Outerwear Product Developer

At Burberry, we believe creativity opens spaces. Our purpose is to unlock the power of imagination to push boundaries and open new possibilities for our people, our customers and our communities. This is the core belief that has guided Burberry since it was founded in 1856 and is central to how we operate as a company today.

We aim to provide an environment for creative minds from different backgrounds to thrive, bringing a wide range of skills and experiences to everything we do. As a purposeful, values-driven brand, we are committed to being a force for good in the world as well, creating the next generation of sustainable luxury for customers, driving industry change and championing our communities.

JOB PURPOSE

This position will deliver the end-to-end product development process in the Outerwear Category within Burberry’s Product Development function. Acting as an ambassador for Burberry, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation and collaboration and operate as true technical specialists with internal teams and vendors.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Building and maintaining a close working partnership with Design. Acting as the technical partner for design, attending fittings, providing feedback on technical feasibility, brainstorming ideas and solutions to ensure the design vision is translated into product
• Responsible for building and maintaining effective working relationships with vendors, developing a strong working knowledge of vendor capability and availability to meet demands. This includes negotiating on costs as well as aesthetic changes to ensure design vision is maintained
• Implementing and managing the critical path from concept to pre-production with design and manufacturers. Ensuring deadlines are adhered to and follow up on all prototype/sample issues to resolve and drive to completion. Identifying, calling out and making recommendations to mitigate any risks/challenges identified at all stages.
• Delivering high quality prototypes and samples in time with the critical path and in line with margin targets
• Responsible for ensuring functionality (including consistency and standardisation) and ensuring products that are developed are fit for purpose for the customer, brand and business. This includes ongoing risk assessment during the development process and proactivity in taking actions as a result
• Strong technical OW knowledge across all product types from coats to sportswear including understanding of performance, testing and functionality.
• Responsible for collaborating with the Product Engineering teams while developing the collections for product testing to relevant standards, leveraging their technical knowledge and negotiating any aesthetic changes to protect the design vision
• Support production meetings follow ups at vendors, technical requirements of all proto and samples in preparation for production
• Accountable for ensuring PLM is kept updated with 100% accuracy at all times.

PERSONAL PROFILE

• Ability to work in partnership with Senior Designers, understanding and interpreting their creative aesthetic and design vision and translating this to teams and vendors
• Technical capability and product knowledge with ability to confidently influence the Design team and provide on the spot solutions in:
  • Garment construction, pattern cutting and fabric construction in the World of Outerwear
  • Leather goods construction, leather/materials knowledge linked to shape and performance
  • Printing, printing techniques; silks, woollens, jacquards, woven fabrics and leather
  • Technical embroidery and embellishment knowledge
  • Knowledge of industrialisation process partnering with Product Engendering team
• Experience managing vendor relationships, delivering clear briefs and leveraging relationships to meet demands
• Critical path management ensuring collections are delivered on time, identifying, calling out and making recommendations to mitigate any risks/challenges identified
• Able to manage within a budget with commercial awareness and understanding of product cost, achieving a balance between creativity and commercial implications throughout the product development process
• Demonstrated experience working on site with vendors and operational knowledge of factories, delivering clear briefs and leveraging relationships and availability to meet demands
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to negotiate with credibility, share information effectively, and work confidently with cross functional teams
• In depth knowledge of fashion and products in relevant category –‘fashion sensibility’ - knowledge of trends, the market, the luxury consumer and peer awareness
• Computer skills: PLM, excel, InDesign