Raw Materials Development Technologist

We have a great opportunity to join a leading Brand for a 6 month maternity cover.

The Raw Material Development Technologist will create and deliver the fabric strategy driving commercial customer focussed benefit and in line with Design and Innovation Brief priorities

Key Accountabilities

• Research and understand the latest technology and sustainability trends in materials, fabric, fibre, fabric processing and print techniques etc. and feed these into the product development process.

• Communicate key innovations to relevant departments across the business

• Manage adherence to product safety legislation and work with relevant teams to ensure compliance, chemical and ethical issues are resolved in line with legislation & policy when necessary

• Create detailed fabric / yarn specification for core fabrics and tenders to ensure that all options meet our requirements including dyeing and finishing routes / methods

• Support the creation of tech packs with Product Technologist as needed

• Carry out ongoing cost engineering at development stage to ensure all products are optimised commercially whilst still meeting the client’s quality and aesthetic standards

• Ensure quality and innovation is embedded into the fabric / raw material strategy

• Provide specialist fabric technical knowledge across the Business as needed in conjunction with fabric technology peers across clothing & home

• Manage the delivery of business requirements into the department and BU alongside buying team colleagues and the Sourcing offices.

• Benchmark the Client’s product against high street competitors ensuring a market leading position and feeding into the Product development strategy

• Monitor the voice of the customer around Quality and Fabric and build into ongoing product development strategy

• Act as a business ambassador internally and externally promoting all safety, ethical and environmental

requirements

• Work closely with both UK technologists and other functions worldwide to up skill the product knowledge of our teams

• Risk assess proposed fabrics prior to tech pack to mitigate against technical failures

• Set performance standards for new product categories and ensure all remain relevant and up to date to ensure customer satisfaction

• Support the marketing function and customer communication with claims validation 

Key skills

• Expert in the field of Technology including manufacturing of fabric / raw materials

• Excellent communication skills within Technical Function, Design and Buying, Supply Base and Global Sourcing Offices

• Able to manage Blue Sky thinking for newness and project delivery of innovation

• Multi tasked orientated working to tight deadlines while maintaining entrepreneurialism

• Capable of interpreting customer data (CIU, Power BI, QPI’s, Star ratings online) to shape future product development strategy

• Experience of briefing and specifying direct design sourced product, working with Buying and Design teams to create Tech Packs

• Ability to manage departmental data and leverageClient systems to enable strategic reporting

• Ability to work across multiple sourcing models Client designed, Supplier designed)

• Good knowledge of PLM and Excel

Key relationships and stakeholders

• Central Fabric and Sustainability team

• Buying, Design and Sourcing Teams

• Industry experts, Universities & external bodies

• Sourcing Offices

• Retail Customer Services and E-com

• C&H Packaging Managers

• Product Suppliers

• Raw material, mills and chemical suppliers