We have an urgent vacancy for a Senior Footwear Technologist to join a leading Retailer for a 6 month FTC. Hybrid working , 3 days in the office, 2 remote.
The Technologist will support the Buying and Design teams to ensure product delivered is in line with the brand strategy and values. This is achieved through strong Buying team, Design team and Supplier relations. A strong commercial awareness and application is essential.
The Senior Technologist supports their Garment Technologist/Compliance Manager whilst successfully driving the performance of their team, acting as a role model for effective Technologist skills, knowledge and behaviours. The Senior Technologist is accountable for the proactive implementation of development and approval processes for their department/categories whilst supporting their direct reports to deliver the same. They play an active role in initiating and supporting the delivery of cross-divisional opportunities and collaborate cross-functionally to support delivery of the brand’s priorities.
Your strong knowledge of fit, manufacturing and understanding of your supply base ensures risk-based consideration in achieving delivery of the required standards.
Your market and industry awareness drive your contribution to ongoing review of the Brand’s standards to support growth in market share.
Key Accountabilities:
• Manage a team effectively, setting the direction and objectives to be achieved for team members, ensuring individuals are working towards those objectives, providing timely feedback and support to enable each to work to the best of their abilities; includes identifying training needs and supporting development planning.
• Support the delivery of a talent pipeline for Technical through providing learning opportunities, coaching and mentoring
• The owner of all Technical considerations on their departments/ categories – guiding team and influencing all stakeholders on technical aspects. Contributes to technical leadership and direction across the Divisional Technical Team, Design, Buying, Supply Base, maintaining a commercial perspective.
• Through the use of market/ industry awareness as well as knowledge of the Brand’s customer, identify opportunities for improvements to process and / or product and lead cross divisional collaboration/ initiatives
• Contributes to the establishment of the divisional technical strategy and priorities, as well as taking into consideration total business strategy and emerging developments/ trends in the industry
• Lead the product development process with their team –focusing on ‘Right First Time’, to support consistency in fit, quality and sealing efficiency.
• Leads an efficient and effective product approval process with their team – is responsible for ensuring the relevant KPI’s are achieved and delivery is compliant to all standards (includes those of wholesale partners and all markets in which the Client has a presence). May be required to provide cross divisional support when necessary.
• Initiate regular reviews of fit and quality standards across product areas and feeds back/ challenges team and suppliers where necessary to ensure standards remain best in class.
• Contributes to the review and delivery of the Brand Sizing strategy in conjunction with peers and team
• Focus on continuous improvement of product quality and fit through the regular analysis of returns and customer feedback, retail feedback, using awareness of competitor and industry developments and standards.
• Maintain a robust knowledge of current and changing global legislation and ensuring their team and buying team are always up to date and requirements fully implemented into the product; support management of non-compliance to drive resolution.
• Contribute to setting, reviewing and communicating standards and manuals in conjunction with other Technical/ Compliance Managers.
• Ensure understanding of and commitment to the Brand’s ways of working; also, achievement of fit and quality standards – in the context of the wider business strategy
• Drives frequent proactive collaboration with all suppliers, using appropriate communication tools to develop product standards, improve performance and drive supplier accountability in order to have a supply base that delivers to our standards and requirements.
• Ensures technical viewpoint is fed into divisional and departmental supplier strategy to influence risk-based supplier selection
• Supports the Sustainability team in achieving their objectives
• Supports the ethical team in achieving their objectives
Key experience required:
• Previous experience as an Experienced Technologist or Senior Technologist - with Management experience, in a Retail or Manufacturing Technical environment is required.
• Track record of successfully mentoring / developing others.
• Strong knowledge of Women’s Footwear sizing, pattern making / grading and of construction methods
• Extensive product testing and compliance experience with a solid understanding of technical and legal standards
• Relevant multi-product experience
• Good experience / knowledge of working across multiple sourcing locations
• Substantial supply chain management experience
• Strong interest in product and the brand is essential.
Job role competencies:
• Strong people management skills - includes coaching and mentoring skills
• Strong interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence
• Challenges the status quo
• Agility and ability to drive change in line with business priorities; adaptable
• Collaborative and builds good relations with peers/ stakeholders
• Future thinking – able to think strategically
• Excellent communication skills
• Good negotiation skills
• Self-starter
• Demonstrates good judgement and has a ‘commercial’ approach to decisions
• Strong Excel skills essential
• Strong verbal and numerical reasoning skills
• Highly organised, good prioritisation skills, decisive
• Disciplined and conscientious, results oriented