Production Assistant

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Production Assistant (Merch + Mailers) will support the creation and delivery of mailers, gifting, seeding kits, merch and packaging for some of the world's most exciting brands. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who loves wild creative, high craft and a fast pace, while helping to shape the company and make our work famous and the 'go-to' in the industry.

Working alongside the Production Director and the wider Creative, Design and Production team, you'll help bring briefs to life from first idea to the moment a box lands on a doorstep. Projects range from small influencer send-outs and PR drops to large scale gifting campaigns and branded merch ranges. You'll be hands on with samples, suppliers and the physical product, and you'll also support our own marketing, PR and new business activity to help promote the business and develop what we do.

ABOUT US

We are a culturally connected, experience agency with Heaps of creative energy and Stacks of strategic thinking and production expertise.

We’re not afraid to be bold. We fuse big ideas, cultural insight, and a playful approach to design experiences that mould what's next.

We do not believe in “one size fits all.” Instead, we come at every brief with a fresh perspective, underpinned by a deep understanding of trends and consumer behaviour. This ensures our solutions are authentic and land ROI, legacy, and fame.

We don’t just create—we collaborate. Our house-style is grounded in long-term partnerships, where we co-create with our clients, taking on their challenges and delivering seamless experiences that resonate.

We work with commercial brands to produce moments which crescendo their marketing calendars. We love what we do, and that passion shows right through the design process and into all physical touchpoints. We join the dots between an array of talented people to create immersive experiences—whether that’s a brand trip, a VIP party, or an all-singing, all-dancing store launch!

Our clients include big names such as Nike, Estée Lauder, Longchamp, and Selfridges.

Heaps + Stacks is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment, where all applicants will receive equal consideration regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disabilities.

At the core of our agency are our guiding values:

• Imagination - We think beyond the ordinary, inspiring each other to dream big and challenge the status quo.
• Joy - We understand that play and wonder are powerful tools for creating authentic emotional connections with today’s audiences.
• Energy - Shooting for the moon - we thrive in the moment where big ideas are realised. We push the boundaries in search of innovation.
• Care - We are thoughtful stewards of the brands we partner with, fostering kindness within our team and taking a mindful approach to every project we undertake.

WHO YOU'LL BE WORKING WITH

Internal

You’ll support across the Merch + Mailers team's projects, working closely with Producers, Creatives and Designers, and will take ownership of smaller projects as you grow.

External

You’ll collaborate with clients and work closely with expert suppliers (printers, packaging manufacturers, merch makers, fulfilment houses and couriers) to make sure every detail is executed flawlessly.

Line Manager

You’ll report to the Production Director. They’ll provide guidance, feedback on your successes and development, and help navigate any challenges along the way.

WHATS EXPECTED

Your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Project Management & Support

• Supporting Producers & Creatives: Support project planning across mailer, gifting and merch projects, ensuring smooth collaboration between departments.
• Owning Smaller Projects: As you grow, take ownership of smaller projects (such as influencer send-outs or short merch runs) with support from the team, keeping them on time and within budget.
• Timelines & Trackers: Build and maintain project timelines, critical paths, production trackers and recipient lists, keeping everyone across key dates.
• Creative Proposals & Presentations: Help write proposals and build presentations, mood boards and visuals that bring ideas to life for clients.

Concept & Product Development

• Research & Inspiration: Research trends, materials, finishes and new suppliers, sharing anything exciting with the wider team.
• Sampling & Prototyping: Request, track and review samples, mock-ups and prototypes, checking quality against the brief before anything goes to the client.
• Materials & Processes: Build your knowledge of print, packaging and merch production methods, helping to find the right solution within budget and logistical constraints (print, production, fulfilment and shipping).
• Sustainability: Help push concepts that are sustainable and recyclable and that minimise waste.

