At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive quality in Footwear & Accessories, ensuring products meet customer expectations and regulatory standards.
- Company: Join a leading fashion retailer with a commitment to quality and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 40% staff discount, private GP access, and extra leave on your birthday.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with opportunities for personal growth and career advancement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on product quality while developing your skills in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in Footwear construction and quality assurance processes is essential.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
We are looking for a Technologist who has experience within Footwear & Accessories. Quality means consistently meeting customers' expectations whilst ensuring fitness for purpose and meeting regulatory requirements. Within your department, you will drive the quality of the delivered products by implementing the New Look quality framework. You will work with the wider teams to deliver better value, cost price, and lead time through product engineering and supplier management. This role requires you to be in the office 4 days a week.
Responsibilities
- Strategic Contribution: Understands the business strategy and translates it into actionable quality objectives within the product category, contributing to the wider quality team and representing the team in cross-business forums.
- Customer & Market Insight: Uses customer insight tools, store and DC visits, and market benchmarking to understand expectations and competitor advances, driving continuous product improvement.
- Quality Management: Owns and embeds the Quality Framework, ensuring robust assurance processes throughout the value chain and compliance with legal and brand standards.
- BMD Collaboration: Works closely with the BMD team to align quality processes with the departmental critical path, support trading activities, and influence decisions to meet customer expectations.
- Product & Manufacturing Expertise: Applies specialist knowledge of materials, construction, pattern technology, grading, and supplier capabilities to deliver products right first time, balancing cost, quality, and commercial value.
- Risk Assessment & Continuous Improvement: Acts as the risk assessment ambassador for the category, implementing corrective actions where standards fall short and embedding risk assessment within all quality processes.
- Technical Leadership: Mentors and upskills the wider quality and BMD teams, sharing knowledge to improve decision-making, purchasing practices, and product consistency.
- Innovation & Best Practice: Drives adoption of new technologies, feedback loops, and frameworks to deliver consistent, high-quality products, including overseeing test-and-learn initiatives.
- Team Development: Motivates, coaches, and develops direct reports, supporting personal growth, skills transfer, and deputising for the Technical Manager as required.
- Operational Excellence: Ensures packaging, labelling, and transit methods maintain brand consistency and product value, while proactively challenging processes to uphold customer standards.
Qualifications
- Strong knowledge of Footwear construction, materials and product performance, with hands-on experience of manufacturing environments.
- Confident in leading pre-production meetings and converting product requirements into clear technical specifications.
- Skilled in interpreting test reports and making solution-focused, commercially balanced decisions.
- Experienced in risk assessment, regulatory compliance and implementing quality standards across the value chain.
- Able to support Buying through open costing and product engineering to drive quality and margin.
- Proactive in benchmarking product for consistency, innovation and competitor comparison.
- Builds strong relationships across BMD teams and suppliers, using excellent communication and influencing skills.
- Demonstrates leadership capability, analytical strength and a collaborative approach to deliver results aligned to New Look values and strategy.
- Previous experience as a Technologist within Footwear & Accessories.
- Product specialist in chosen category.
- Minimum level of education or qualifications: Appropriate Technical Qualification / Other degree.
Benefits
- 40% staff discount plus friends & family discounts throughout the year.
- Access to our reward platform for external discount and offers.
- Private pension scheme.
- Virtual GP access for you and your children - it allows you to speak to a doctor at a time and date that suits you.
- All employees are covered by our life assurance policy from day one.
- Unlock extra leave with our buy more holiday scheme.
- Celebrate YOU! Enjoy an extra paid day off on your birthday each year.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and shared parental leave.
- Spread the cost of your commute with interest-free season ticket loans.
- Do your bit for the environment and save money with our Cycle2Work scheme.
- We're proud to partner with the Retail Trust and Fashion & Textile Children's Trust.
Technologist - Footwear & Accessories in City of Westminster employer: New Look
At New Look, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation within the Footwear & Accessories sector. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through comprehensive training opportunities and mentorship, while our generous benefits package, including a 40% staff discount and enhanced parental leave, ensures that our team feels valued and supported. Located in a dynamic environment, we encourage our employees to drive quality and continuous improvement, making every day at New Look a rewarding experience.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Technologist - Footwear & Accessories in City of Westminster
✨Get Down to the Fashion Events
Dive headfirst into local fashion shows, trade fairs, and networking events. These are golden opportunities to meet industry pros and showcase your passion for the industry in person. Plus, it gives you the chance to chat about potential roles at places like New Look!
✨Join Fashion-Focused Communities
Become a part of online fashion communities on platforms like Instagram or Pinterest. Participate in discussions and share your insights on trends or your personal style journey. It’s a great way to get noticed by brands looking to fill positions, including New Look.
✨Craft a Rock-Solid Portfolio
Since you're aiming for a full-time gig, your portfolio should reflect not just your best work but also your personality. Whether it’s lookbooks, design sketches, or styling projects, make sure it screams 'you' and includes a bit about why you’d be a perfect fit for New Look.
✨Leverage Your University Connections
If you’re fresh out of university, don’t underestimate your career services. They often have partnerships with fashion companies for internships and entry-level roles. Use this to your advantage and connect with them to find any openings at New Look!
We think you need these skills to ace Technologist - Footwear & Accessories in City of Westminster
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Style:In the fashion-apparel industry, your personal style and understanding of current trends are crucial. Make sure your CV and cover letter reflect your unique fashion sense – use visuals if you can and highlight any fashion-related experiences or projects that show off your flair!
Highlight Relevant Experience:When you're applying for a full-time role, be sure to focus on any past roles or internships in fashion that’ve honed your skills. Whether that's working in retail, fashion design, or marketing, quantify your achievements and show how they relate to the role at New Look.
Include a Strong Portfolio:An impressive portfolio is key in fashion! Make sure to include a link to your online portfolio in your CV, showcasing your best work, be it designs, campaigns, or styling projects. This is your chance to let your creativity shine and demonstrate your abilities to New Look!
Craft a Standout Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to weave in your passion for fashion and the specific reasons you want to work at New Look. Share your vision of how you'd contribute to their brand and why you're excited about their work. Tailoring this will make you stand out from the crowd!
How to prepare for a job interview at New Look
✨Showcase Your Style Portfolio
For a role in the fashion-apparel industry, having a well-curated portfolio is essential. Ensure you include your best work that reflects your style and creativity, whether it's sketches, lookbooks, or completed designs. Be ready to discuss your design process and the inspirations behind your pieces!
✨Know the Latest Trends and Brands
Being well-versed in current fashion trends and influential brands can give you a leg up in the interview. Get familiar with what’s trending in the market and know your competitors. This shows your passion for the industry and helps you connect your work experience to current fashion trajectories.
✨Demonstrate Your Collaboration Skills
In a full-time fashion role, collaboration is key, whether you’re working with designers, marketers, or suppliers. Be prepared to share experiences where you successfully worked as part of a team or navigated challenges with colleagues. This will highlight your ability to adapt and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
✨Dress the Part
This might sound obvious, but in fashion, how you present yourself is part of your brand. Wear something that represents your personal style while still aligning with the company’s aesthetic. It’s a great way to show you understand the industry's essence and can embody the brand’s image!
