Product Development Manager in Farnham

Porta Romana is seeking an energetic team leader with strong technical skills who thrives on the diverse challenges of creating hand-crafted products. With a keen interest in the interior design industry and its trends, technical developments, and a desire to push the boundaries in materials and to contribute authoritatively to product strategy, this role carries full responsibility for managing the product development process from initial concept to market launch, including new designs, product enhancements, design collaborations, and sustainability initiatives, all aligned with company strategic objectives. It also plays a key role in the development of our growing bespoke and customization business.

The successful candidate will be adept at building strong relationships with a wide network of skilled makers and collaborating across all business departments.

• Managing new product development process
• Creating a project plan for each new collection, in line with a sales and marketing brief.
• Translating ideas and concepts from the Creative Director into actionable plans.
• Managing the prototyping, costing, and regular review of iterations to the project timeline.
• Consulting with wider teams (Purchasing, Assembly, Operations, etc.) for supplier and technical input and the creation of all necessary drawings and Bills of Materials.
• Managing supplier and maker communications, fostering strong relationships and addressing issues as they arise.
• Ensuring that all new products are tested, fit for purpose, and have the appropriate installation instructions and packaging.
• Presenting collections to the Directors' team for final approval.
• Overseeing the preparation of quality control packs, design registrations, technical data sheets, and a full handover to production teams.
• Supplying information and new products to the marketing team in line with launch timetable for photography shoots and showroom installations.
• Delivering training to sales teams before launch.

Change control, Continuous improvement, and sustainability

• Managing action points from the change and improvements process, identifying any cost implications, ensuring sign-off from design and technical specification.
• Providing strategic input on existing products, identifying areas for improvement, and compiling edit lists for Director approval.
• Providing leadership on product and materials sustainability reporting and initiatives to reduce carbon emissions associated with the production of our collection.
• Expanding the supplier base by exploring new materials, techniques, skills, and identifying opportunities for better pricing or quality.

Bespoke projects and Design collaborations

• Working closely with the Custom and Bespoke Project Manager to provide support for custom, bespoke, and hospitality projects.
• Advising on the costs and feasibility of custom requests, ensuring that response times align with sales requirements.
• Overseeing sign off for design and technical specification for bespoke projects.
• Managing design collaborations from concept to delivery, including scope definition, collaboration agreements, and contractual terms.
• Ensuring existing collaborator contracts are up-to-date with additional iterations as needed.

Budget management and Management team

• Managing the origination and resourcing budget and providing regular reviews with directors.
• Contributing to a collaborative and hardworking management team, supporting strong communication across departments and alignment to company objectives.
• Involvement in Special Projects, providing technical design input for trade shows, marketing initiatives, and internal projects.
• Managing the product team, including recruitment, training, and professional development.
• Providing mentorship and guidance to team members to drive performance and innovation.

Profile

• Experience in developing designs from creative concept to manufacture with 3-4 years relevant work experience.
• An impressive knowledge of materials and materials properties.
• Software skills: Proficient in AutoCAD, Solidworks (ideally with Visualize), and the Adobe Package.
• Good understanding of 3D printing software.
• Strong commercial and negotiating skills.
• An excellent communicator and team leader.

At Porta Romana, we believe in treating our whole team fairly, in every respect, whether that’s offering equal opportunities or ensuring fair pay. To successfully achieve our mission, we encourage collaboration and creativity, fostering an environment in which every idea or question is valued. Always encouraging a fresh perspective, we actively seek to create a team with diverse backgrounds and experiences who will contribute positively to our company. Join us in shaping a workplace where creativity flourishes, inclusivity thrives, and every member of our team contributes to our shared success.