Job title: Gender Development Head

Main Purpose:  

To lead a development (and commercialization in certain countries/genders) team, planning development work for a range of products (either within one gender range, or more than one gender (with limited lines)) scheduled for production, ensuring that brand standards for visual appeal, fit and product integrity are built into the shoes, profit margin targets are achieved, and products are properly engineered and commercialized for bulk production within agreed upon timelines

Core Accountabilities

• To manage the seasonal development plan from initial range strategy through to successful hand over and commercialization for bulk production.
• To assist in the planning of the product range by source, taking into account development skills, product suitability to source, target cost and available capacity (Both production capacity and sample room capacity). To support the allocation process and advise the sourcing team when product briefs received do not meet the expected brief and are unsuitable for the source allocated.
• To lead a team of Product Engineers, who working closely with UK/USA Range, Design & Product development to, review briefs, designs and new lasts, ensuring that samples can be made that meet the commercial needs of the business, and that transfer to commercialization (confirm to source) on time.
• To lead a team of Commercialization Engineers, who working closely with PE onshore or offshore  product development engineers, UK/USA Range, Design & Product/Commercialization Engineers, ensuring that product is commercialized  successfully to Clarks standards and can be made in bulk production to meet the commercial needs of the business, and that transfer to bulk production (PP) is done on time
• To manage the communications between the local Clarks development team, the development team in the UK/USA, range managers, designers, supply chain planners and  factory technicians, ensuring that all parties understand the development plans and priorities for each source and that the best possible samples are made for all range reviews.
• Analyse the feedback from range review meetings and be responsible for ensuring that the consequences of any changes are accurately reported to the business, highlighting delays, shoemaking problems and cost issues and acting to minimise the negative effect of these problems on the business.
• To work closely with the costing Team, aiding creation and analysis of cost sheets for new products, ensuring that designs are engineered cost effectively.
• Work with range managers on costings offering advice on meeting required targets through  pattern and material changes and to monitor the progress of each new product range, ensuring that agreed company processes are used and that timetables are strictly adhered to, reporting any exceptions to the plan appropriately throughout the business and co-ordinating corrective actions where necessary.
• To take responsibility for ensuring Range Tracker is up to date with all dates and necessary information for the gender, taking responsibility for communicating all issues requiring action to the business. This also to be done for US systems.
• To maintain records that show the number of lasts, unit models, prototypes and samples being made season to season. Work to reduce waste sampling.
• To manage the schedules for designer and range manager visits to the offshore operations.
• Attend framework meetings and consult with the UK /USproduct development manager to ensure that satisfactory developmental target dates are added to range tracker/PLM and are complete for the planned range development.
• Analyse the output from materials grid meetings, ensuring that any materials issues relating to quality, delivery and cost, are actioned with range managers, designers and the materials team.
• To manage outcomes of contentious fit tests and ensure that changes made to lasts or styling are actioned and that fitting standards are consistent and maintained.
• To manage departmental work load, ensuring that the skills and resources within each development channel are sufficient to cover the anticipated workload efficiently and cost effectively
• Provide advice, guidance and support to the team (up& down) where required. Hold regular meetings with team members.
• To coach and train related Development/Commercialization teams to improve their skills in shoemaking and to actively manage their career development.
• To coach and influence designers on best practices with regard to design briefs and shoemaking and to keep up to date with new fashions and trends to help advise designers and range managers as to how new innovations and fashions can be delivered..
• In conjunction with the Country Manger maintain an up to date training & development programme for all members of the team, identify future skill requirements and training needs.
• To manage departmental budget in terms of travel, DHL and personnel.
• Occasionally visit UK / US offices and sources to keep up to date with head office organisation and potential business opportunities.
• To work offshore as necessary to manage the development and commercialisation of new styles.
• Support Ad-Hoc Development/Commercialization oriented Projects and / or reporting as assigned by manager.

Key Outputs/Results

• All development and commercialization projects are brought through to bulk production on time
• Thru Cost Engineering- specifications and prices are agreed with suppliers to achieve budgeted levels of profit margin for the business
• New products are tested to ensure that they meet brand standards for fit and product integrity
• New products are designed in such a way that they can be manufactured to consistently high quality standards
• New designs are allocated to a source that has the necessary skills and experience to     develop and produce the product in a professional way
• The framework development plan for each season’s range is effectively communicated to suppliers and the company development teams
• The plan is regularly reviewed and updated in light of changes made at range reviews
• Product change requests are clearly communicated between designers, range managers and supplier technicians
• The company development tracking systems are regularly updated, showing the status of each style against the agreed timetable for its development
• There is a regular information flow between the UK/USA and offshore development teams ensuring that both sides understand the status of each style in the range throughout its development
• Staff follow agreed company processes to develop new product
• Key milestones within the process are identified and checks are regularly made to ensure that developments are on schedule
• In situations where developments fall behind schedule, the cause of the delay is identified, communicated to key decision makers within the process and prompt resolution is sought
• Cost sheets are checked with the Costing team to make sure targets are achieved or issues raised and resolved where they cannot be.
• Design and specification options are costed and evaluated to aid the decision making process
• Travel plans and supplier meetings are organised to enable prototypes to be reviewed and decisions to be taken on time
• Suppliers are prepared for these visits, have all necessary product available for review and have appropriate staff available to participate in the decision making process
• Workload is regularly reviewed with team leaders
• Checks are regularly made to ensure that team members are following the correct working practices and that the standard of their work is satisfactory
• Advice, guidance and assistance is provided to team members when required.
• Team meetings are held regularly.
• A training and personal development plan is in place for everyone in the team​

Contact: Please feel free contact Ms Jess Hau

• Email: jess.nguyen@firstrecruitment-asia.com
• Tel 08 3915 4343 Ext 117 - 0986006839