decisions based on the presented information and data.
● An excellent problem-solving mindset, being solutions-driven and able to investigate problems to find the root cause.
● A good understanding, both internally and externally, of customer service and customer needs and expectations.
● Takes responsibility for own personal and professional development.
● Experience adjusting to the changing needs of a fast paced and growing business.
● A clear communicator at all levels of the business
● Passionate about sustainability and how this is delivered through product specification.
● Commercial awareness
● Excellent influencing and presentation skills.
● Excellent attention to detail with good numeracy and IT skills.
● A team player.