Footwear Technologist in City of London

The Garment / Product Tech department at River Island supports the Buying and Design teams to ensure product delivered is in line with our brand strategy and values. This is achieved through strong Buying team, Design team and Supplier relations. A strong commercial awareness and application is essential. The Senior Technologist leads the implementation of development and approval processes for their Department / categories - and the achievement of this in line with the critical path and brand priorities. Your strong knowledge of fit, manufacturing and understanding of your supply base ensures risk‑based consideration in achieving delivery of the required standards. Your market and industry awareness drive your contribution to ongoing review of River Island standards to support growth in market share.

Key Accountabilities

• Is the lead for all Technical considerations on their departments/ categories – guiding team and influencing all stakeholders on Technical aspects.
• Manage a team effectively, setting the direction and objectives to be achieved for your team, ensuring individuals are working towards those objectives, providing timely feedback and support to enable each to work to the best of their abilities; includes identifying training needs and supporting development planning.
• Through your market/ industry awareness as well as knowledge of River Island customer, you identify opportunities for improvements to process and / or product.
• Supports the Tech Manager in reviewing the divisional tech strategy considering own department business goals and objectives as well as emerging developments and trends in the industry.
• Lead the product development process – focusing on ‘Right First Time’, to support consistency in fit and quality and to reduce the time taken to seal a product.
• Leads an efficient and effective product approval process – is responsible for ensuring the relevant KPI’s are achieved and delivery is compliant to all RI standards (includes those of wholesale partners and all markets in which River Island has a presence).
• Conducts regular reviews of fit and quality standards across product areas and feeds back/ challenges team and suppliers where necessary to ensure standards are maintained or exceeded.
• Brand Sizing – in conjunction with peers in the division, regularly monitor and review grade rules to ensure consistent application and relevance; organise / drive regular ‘Fit Squads’ across product areas (including Home Production where relevant) to ensure fit remains consistent and relevant.
• Thorough analysis of customer returns information – identify and implement relevant initiatives / recommendations that reduce future returns and/ or recover revenue for lost sales / brand damage. Includes suppliers and buying teams in establishing opportunities for improvements.
• Focus on continuous improvement through the regular analysis of returns and customer feedback, retail feedback, awareness of competitor and industry developments and standards.
• Maintain a knowledge of current and changing global legislation – and ensure implementation into our product. Support management of non‑compliance e.g. product recalls.
• Contribute to setting, reviewing and communicating standards and manuals in conjunction with other River Island Technical/ Compliance teams.
• Ensure understanding of and commitment to River Island ways of working; also, achievement of fit and quality standards.
• Communication with suppliers to encourage them to achieve product standards and to comply with River Island procedures.
• Conduct regular reviews of supplier performance according to agreed KPI’s; support suppliers to improve.
• Feeds into the dept supplier strategy – highlighting technical strengths and risks.
• Develop suppliers to take accountability for management of RI processes.
• Sustainability – support the Sustainability team in achieving their objectives.
• Ethical – Support the ethical team in achieving their objectives.

Key experience required

• Previous experience as an Experienced Technologist or Senior Technologist - with Management experience, in a Retail or Manufacturing Technical environment is required.
• Track record of successfully mentoring / developing others.
• Strong knowledge of sizing, pattern making / grading and of construction methods.
• Extensive product testing and compliance experience with a solid understanding of technical and legal standards.
• Relevant multi-product experience.
• Good experience / knowledge of working across multiple sourcing locations.
• Substantial supply chain management experience.
• Strong interest in product and the River Island brand is essential.

Job role competencies

• Good people management skills – includes coaching and mentoring skills.
• Good interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence.
• Agility and ability to drive change in line with business priorities; adaptable.
• Collaborative and builds good relations with peers/ stakeholders.
• Future thinking – able to think strategically.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Good negotiation skills.
• Self‑starter.
• Demonstrates good judgement and has a ‘commercial’ approach to decisions.
• Strong Excel skills essential.
• Strong verbal and numerical reasoning skills.
• Highly organised, good prioritisation skills, decisive.
• Disciplined and conscientious, results oriented.

About Us

We’re a much-loved brand with an exciting future. Our Islanders are a diverse bunch of bright, talented people who love working together – and are proud of the work they do. Progression here can take you in all kinds of directions. This is what a career at River Island is like. And this is where yours starts. This role is based at our Head Office in West London.

What we can offer you

• Generous 50% staff discount so you can treat yourself to the latest products, and a bargain staff shop on site!
• Reducing Islanders everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more through Reward Gateway!
• A free onsite gym, subsidised restaurant & café to fill your needs. Various social events to socialise throughout the year.
• Every family is unique, we support Islanders with all different family setups enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption & fertility treatment. We also work closely with the Retail Trust to create dedicated support for all our Islanders!
• Flexible working is a given, on top of payday and summer early finish Fridays.
• Give as you earn scheme, a ‘Giver Island’ day each year and receive matched funding.
• Support with upskilling through on the job training and qualifications. A succession plan if you want to progress.
• A generous bonus scheme & private pension plan.
• The choice to opt in for healthcare through our provider AXA.
• 25 days paid holiday, exclusive of Bank Holidays. With the added option to purchase additional holiday twice a year for whatever the need!

Keeping You Safe

At River Island we are committed to the safeguarding of all of our employees regardless of age or job role. We will fulfil our obligation under the Prevent duty which seeks to stop extremism and extremist views from materialising in our business. We promote and encourage the belief in British Values- including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. Our Island is made up of a diverse community, where we all belong and feel part of something bigger. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.