NPD Product Manager

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £25 - 30,000 depending on experience

The Role:

·Responsible for the introduction and development of new creative products, as well as continuously striving to improve existing product lines from both a cost and creative point of view.

·Brainstorming new product ideas & concepts (through team discussions), continuous monitoring of market trends & fashions, reviewing competitor products, auditing of stores and seeking new innovations for future projects. Where appropriate visiting trade fairs, suppliers factories & showrooms to stimulate creative ideas.

·Chairing team meetings, providing actions & deadline to other project members; ensuring closure or flagging to appropriate line managers. Holding web cam meetings, liaising, exchanging & managing timelines with supply partners to ensure key milestones & launches are met.

·Managing the Product Costing process, using the project team forum to target a minimum margin threshold. Where the budget has been set lower at the hand-over stage, any negative cost movements must be flagged immediately to the Purchasing Manager for appropriate action.

·Briefing global supply partners with new and/or existing concepts for costing & development, which may involve the exchange of samples, briefing documents, specifications & meetings with supply partners.

·Presenting finalised product ideas, costs & margins to Senior Mgt Team in line with the corporate objectives.

·Creative product development for premiums, packaging & confectionery.

·Ensuring all quality considerations are designed & managed - design, fit & function, laboratory testing, transit, drop & compression etc in conjunction with project teams.

·Issuing of artworks in all formats to meet supplier demands, obtaining pre-production & production samples for quality approvals with fit for purpose testing.

The ideal candidate will have: -

·To degree level or equivalent is preferred

·Good level of English and Maths

·Total project management skills

·Knowledge of Microsoft Navision and Excel packages

·People management skills

·Negotiation experience.

·Ability to problem solve using creative thinking.

·Background or appreciation of artwork and/or print processes.

·Able to prioritise and manage own workload.

·Enjoys negotiating.

Petrie Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers.