Raw Materials Development Manager

The Role:

The Raw Materials Development Manager will oversee the end-to-end development of seasonal materials and components (leather, fabrics, hardware and animations), including sourcing, supplier management, and ensuring timely delivery of high-quality materials. The position involves cross-functional collaboration with design, product management, and quality teams, as well as leading two direct reports to achieve seamless product development. Additionally, the role requires strategic budget management, adherence to sustainability goals, and effective communication with external partners to support the company's objectives.

 Duties & Responsibilities:

• Seasonal Development Leadership: Lead and manage seasonal development launches, ensuring smooth supplier communication and task delegation.
• Critical Path Management to identify and prioritize the sequence of dependent tasks that directly impact the project's completion date, ensuring timely delivery of leather goods and accessories.
• Colour Palette Collaboration: Collaborate with the design team on colour palette development, communicate names and material codes.
• Material Sourcing & Research: Source materials flexibly, provide timely research to the design team.
• Material Development Oversight: Manage material development, approvals, and production sign-off.
• Raw Material Meetings Leadership: Lead raw material meetings with the design team for updates and issue resolution. Lead pre-production meetings, ensuring clarity on seasonal development.
• Budget Management: Manage seasonal budget for raw materials, suggesting cost-saving measures and monitoring expenses.
• Leather Development Tracking: Maintain seasonal leather development list, track updates, and manage system inputs. Distribute and manage seasonal technical sheets from suppliers. Maintain an updated archiving system for research and seasonal references.
• Leather Production Sign-Off: Manage leather production sign-off, coordinate with sourcing, quality teams, and sample distribution.
• Sustainability Alignment: Ensure sourced products align with sustainability goals and communicate with suppliers.
• Cross functional Team Collaboration: Collaborate with quality team to resolve concerns, ensuring effective cross-functional communication. Work with the sampling team and product development teams for timely ordering of leathers and materials.
• Team Management: Hire, train, and manage direct reports, fostering team growth and a collaborative environment.
• Administrative Oversight: Oversee daily administrative tasks, delegating responsibilities and ensuring streamlined workflows.

 Culture:

• Embrace and demonstrate the Mulberry values and behaviours: honesty, dynamism, and a community-oriented spirit.
• Support Mulberry to deliver an inclusive culture, through behaving in a way that is open-minded and respectful towards others, and understanding that your views, opinions, and experiences may not always be shared by your colleagues.
• Act as an ambassador for Mulberry and communicate positively about the brand.

Sustainability:

• As a certified B Corp, we are committed to using business as a force for good. You’ll be encouraged to incorporate environmentally and socially responsible practices into your work, supporting our Made to Last strategy across Climate, Circularity, and Community.
• Help foster a culture where diversity is celebrated and every individual feels valued, respected, and included. Champion equity, empathy, and understanding in all interactions - internally and externally.

 Skills & Knowledge:

• Leather Goods Manufacturing Expertise: In-depth understanding of leather types, tanning processes, and construction techniques specific to bags, small leather goods (SLGs), and accessories. Familiarity with various construction methods, ensuring the selection of appropriate materials to respond to every request. Knowledge of fabrics, embellishment and decorative techniques applied to accessories.

• Supplier Management & Negotiation: Proficient in onboarding, evaluating, and maintaining relationships with suppliers, including negotiating terms, pricing, and minimum order quantities (MOQs).
• Material Sourcing & Trend Analysis: Ability to source materials that align with design aesthetics, performance standards, and sustainability goals, while staying informed on seasonal trends.
• Budget Management & Cost Optimization: Skilled in managing budgets for raw materials, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and ensuring expenses align with financial targets.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Experience working with design, production, quality, and sustainability teams to ensure cohesive product development and timely delivery.
• Project Management & Leadership: Strong leadership skills to manage teams, oversee seasonal development timelines, and ensure successful project execution.
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with PLM, ERP systems, and Microsoft Office Suite for data management, reporting, and communication.
• Quality Assurance & Compliance: Knowledge of quality control processes, testing methods, and regulatory requirements to ensure materials meet brand standards.
• Sustainability Practices: Understanding of sustainable sourcing and ethical practices within the fashion industry.