Production, Packing & Delivery

• Quality Control: Carry out QC checks on stock and finished products, flagging any issues early.
• Kitting & Packing: Get hands on with assembling, kitting and packing mailers in the studio or with fulfilment partners, making sure every box is perfect.
• Logistics & Fulfilment: Coordinate couriers, deliveries and fulfilment (UK and international), tracking every parcel through to delivery.
• Production Preparation: Organise and maintain production storage, packing materials and studio kit, keeping everything stocked and ready for use.
• Post-Project Responsibilities:
  - Manage returns, leftover stock and storage after delivery.
  - Help gather client feedback and delivery data, evaluating success and areas for improvement.
  - Assist with post-project reporting, making sure all documentation is completed and lessons learned are captured for future projects.

Budgets & Financial Admin

• Quotes: Gather multiple quotes from suppliers so we always secure competitive pricing without compromising on aesthetic.
• Budget Tracking: Help keep project budgets up to date and flag any changes to the project lead early.
• Purchase Orders & Invoicing: Support with purchase orders, supplier invoices and reconciliation, working with Finance to keep everything on track.

Client Management

• Client Liaison: Build strong relationships with clients, making sure their needs and expectations are met throughout the production process.
• Client Communications: Keep clients informed with regular updates on progress, approvals, logistics and delivery.

Supplier & Third-Party Management

• Supplier Coordination: Source and liaise with suppliers, making sure they meet project requirements, quality standards and deadlines.
• Product Sourcing: Source products, gifts, packaging components and props that fit the brief and the budget.
• Supplier Database Management: Maintain and update the supplier database with new contacts, including printers, makers, packaging and merch suppliers.

Team & Office Support

• Collaboration with Senior Team: Support the Production Director and wider team in all aspects of project development and delivery.
• Team Coordination: Help coordinate tasks within the team to ensure smooth workflows and timely delivery of projects.
• Administrative Support: Provide administrative support for the team and help keep the office and production storage organised.
• Promotional Activities: Support our own marketing and PR, including H+S send-outs, trade shows and promotional campaigns to raise awareness of Heaps + Stacks.

SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE

Success in this role means helping the team create exciting, out-of-the-box work that lands perfectly, every time. You’ll know you’re making an impact when:

• Attention to Detail: Every proof, box and parcel goes out right first time, and issues are spotted before they become problems.
• Organisation: Trackers, timelines and recipient lists are always up to date, so the team can rely on you.
• Quality & Sustainability: You care about craft and smart material choices, and champion sustainability along the way.
• Relationships: Clients and suppliers enjoy working with you and trust you to follow through.
• Growth: You’re taking ownership of more of your own projects and building your knowledge of materials, processes and budgets.

SALARY & COMMITMENT

This role is predominantly office based (we imagine at least 3-4 days of your time would be in the office, with more during busy packing and delivery periods) and we are ideally looking for someone to work full time.

This is a physically active role that requires regular manual handling (including lifting, packing and moving stock) and on-site or studio work. Candidates should be comfortable with physical tasks and able to meet the role's physical demands.

WORKING WITH US

To enjoy your role and to succeed here, you need to be able to work at a fast pace and love a busy, ever-changing environment. The industry is non-stop and our goals as a company are big – which we love! Change is a certainty – you’ll need to be comfortable and happy to adapt and be agile. We want you to challenge the status quo, innovate and be open to trying new things. We’re always pushing boundaries. We empower our people, giving them freedom and autonomy to learn and grow in their roles. We’re a passionate, agile and creative team.

MORE ABOUT YOU

• Be highly organised, with a sharp eye for detail and the ability to juggle multiple projects and deadlines.
• Have excellent communication skills (verbal and written) and the confidence to keep clients and suppliers updated.
• Be a proactive team player who loves to get stuck in.
• Have commercial awareness and initiative.
• Be proficient in Google Workspace.
• Be able to travel to Wandsworth and work unusual hours if required (normal hours 9.30am to 6pm each day unless stated otherwise).
• Have a passion for packaging, print, product and merch, and a genuine curiosity about how things are made.
• Have a cultural/social understanding of what's relevant for each brand and suggest ideas before they become the norm.
• Have an interest in sustainability, materiality and look at experience production with a future focused and environmental lens.

