At a Glance
- Tasks: Support product development from concept to production in home accessories and décor.
- Company: Leading retail manufacturing business known for quality and innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible part-time options, and potential overseas travel.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth and involvement in sustainability initiatives.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team and make an impact in the homeware industry.
- Qualifications: Experience in product technology and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 45000 £ per year.
Perm or Part-time Available
Location: Lancashire
Salary: £30,000 - £45,000 DOE
This role may include overseas travel to China where required.
Company Overview
This is a leading multi-million-pound retail manufacturing business specialising in a wide range of housewares categories, recognised for our commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
The Role
As Product Technologist, you will play a key role within the design and technical team, supporting the development and delivery of products from concept through to production. You will be responsible for evaluating new product designs, managing supplier relationships, overseeing critical paths, and ensuring all technical, testing, sealing, and compliance processes run smoothly. The role requires excellent attention to detail, strong organisational skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with suppliers, factories, customers, and internal stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
- Advise the Product Development and Account Management teams on product safety, suitability, and compliance requirements.
- Collaborate across teams to assess product quality, testing requirements, and design feasibility.
- Identify and communicate product feasibility against legal and performance requirements, explaining constraints where necessary.
- Review product samples for functionality, quality, and physical characteristics, liaising with factories as required.
- Liaise directly with customers' technical teams to ensure all requirements are understood and achieved.
- Communicate technical and testing requirements to factories and review all test reports/results.
- Maintain accurate internal records and update customer technical databases and systems.
- Monitor critical paths and sample timelines to ensure key deadlines are met.
- Ensure buying, seal, and production samples are received, handled, and dispatched efficiently.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with partner factories, product teams, and customers.
- Conduct outgoing sample checks to ensure quality standards and labelling requirements are met.
- Analyse technical and quality data to identify improvements and resolve potential issues proactively.
- Support sustainability and ethical compliance initiatives across the supply chain.
- Ensure packaging, labelling, testing, and factory auditing requirements are completed and compliant.
Skills & Experience Required
- Previous experience working as a Product Technologist within the homeware, textiles, home accessories, or décor industry is essential.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing, testing, sealing processes, compliance, and sustainability certifications.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Commercial awareness of the homeware market.
- A proactive and solutions-focused mindset with strong problem-solving abilities.
- Comfortable working independently while also collaborating effectively within a small team environment.
- IT proficient with experience managing technical systems and documentation.
- Willingness to travel, including occasional overseas travel where required.
Product Technologist - Home Accessories & Décor employer: Broughton Group
Join a leading multi-million-pound retail manufacturing business in Lancashire, where innovation and quality are at the heart of our operations. As a Product Technologist, you'll thrive in a collaborative work culture that values employee growth and offers flexible working options, including part-time roles. With opportunities for overseas travel and a commitment to sustainability, this is an excellent place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment in the home accessories and décor industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Technologist - Home Accessories & Décor
✨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 Broughton Group!
✨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 Broughton Group 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 Broughton Group through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Product Technologist - Home Accessories & Décor
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Product Technologist - Home Accessories & Décor, 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 Technologist - Home Accessories & Décor position at Broughton Group. 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 Broughton Group
✨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.
