Head of Product - Product Development - Software in Devon, Topsham

Head of Product | Job description (Furniture & Manufacturing) 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. 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'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. 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. Introduce new products which complement the existing range, generate incremental sales, and reinforce our reputation for quality and sustainability Product Development & Improvement 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; Testing & Certification Keep clear records of testing and certification, so we can evidence our claims to customers and certifying bodies 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 Report on product performance – sales, margin, returns and customer feedback – to the senior management team 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 Comfortable using data and customer feedback to make decisions, and confident reporting on product performance Experience in furniture, homeware, textiles or another handcrafted/manufactured product category 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 Staff discount Cycle to work scheme Annual company party Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) We are committed to building diverse and inclusive teams, where everyone is treated fairly and with respect. The interview process is an initial online virtual discussion. The next stage is an in-person interview at our Head Office in Devon.