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE DONE BEFORE

This is a great first step into production. We’re looking for someone with some hands‑on experience in a creative, agency, production, events, retail or studio environment, whether that’s a first role, an internship or a placement. Experience with mailers, gifting, packaging or merch is a bonus but not essential. What matters most is that you’re highly organised, have a sharp eye for detail and genuinely love making things.

WHY JOIN US

• Collaboration – As pretty much all of our projects include site visits, handling of physical items, deliveries and face to face brainstorms, we recommend 2-3 days in the office per week for collaboration, to get the best results. Tuesdays are days we ask people to come in, and we've realised that 2-3 days per week in the office is the average that people come in and that works well.
• Flexi Working Times– The team can work their 7.5 hours with a start and finish that suits them. This is completely up to the teammate to decide on their own accord, but of course altered working hours must not disrupt the wider team or the paying client.
• Meeting Free Fridays – This is to give the team time to wrap up their work as well as a good amount of time, uninterrupted, to get stuck into deep work.
• Training – We are proud to offer training to all teammates including group training days with varying themes and topics, as well as offering teammates further training to upskill for the maximum value of £500 per year.
• Duvet Days – Our team have 2 duvet days per year. A duvet day can be taken whenever a teammate needs a day off at random and they haven’t already requested annual leave. Maybe they have just woken up and feel like they need to be alone or they are super tired and just want to curl up on the sofa. These days are for the team member.
• Volunteering Day – We offer teammates up to 2 days per year of volunteering on company time - which is up to the teammate to use how they wish.
• Holiday – We offer 28 days annual leave per year. With 3 days of this holiday entitlement to cover the period of the Company shutdown between Christmas and New Year. After a teammate has completed two years working at Heaps + Stacks, they are entitled to 1 day extra holiday per year for each additional year of service, capped at a maximum of 33 days holiday per year (excluding Bank Holiday and National Holidays).
• After three years of service with Heaps + Stacks, team members are entitled to a one off, £1000 bonus.
• After five years of service with Heaps + Stacks, we offer team members the opportunity to take a one month fully paid sabbatical.
• Mobile Phone Allowance – Each month we will pay £20 towards the team members mobile phone bill. There's nothing that they need to do; this will be added into their pay each month.
• Maternity / Paternity - We will pay enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption pay if the team member meets the relevant criteria.
• Expensed Gallery Trips – We offer each team member £25.00 to expense for a visit to a gallery or exhibition every month.
• Good Egg – At the end of the month the team votes who has gone above and beyond that month, and whoever receives the most votes is rewarded with a Selfridges voucher.
• Work Abroad – Up to one week per year to work aboard, as long as it doesn't cause stress to the team! (Full T&Cs to be confirmed if successful).
• You Move, We move – We want our team to feel settled. So, if they are moving house, they can book one van per year on us! (Full T&Cs to be confirmed if successful).
• Quarterly Celebration – Every quarter, we will be celebrating our successes together as a team. This might be a team trip to the pub, or an arty or active activity! We have an in-house social committee that is dedicated to ensuring something fun and magical is planned for us all!
• Bonus & Profit Share – We also offer a range of bonuses to employees including introduction, business performance and new business bonus. Full T&Cs will be given to all successful candidates.
• H + S Library – Buy a book on the gold card (this can be audio or hard copy) for the value of up to £20. If it’s a hard copy, please bring it into the office once finished. We suggest buying 2nd hand (to save the world!). If it’s audio, don't sign up for a subscription!
• Cycle to Work – The cycle-to-work scheme allows teammates to obtain commuter bikes and cycling accessories through Heaps + Stacks, spreading the cost over 12 months and making savings through a tax break.
• Health Care – Once the teammate has completed 1 year with us, they can access the healthcare policy provided by Bupa!
• Eye Test – We’ve got your eyes covered! Claim back up to £25 towards an annual eye test at any optician.

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