Product Development Assistant for Footwear and Accessories

Russell & Bromley is the destination luxury fashion footwear & accessories brand for the everyday. A leading force in British fashion with over 40 stores operating across the UK and Ireland. Combining European craftsmanship with a British glint in the eye, Russell & Bromley offers iconic style and on-trend design that empowers people to feel exceptional every day.

Founded in Lewes in 1880, borne from a love story between Albion Russell’s daughter, Elizabeth, and George Bromley—today the business remains family owned, operated and proudly independent. The Russell & Bromley business is entering an exciting period of growth with Vision 2030, an ambitious five‑year roadmap to fuel our future success under the leadership of CEO Andrew Bromley.

Role Overview

Product Development Assistant for Footwear and Accessories provides essential support in the development, execution, and technical coordination of footwear and accessories collections. Working closely with the Product Developer, Designers and Factories, this role assists in managing sample tracking, fit and development timelines to ensure that all products align with brand quality, technical precision, and commercial strategy.

This role is ideal for a highly organised, detail‑oriented, and proactive individual looking to build expertise in premium footwear and accessories development, with exposure to factory coordination and technical execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in the end‑to‑end development of footwear and accessories collections, ensuring smooth execution from concept to final samples.
• Support in sample tracking and approvals.
• Collaborate with the Product Developer to ensure all technical details, materials, and fit adjustments align with design requests.
• Maintain detailed development trackers, ensuring all updates, revisions, and sample requests are accurately documented.
• Assist in organising and conducting fit trials and sample reviews.
• Work with suppliers and factories to ensure that materials, trims, and hardware meet design and production requirements.
• Work closely with the Material & Sourcing team to ensure correct materials, soles, and trims are available for development samples.
• Communicate directly with factories in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and other sourcing locations to track sample progress and resolve minor development challenges.
• Support the Product Developer in preparing and maintaining costing sheets ensuring accurate tracking of material and production costs.
• Create, manage and maintain Bills of Materials (BOM) to ensure accuracy and alignment with product specifications and production requirements.
• Maintain organised records of all product specifications, sample requests, fit notes, and supplier communications.
• Assist in preparing development reports and presentations, summarising sample status and key updates for internal teams.
• Ensure all product development timelines and deadlines are met, supporting the team in delivering collections on schedule.

Experience & Expertise

• 1–3 years’ experience in footwear and accessories development, technical design, or material sourcing.
• Understanding of last‑making, sole construction, and premium materials used in footwear and accessories.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to track multiple product lines and maintain detailed documentation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Strong attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in sample tracking, costing, and material selections.
• Effective communicator, able to work across design, technical, and production teams while coordinating with external suppliers.
• Ability to multi‑task and manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced environment.

To apply for this role please send a CV. At Russell & Bromley we are an equal opportunities employer, and we value diversity and inclusion in our team. We encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and identities. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the hiring process please let us know by email. Due to the high volume of applications, we regret that we will only be able to contact successful candidates within two weeks.