Job Description
Role Overview
This senior role is responsible for leading group-wide product compliance, factory auditing, and quality assurance across Sanderson Design Group’s brands and manufacturing partners. The role ensures that all products, materials, and manufacturing processes meet customer-specific compliance requirements, current and emerging legislation, and technical, ethical, environmental, and social standards.
With a strong background in textiles or consumer products, the role will manage technical, ethical, and sustainability audits, oversee product quality compliance, and ensure robust systems are in place to monitor legislative change and evolving industry standards. Sustainability knowledge and compliance-led operational experience are central to this position.
About Us
Sanderson Design Group plc is a luxury interior design house with over 165 years of heritage. Home to six iconic brands—Sanderson, Morris & Co., Harlequin, Zoffany, Clarke & Clarke, and Scion—our portfolio includes fabric, wallpaper, and paint, supported by manufacturing at Anstey and Standfast & Barracks.
We work with a global supply base and international customers, requiring the highest standards of product compliance, ethical sourcing, quality assurance, and sustainability leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
Product Compliance & Legislative Management
* Ensure all products comply with UK, EU, and international regulations, including chemical, material, labelling, and safety requirements.
* Monitor, interpret, and implement new and existing legislation, ensuring proactive compliance across all brands and sites.
* Maintain up-to-date product compliance documentation, technical files, and declarations.
* Act as the subject matter expert for customer-required compliance standards and retailer codes of practice.
Factory & Audit Management (Technical, Ethical, Environmental & Social)
* Lead and manage technical, ethical, environmental, and social audits across owned sites and external suppliers.
* Oversee audit programmes including SEDEX/SMETA, ISO, FSC, PEFC, OEKO-TEX, GOTS, and customer-specific audits.
* Drive audit readiness, corrective action plans, and continuous improvement to minimise non-conformances.
* Ensure consistent audit standards and systems across multiple sites and suppliers.
Quality & Technical Operations
* Own and continuously improve quality management systems with a strong focus on product quality compliance.
* Ensure compliance throughout the product lifecycle—from raw material sourcing to finished product release.
* Work closely with product development, sourcing, and manufacturing teams to embed compliance and quality at design stage.
* Provide technical guidance and training on compliance, quality standards, and best practice.
Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing
* Embed compliance-led sustainability practices across products and supply chains.
* Ensure alignment with environmental, social, and ethical standards, including ESG expectations.
* Support responsible material sourcing, traceability, and certification management.
* Partner with internal and external stakeholders to ensure ethical and sustainable operations.
Stakeholder & Customer Engagement
* Act as the primary contact for customers, auditors, and suppliers on compliance, audits, and sustainability matters.
* Support commercial teams by providing assurance on compliance credentials and audit outcomes.
* Deliver clear training and communication to internal teams on compliance obligations and legislative changes.
Measures of Success
* Full compliance with applicable product, environmental, and social legislation.
* Successful completion of customer, technical, and ethical audits with minimal non-conformances.
* Strong customer confidence in product compliance and ethical standards.
* Effective implementation of new legislation with no disruption to product supply.
Qualifications
* Degree in Textiles, Product Technology, Environmental Science, Compliance, Engineering, or related discipline.
* Professional experience within the textiles, interiors, or consumer products industry.
* Certifications or experience with FSC, PEFC, OEKO-TEX, GOTS, SEDEX/SMETA, ISO 9001, and related standards.
Skills & Experience
* Proven experience in product compliance and quality assurance within a regulated product environment.
* Strong background in factory auditing, including technical, ethical, environmental, and social compliance.
* Demonstrated experience managing customer-specific compliance requirements.
* Deep understanding of textile materials, manufacturing processes, and supply chains.
* Strong working knowledge of sustainability, responsible sourcing, and ESG-related compliance.
* Ability to stay ahead of legislative and regulatory change and translate requirements into practical action.
Key Competencies
* Product & Regulatory Compliance
* Factory & Supplier Auditing
* Quality & Technical Governance
* Sustainability & Ethical Standards
* Stakeholder & Customer Management
* Continuous Improvement & Risk Management
If you are passionate about product compliance, ethical standards, and sustainable quality within the textiles industry, this role offers real influence and impact.