Product Technologist- Motoring in London

At Halfords, our mission is to inspire and support a lifetime of motoring and cycling. As a specialist retailer, we lead the market through customer-driven innovation and a distinct product range. We are dedicated to providing our customers with an integrated, unique, and convenient service experience—from e-bike and electric vehicle servicing to on-demand solutions. Our commitment is to foster customer loyalty by offering compelling reasons to keep coming back to our stores, ensuring a lifetime of motoring and cycling enjoyment.

The teams at our Redditch Support Centre work with every other area of our business, putting them at the heart of the action and playing a key role in our success and growth. Everyone brings their individual knowledge and experience to work every day, working as one team to keep things moving smoothly.

Join Halfords as a Product Technologist at a pivotal time in our growth journey. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone ambitious, proactive, and eager to build a long-term career with us. This role will report into Quality & Technical Manager-Motoring, you will work across a defined number of Motoring Concept Groups to ensure our products are safe, compliant, and fit for purpose. You will play a key part in shaping product development, quality assurance processes, product information, and manufacturing standards that underpin the Halfords product range.

You will collaborate closely with Buyers, Halfords Global Sourcing (HGS) teams, and suppliers to develop and implement quality processes, policies, and documentation that meet regulatory requirements and Halfords' quality standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate products to meet compliance with company standards and all relevant legislation.
• Recommend quality improvements, manage concerns, and support product development programmes.
• Produce customer insight packs on product performance for Range Reviews.
• Complete detailed product specifications and assess suppliers' capability to manufacture to required standards.
• Implement quality assurance processes to ensure products meet quality criteria before launch.
• Review and sign off samples at tender, pre-production, and mass-production stages.
• Support the development of packaging requirements, including design enhancements, working with suppliers, HGS, and Brand teams.
• Contribute to sustainability initiatives, including reducing packaging materials.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams such as HGS, Supply Chain and Brand Marketing to drive consistent quality improvements and ensure a seamless customer experience.
• Travel within the UK, Europe, and Asia as required, partnering with HGS teams in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Taiwan to support product development and sourcing.
• Investigate customer feedback through failure analysis, root cause identification, and development of Corrective and Preventive Action Plans (CAP).
• Monitor CAP effectiveness and support ongoing improvement activities across product groups.
• Work with suppliers to reduce defects and improve incoming quality standards.
• Support the wider Quality team across other product areas and development projects as needed.

About You

• Degree-level qualification in engineering, science, technology, quality management, or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience in product development and technical/quality assurance within a retail environment, ideally across General Merchandise or Consumer Products.
• Ability to work with autonomy and manage multiple priorities.
• Experience with Motoring or Cycling category products or with chemicals, mechanical products, electronics, electrical engineering, or hardlines is highly desirable.
• Broad experience across multiple product Concept Groups is advantageous.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and quality principles (ISO 9000).
• Ability to understand customer needs and translate them into product improvements.
• Experience with manufacturing technologies, product design, extended supply chains, or digital business is beneficial.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to work quickly and effectively to deadlines.
• Confident working cross-functionally and building strong relationships.
• Highly organised with the ability to thrive under pressure.

A fair and competitive salary evaluated against market data, annual discretionary bonus scheme, pension, life assurance, 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and enhanced family leave. Commitment and dedication to your ongoing personal and professional development. We help you to own and grow your potential so you can be at your best in your current role and to support your future career aspirations.

We offer hybrid working in our Support Centre, you will be based at our Support Centre 3 days a week with an optional 2 days working from home. You will have access to a wealth of employee discounts across the Halfords suite of products and services. Wellbeing and inclusion are at the heart of our colleague experience. We offer resources and ongoing support to enhance your wellbeing at work and active Colleague Networks supporting inclusion initiatives across Halfords.

Not sure you meet all the criteria? We would encourage you to take the wheel and apply anyway! At Halfords we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for our colleagues. We are an equal opportunities employer and proud to welcome applications from all backgrounds and embrace diversity within our one Halfords Family.

Hybrid Working Policy

At Halfords, we operate a hybrid working policy with 3 days on site at our Support Centre in Redditch, Worcestershire.