Join to apply for the Product Development Manager role at Mulberry Marketing Communications.
Born in 1971, the roots of Mulberry are in Somerset, England. For more than fifty years, Mulberry has been a British lifestyle brand, internationally acclaimed for quality and design capturing the Mulberry Spirit. Sustainability has been part of the Mulberry ethos since the brand's inception; in 2024 we proudly achieved B Corp Certification. Today, we are a global brand, but our values remain the same: we are committed to improving our impact on people and the planet. If these are values you share, we would love you to join our team.
The Role
The Product Development Manager for Leather Goods and Accessories leads the end-to-end development process, transforming design concepts into market-ready products while ensuring alignment with brand aesthetics and quality standards.
This role involves close collaboration with design, sourcing, production and merchandising teams to manage critical paths, budgets, and supplier relationships. The manager is also accountable for integrating sustainable practices, overseeing technical specifications, and ensuring timely delivery of products that meet commercial and creative objectives.
Duties & Responsibilities
* Lead the development of leather goods and accessories, aligning with design concepts, brand aesthetics and market trends.
* Manage critical paths, prioritising tasks that directly influence project timelines and ensuring on-time delivery.
* Source and nurture relationships with suppliers, securing prototypes and samples that meet quality standards.
* Develop detailed BOMs and product specifications, providing clear communication to suppliers and manufacturers.
* Oversee the creation and evaluation of prototypes and samples, guaranteeing they meet design, quality and functionality requirements.
* Track and manage development budgets, delivering projects within financial constraints and identifying cost-saving opportunities.
* Incorporate sustainable practices into product development, sourcing eco-friendly materials and processes wherever possible.
* Collaborate closely with design, merchandising, production and quality teams to deliver cohesive development and successful launches.
* Continuously evaluate and refine product development processes, implementing improvements to enhance efficiency, quality and innovation.
Culture
* Embrace and demonstrate Mulberry values and behaviours: honesty, dynamism and a community-oriented spirit.
* Support an inclusive culture by behaving openly, respectfully and understanding that colleagues may hold different views.
* Act as an ambassador for Mulberry and communicate positively about the brand.
Sustainability
* As a certified B Corp, we use business for good, encouraging environmentally and socially responsible practices.
* Support our “Made to Last” strategy across Climate, Circularity and Community.
* Champion equity, empathy, and understanding, ensuring diversity is celebrated and every individual feels valued, respected and included.
Skills & Experience Required
* Deep knowledge of leather goods manufacturing, including leather types, tanning processes and construction techniques applicable to bags, SLGs and accessories.
* Expertise in supplier management and negotiation, onboarding, evaluating and maintaining supplier relationships, including terms, pricing and MOQs.
* Strong budget management and cost optimisation skills, aligning expenses with financial targets.
* Proven cross-functional collaboration with design, production, quality and sustainability teams to meet development deadlines.
* Leadership and project management abilities, overseeing seasonal development timelines and critical paths.
* Technical proficiency with PLM, Prima systems and Microsoft Office Suite for data management, reporting and communication.
* Knowledge of quality assurance and compliance processes, testing methods and regulatory requirements.
* Understanding of sustainable sourcing and ethical practices in the fashion industry.
Mulberry is an equal opportunities employer and we are passionate about hiring and developing the best talent. All hiring decisions are made only on the basis of qualifications, skills or experience and as they relate to the particular role. If you need us to make any adjustments to our application or interview processes to enable you to be at your best, please email us at .
Position Details
* Seniority level: Mid-Senior level
* Employment type: Full-time
* Job function: Marketing
* Industries: Marketing Services
#J-18808-Ljbffr