Ref #: PTR08/423

Location: West Yorkshire

Description: Senior Product Development professional required to compliment an established and highly successful team

Salary: to £40k plus benefits

Established more than 25 years ago, our niche market client have developed an impressive reputation across the globe offering highest quality, innovative and unique products in line with specific customer needs, and as a result of continued success and a planned programme of strategic growth, they are now seeking to recruit a proactive, professional and highly self motivated and dynamic Senior Product Developer to compliment the existing team.

The role of the Product Developer is newly created, and will require the successful candidate to work closely with both the in-house R&D team and also the Far East operation to ensure the successful realisation of projects. Additionally, the role encompasses responsibility for all aspect of Managing, Co-ordinating and Communicating all aspects of a given project, utilising resource teams that include Designers, Buyers and Test Labs, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the successful candidate to take full ownership of all aspects and be accountable for the critical path of a project to ensure a successful launch as per the formal project brief.

To be considered for this exceptional opportunity offering genuine responsibility and autonomy, you will demonstrate the ability to lead, co-ordinate and manage the development of innovative “design-led” products that meet or exceed company Brand Values, and will ensure the product range leads the UK and European Market in terms of product innovation, design, quality, safety and value for money. Working closely with Product Developers/fabric/component developers, the R&D team and engineers in the Far East, you will develop the Critical path for each and every given project and manage this on a day-to-day basis to ensure all target launch dates are achieved on time and within budget.

Responsible for managing the existing supply base and understanding its’ capabilities to maximise the product innovation opportunities for the product range, you will additionally demonstrate strong commercial awareness and be responsible for managing the cost centre, budgets, tooling costs etc as and where appropriate. Essentially, due to the nature of the products in development, exposure to an industrial engineering background or demonstrable familiarity in working with metals, plastics and joint / fold mechanisms (ie cycle manufacture) would prove to be distinctly advantageous – as would knowledge or experience of working to British / European / US standards and various manufacturing and construction techniques.

As a key member of the team, you will essentially demonstrate effective negotiation skills when confirming product costs, retrospective rebate agreements and settlement discount terms with all suppliers with the continual aim of improving margins and trading terms, and will generate detailed design briefs for all new projects, ensuring that the product range consists of the right product design, colour mix, retail price, profit and packaging, and will manage and maintain the supply base to ensure that all standards and requirements are met or exceeded, working closely with suppliers and visiting them when necessary, to facilitate the development process, ensuring all products can be manufactured commercially, are affordable and meet quality & all safety requirements.

Additionally, you will ensure ‘user trials’ are effectively planned and achieved prior to the start of New Product production and will problem solve development issues quickly and effectively to minimise the risk of launch dates being delayed. Working with the Product marketing Manager, you will liaise with Retail merchandisers to update & create new merchandising plans for each new season and will assist with proposing product names, and that the name reflects the product, its values and the company Brand values.

Are you ready for the challenge of a lifetime in a unique and exciting new development environment? Then contact Premier Technical Recruitment on 01827 68400 or email your cv in the strictest confidence to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  for more information.