Company Description
Portico Designs, established over 30 years ago and based in Bath, is an independent publisher of quality design-led gifts. We feature 'world-class' licensed brands alongside our own original designs. Our company is highly flexible, offering bespoke development for retailer exclusive ranges as well as supplying general trade lines to independents. We maintain long-standing relationships with retail clients, licensing partners, and suppliers to ensure our products are of the highest quality, sourced sustainably, and managed ethically and responsibly.
Role Description
This is a 12 month contract for maternity cover. Part time would be considered (minimum 34 hours)
This is a full-time hybrid role for a Product Developer, based in Bath with some work-from-home flexibility. The Product Developer will be responsible for conducting research and development and managing product lifecycle. The role involves continuous communication with internal and external teams and ensuring new products meet quality standards and market demands.
· Manage all development stages from sourcing, writing specs, obtaining costs and proofing, from concept to final delivery to ensure all brief requirements are met to margin expectation.
· Building and monitoring CDPs, to ensure that client delivery timelines can be achieved. Therefore, a methodical approach and strong attention to detail is important.
· Working with the Creative Managers and Designers on range development, identifying trends and gaps in ranges. Ensuring product concepts are suitable for manufacture and product is fit for purpose, as well as being commercially viable.
· Liaising with suppliers on a daily basis to build detailed product specifications. You must be able to challenge on CDP's and unnecessary costs. Improving company margins where possible and achieve client delivery expectations whilst maintaining product quality.
· Work closely with all members of the team including the design studio and senior members of staff to ensure that commercial product is being developed that fits in with the Portico or client brief.
· Responsible for analysing costs and calculating both the client and Portico margins as a factor in determining the best supplier to use and presenting to account manager/director for sign off.
· Responsible for the raising of accurate Purchase Orders with our suppliers and posting of supplier invoices. Working closely with the accounts team to ensure invoices and payments are approved and matched off.
· Collate and proofread all text/copy for all products. You will also need to work with the designers to check all flat proofs, pre-production samples and final production samples; liaising with the suppliers should any issues arise.
· Work with account manager and shipping manager, and on some occasions the buyer and retailer's logistic team directly to identify and extract retailer specific requirements. Access retailer system/portals to submit information.
· Where necessary work with licensors on initial development and sampling approvals.
· Work closely with the compliance team to ensure products are sourced, developed and manufactured to be fully compliant with the relevant territories and retailers' safety standards.
· Work with the shipping manager to ensure they have full oversight of key dates and details needed for shipping.
· Follow up on new supplier leads and maintain supplier database.
Qualifications
* Strong skills in Research and Development (R&D) and Product Development
* Experience in Product Management.
* Excellent Communication skills
* Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
* Experience in the creative or giftware industry is a plus