Product Design Manager - Harrods Own Label

We are recruiting for a Design Manager – a brand new role within our structure.  This role is pivotal to the success of the strategic vision of Harrods Own Label, delivering best in class product and innovation: ultimately building brand equity. 

About the Role  

Reporting in the Head of Buying for Harrods Own Label, the Design Manager will demonstrate and support in developing a high performing team delivering innovation, range accountability and drive department efficiency. They will work closely with stakeholders across the business to deliver key strategic projects and initiatives that support the Harrods Own Label vision. 

You will work with the Head of Buying to develop the top-down design strategy for the category, driving growth, customer acquisition, quality and foster a product first approach. Within this role, you will be responsible for delivering the agreed design strategy across all categories, supporting the Head of Buying with implementing the strategy for the Own Label proposition. As a people manager, you will focus on creating and nurturing an inclusive culture, inspiring and role modelling collaboration and creativity within your team. 

As the Design Manager for Harrods Own Label, your duties include but are not limited to: 

• Driving best practise processes that are industry standard, have a synergy with wider Harrods operations and protect Harrods best interests. 
• Demonstrating a deep understanding of the business & customer, identify and action opportunities to add value. 
• Embedding and deliver against the defined Stage and Gate process.
• Leading the design link with the Food Own Label team and ensure we are aligned in new product development and that product opportunities are maximised.
• Delivering product range concepts against a mix of commercial and boundary-pushing, always presenting considered detail. 
• Being responsible for ensuring product is developed from sketch concept and at all times delivered to suppliers in a detailed design brief to achieve first sample, right sample
• Knowing the total supply base and design capabilities; to include full product breadth and capabilities, design resource, support facilities e.g., printing, factory set up and adjacencies. 
• Sourcing suppliers at trade shows for both print & product, to bring back relevant overviews and facilitate initial meetings with the commercial teams. 

About You  

The ideal candidate will have a wealth of experience in Own Label Design in a bridge or luxury brand. You will have a deep understanding of the luxury landscape, having built an innate knowledge over the course of their experience that they can leverage to Harrods’ advantage.

You will be an exceptional people leader, with a highly organised and flexible approach. You will be well versed in delivering to key deadlines, KPIs and project work, whilst inspiring and coaching your team to do the same. You will be able to demonstrate where you have lead a team through a period of change, in tandem with achieving critical deadlines and deliverables. 

Our future Design Manager will be commercially astute, having created and delivered against a commercial design strategy in a prior role. You will not only be innovative and hands on with product, but also understand numbers, budget, spend and targets.

You will also:

• Be creative with a high taste level.
• Have strong stakeholder management and influencing skills and be able to bring people on our journey.
• Be confident to challenge and represent what good looks like to the wider business.
• Have a positive, ‘can-do’ outlook.
• Consistently strive for exceptional results.

About Us 

Harrods is one of the world’s leading luxury department stores and we’re becoming a destination the most sought-after brands from around the globe. Our combined mission is to make visiting our iconic Knightsbridge store one of the world’s most inspiring shopping experiences. 
  
Our Promise to You 
 
Help us make the impossible possible for our customers and we’ll do something remarkable for you. As well as offering a friendly environment to inspire your best work, we provide abundant opportunities and support to build an exceptional career across the varied specialisms of our business.

In return, you’ll receive an excellent benefits package, including a company pension, flexible working, 25 days’ holiday, and your birthday off, up to 33% in-store discount (including across our food hall and restaurants) and a season ticket loan. 
  
Uniquely You 
 
At Harrods we believe the personality and authenticity of our people sets us apart.  We celebrate and invite applications from all cultures, backgrounds, tastes, and experiences and are proud of our culture where people from all walks of life can grow and thrive. What makes you unique makes us exceptional. 

While our job adverts outline the ideal qualities, skills, and prior experience for the role, we believe in the potential for growth and value individual strengths. If you do not meet every desired criteria but feel you have the skills and experience to thrive in this role as well as a genuine interest in working for Harrods and you can demonstrate an alignment with our values, we would encourage you to apply.
 
If you want to know more about our people and our culture, search #TogetherHarrods on LinkedIn, Facebook or follow us on Instagram @togetherharrods