At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape and develop innovative camping and outdoor equipment products.
- Company: Join a rapidly growing global outdoor retail business with multiple brands.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, hybrid working, generous holiday allowance, and staff discounts.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the outdoor industry while working on exciting product development projects.
- Qualifications: Experience in product development within outdoor or related industries is essential.
The predicted salary is between 41400 - 50600 £ per year.
Product Developer - Outdoor Hardgoods & Camping Equipment
Application Deadline
17 September 2026
Department
Buying
Employment Type
Permanent - Full Time
Location
- London
- Description
The Mountain Group is a rapidly growing global outdoor retail business, operating across multiple brands including
Mountain Warehouse, Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) and Animal .
With over 430 stores across the UK, Ireland, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, alongside a strong and expanding online presence, we are committed to creating innovative, high-quality products that help our customers enjoy the outdoors wherever they are.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and commercially minded
Product Developer to join our Hardgoods team.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping and developing our camping, rucksack and outdoor equipment ranges across The Mountain Group brands.
We welcome applications from candidates with backgrounds in
Buying, Product Development, Product Management and Technical Product roles within the outdoor, camping, sports, travel and hardgoods industries.
Whether your experience comes from a retailer or a technical outdoor brand, you will combine commercial awareness with a passion for creating great products and delivering exceptional value for customers.
Working closely with suppliers, product teams and international stakeholders, you will help bring new products from concept through to launch, ensuring they meet the highest standards of performance, quality and value.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the development and execution of seasonal category strategies across Camping, Rucksacks and Outdoor Equipment.
- Identify opportunities for new product development through customer insight, market trends, competitor analysis and product benchmarking.
- Work directly with suppliers to develop innovative products, improve existing ranges and deliver commercial benefits.
- Create and manage detailed product briefs, specifications and technical requirements.
- Own product development projects from concept through to production, ensuring products meet performance, quality and cost requirements.
- Analyse sales performance and customer buying patterns to identify opportunities and drive continuous product improvement.
- Review stock, sales and forecasting information, making recommendations to maximise sales, stock turn and profitability.
- Support buying for multiple international markets including the UK, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.
- Build strong relationships with suppliers, negotiating costs, specifications and development timelines.
- Manage the critical path through the entire development process, ensuring products are delivered on time and to specification.
- Coordinate product testing, performance evaluation and compliance requirements.
- Work closely with Quality Control, Design, Merchandising and Supply Chain teams to ensure products meet business and customer expectations.
- Manage the product sample process from prototype review through to final approval.
- Attend product reviews and supplier meetings, providing feedback and recommendations on product performance, functionality and design.
- Regularly review competitor product ranges and identify opportunities to strengthen our market position.
- Support and develop Assistant Buyers and Buying Administrators within the team.
- We would like to meet someone who is
- Has experience at Product Developer level
- Has experience within outdoor equipment, camping, sports equipment, travel products, hardgoods or a related technical product category.
- Is passionate about product and enjoys understanding how products work, how they are made and how they can be improved.
- Has experience managing critical paths and working with suppliers throughout the development process.
- Demonstrates strong commercial awareness and can balance product innovation with business requirements.
- Is confident analysing data and using insights to make product and ranging decisions.
- Has excellent relationship-building skills and can work effectively with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
- Has strong organisational skills and can manage multiple development projects simultaneously.
- Is highly proficient in Excel and comfortable working with product, sales and forecasting data.
- Has a strong understanding of customer needs and can translate these into commercially successful products.
- Is curious, proactive and solution-focused, with a genuine interest in the outdoor industry.
Benefits
- Competitive salary and benefits package
- Hybrid working, 3 days in London based office & 2 working from home
- Holiday allowance
- 50% staff discount & 25% for family and friends
- Pension scheme
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Product Developer - Outdoor Hardgoods & Camping Equipment in City of Westminster employer: Animal
Mountain Warehouse is an excellent employer, offering a vibrant work culture where team collaboration and personal growth are at the forefront. As a Store Manager in Dalton Park, you will benefit from comprehensive training programmes, opportunities for career advancement, and a supportive environment that values your contributions to both sales performance and community engagement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Developer - Outdoor Hardgoods & Camping Equipment in City of Westminster
✨Join Product Management Meetups
Get involved in local product management meetups or workshops. These events are perfect for meeting industry folks, sharing ideas, and staying updated on trends. Plus, you never know who might be hiring—it's a fantastic way to make connections that could lead to a job at places like Animal!
✨Show Off Your Product Sense
Create case studies or mini-projects showcasing your product management skills, and share them on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn. This not only puts your skills on display but also boosts your visibility in the product community. Imagine how impressed the hiring team at Animal would be by your initiative!
✨Utilise Online Communities
Dive into online product management communities like Product Coalition or Mind the Product. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and share your insights. These platforms are goldmines for networking and finding hidden job opportunities—many companies often scout talent from within these circles.
✨Leverage Your University Network
If you’ve recently graduated or are still in uni, tap into your alumni network for connections in product management. Many universities have their own job boards and affinity resources to help graduates land roles. Don't forget to keep an eye out for job openings at Animal through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Product Developer - Outdoor Hardgoods & Camping Equipment in City of Westminster
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Product Developer - Outdoor Hardgoods & Camping Equipment, let your passion for developing products shine through in your cover letter. Share specific examples of products you've managed, how you solved user needs, and any successful outcomes you've achieved. This is your chance to showcase your understanding of the product lifecycle!
Highlight Your Cross-Functional Skills:Product management isn't just about understanding the product; it’s about collaborating with different teams! Make sure to emphasise your experience working with developers, designers, and marketers. Use your CV to showcase your ability to bridge gaps between these areas, and include relevant experiences that demonstrate your communication and leadership skills!
Include Your Metrics and Achievements:In a full-time product management application, data speaks volumes! Quantify your achievements wherever possible. Did you increase user retention by a certain percentage? Launch a product ahead of schedule? Include these metrics in your CV to paint a picture of your impact and effectiveness in previous roles.
Tailor Your CV to the Role:Make sure your CV is tailored for the Product Developer - Outdoor Hardgoods & Camping Equipment position at Animal. Use keywords from the job description and ensure your relevant experiences are front and centre. Highlight any certifications or relevant training you’ve completed that will make you stand out as a strong candidate for the role. And remember, we’re excited to see your application on our website!
How to prepare for a job interview at Animal
✨Understand the Product Life Cycle
As a product management candidate, we need to get our head around the complete product life cycle. Be prepared to discuss real-world examples of how you’ve managed product development from ideation to launch. Bring specific insights on tools like JIRA or Trello that can help streamline these processes.
✨Showcase Your Cross-Functional Skills
Product management is all about collaboration. We should be ready to highlight how we’ve worked across teams—think marketing, engineering, and design. Prepare to discuss scenarios where you had to mediate differing opinions and how you got everyone on board with a shared vision.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
In a full-time role, we can expect to encounter case study questions during our interviews. Practise solving hypothetical product problems on the spot, such as prioritising features for a new app or improving user engagement metrics. This will show our analytical thinking and decision-making skills.
✨Know Your Metrics
Let’s face it, numbers are our best friends in product management. We should prepare to discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) and how we've used analytics to inform product decisions. Dive into examples where data has driven our strategy for improvements or justified product changes.
