Head of Product Development
11 hours ago
Topsham
Head of Product | Job description (Furniture & Manufacturing) About Naturalmat At Naturalmat we’ve been hand making organic beds & mattresses at our workshop on the banks of the river Exe in Devon since 1999. We buy our raw materials direct from source, we manufacture everything ourselves and we only sell direct to customer via our own showrooms and website. It’s this level of control that allows us to offer the best possible product and experience to our customers. Sustainability has been at our core since day one. We’ve always used natural, organic materials from renewable sources, we pioneered sustainable packaging, and installed solar panels on the roof of our workshop. This year we received our second King’s Award for Sustainable Development and we were the first B Corp certified bed & mattress company in the UK. We’ve recently opened a new head office, workshop & showroom on our existing site in Topsham and are fortunate to be growing fast as a business. We currently have showrooms in London, Devon, Knutsford, the Cotswolds and Dorking, and plan to open more around the country each year. About the role We're looking for a Head of Product to lead the development of our range and become the driving force behind what we make and how we make it. This is a rare opportunity to shape the product strategy of a business that manufactures almost everything it sells, working hands-on in the workshop, as well as at a strategic level. We have a clear point of view on product: we make natural, organic sleep products which are built to last, we’re staying focused on the bedroom, and we'd rather have a tight range that customers trust than a sprawling one that overwhelms them. Your job is to protect and build on that ethos, improving what we already make, filling gaps in the range with products customers will love, and ensuring everything we sell is something we can make efficiently, sustainably, and at the quality our customers expect. You'll also line-manage our Product Development & Buying Manager, who runs our bought-in product range, giving you oversight of the whole product portfolio, both what we make ourselves and what we source. Responsibilities Product Strategy & Range • Create and own our product strategy, ensuring we continue to lead the way in natural, healthy and sustainable sleep products, • Decide where to extend the range and where to keep it tight, balancing customer need with our commitment to a curated, uncluttered range, • Introduce new products which complement the existing range, generate incremental sales, and reinforce our reputation for quality and sustainability Product Development & Improvement • Design new beds, bed bases and headboards, and work with the production team to bring them to life, • Manage our range of natural upholstery fabrics, working closely with suppliers and mills to curate a selection of interesting fabrics at a range of price points, • Get hands-on in the workshop, working out how existing products can be made better; improving materials, sustainability credentials, manufacturing process and margin, • Work closely with the production team to ensure every product we design can be made efficiently and at scale, • Build a continuous feedback loop with customers and colleagues to understand what's working and what isn't, and act on it Materials • Take ownership of the materials we use across the range; what they are, where they're sourced from, and why we use them, • Build and maintain relationships with our raw material suppliers, constantly reviewing sourcing, pricing and alternatives, • Lead the ongoing move to more certified and organic materials, in line with our sustainability commitments Testing & Certification • Ensure every product meets the required safety standards, keeping on top of changes in the regulation, • Own our product and material certifications, keeping them current and renewed as needed, • Keep clear records of testing and certification, so we can evidence our claims to customers and certifying bodies Bought-in Products • Line-manage the Product Development & Buying Manager, who will continue to run and develop our range of bought-in products, • Ensure bought-in products meet the same standards of quality, sustainability and brand fit as those we make ourselves Working Across Teams • Work with the marketing, showroom and ecommerce teams to ensure new and improved products are launched and marketed effectively, • Partner with our sustainability manager to progress our material and manufacturing credentials in line with our B Corp commitments, • Report on product performance – sales, margin, returns and customer feedback – to the senior management team About you Essential • A real passion for product – you want to understand how things are made and how to make them better, • Hands-on experience in product development, design or manufacturing, ideally for a made-to-order, handcrafted product, • Both creative and commercial – you care that something looks and feels brilliant, and that the numbers stack up too, • A problem-solving mindset – you look for a way to make something work rather than accepting it can't be done, • Comfortable using data and customer feedback to make decisions, and confident reporting on product performance, • Line management experience, or the readiness to take it on, • Hardworking & reliable – if you say you're going to do something, you do it Desirable • Experience in furniture, homeware, textiles or another handcrafted/manufactured product category, • Knowledge of natural and organic materials, and an interest in sustainable manufacturing, • Experience working in a business that designs, manufactures and sells its own products end-to-end, • Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles, • An interest in sleep, wellness, interiors or sustainability more broadly Details • Full-time role based at our head office in Topsham, Devon, • Hybrid working with at least 3 days/week in the office, • Salary from £45k depending on experience, • Discretionary company bonus twice a year, • 33 days holiday including public holidays, • Additional holiday the longer you’re at Naturalmat Perks • Staff discount, • Cycle to work scheme, • Annual company party, • A Naturalmat mattress on us after your first year, • A monthly fruit & veg box from our friends at Riverford Organic, • Access to either Perkbox or BUPA cash plan, • Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Everyone's welcome at Naturalmat. We are committed to building diverse and inclusive teams, where everyone is treated fairly and with respect. We celebrate difference and encourage everyone to be themselves at work. Please send your CV and a little about yourself to: careers@naturalmat.co.uk The interview process is an initial online virtual discussion. The next stage is an in-person interview at our Head Office in Devon.
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