Senior Product Developer

Role Purpose:

To lead the development and delivery of innovative, commercially successful products that align with Mamas & Papas brand values, customer expectations, quality standards and margin targets. Responsible for managing multiple product development projects from concept through to launch, ensuring products are delivered on time, within cost parameters and to agreed technical specifications.

Role & Responsibilities:
• Develop products that meet all margin, aesthetic, brand & technical targets to agreed launch dates as agreed in strategy

• Manage/oversee numerous concurrent projects with overall responsibility for time, cost and specification

• Work closely with the NPD, Supply Chain, Marketing & Technical teams, External Far East Suppliers, and Hong Kong Office.

• Evaluate alternative materials/ processes to propose improved product reliability and reduced product cost

• Apply thorough understanding and experience of good practice product design, engineering and manufacturing in order to influence and support the early and latter design stages

• Manage/oversee the smooth handover of projects to the Technical function, ensuring that all performance and quality requirements are clear and achievable

• Travel to Far East & European suppliers to build key relationships, negotiate trading terms & pricing, understand capabilities, find new sources and new product opportunities

• Have market awareness of all key competitors, price points, products, features and benefits

• Ensure full visibility of all new and ongoing technical issues and actively seek to understand root of the problem progressing with technical team and suppliers to resolve

• To be responsible for ensuring that all supplier issues are promptly and effectively identified and resolved, whatever their nature, working with other Department Heads, where necessary

Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Experience in the design, development and manufacturing of products - preferably consumer durables (e.g. nursery / soft goods/ soft furnishings/ sports equipment)
• A solid aptitude and clear understanding of product costing, MOQs and supplier cost negotiation, and commercial acumen
• Appreciation of a fast-paced FMCG/retail business is a distinct advantage
• Able to demonstrate a strong background in project management, with application of established techniques to develop project briefs, critical paths, and business cases
• Good broad knowledge of materials, ideally fabrics
• Understand best practice for tooling specification and design
• Appreciation of standards and regulatory affairs within a similar industry
 

Benefits:

We're a business that cares. Here's just some of our benefits on offer;
• 33 days holiday, increasing up to 40 with service.
• Buy & Sell holiday schemes
• Company Bonus Schemes
• Employer pension contribution from day 1 enrolment.
• Significant staff discounts for family & friends from our shops & online
• Ongoing offers & discounts across a variety of external organisations, from holidays, travel, restaurants, gifts & services to many more worthy discounts through our Benefits Hub
• Subsidised health & critical illness cover and insurances
• Supportive family related leave policies (including company enhanced pay for maternity, IVF & Fertility, surrogacy, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave)
• Supportive Foster Care & Carers Leave offering
• Support for Loss and Bereavement
• A Menopause Friendly Employer
• Employee Recognition and Appreciation Schemes
• At Mamas & Papas, we’re a business for the future. Every day, we help to welcome a new generation of children into the world, and we want them to grow up in a world that’s sustainable – one that’s full of opportunity and hope.

...Oh, and a great bunch of people to work with too.

We also operate at Head Office:
• Hybrid flexi working of 3 days in the office.
• Flexi-time schemes based around core working hours whether in the office, or working from home(NB*: All benefits subject to individual schemes criteria & terms)