Quality and Product Development ManagerHead Office

Would you relish the scope to bring great value product to millions of customers, delivering standout product of the highest quality?

George is a powerhouse that is part of the fabric of millions of people's lives. Hugely ambitious, on a mission to be the UK's favourite value led, omni channel, lifestyle brand. We want to give customers the best experience of any value lifestyle brand.

Your Role

You will lead, contribute and deliver the company wide quality strategy aligned with departments you work in. Ensure right product, right factory, right 1st time through supplier engagement, collaboration with the broader product, sourcing, compliance and extended teams (in country offices). Delivering innovation, consistency, quality, style, and value. Driving production innovation and constantly pushing the boundaries whilst maintaining safe and compliant product for the end user which exceeds the customers’ expectations.

As a Product Development Manager, you will

be responsible for:

• Ensure all products that Asda / George sell are safe, legal in line with market standards with awareness of current and future legal, technical and safety requirements within the industry.
• Accountable to drive, communicate seasonal trends technically, block developments, fabric innovation, with the wider teams internally and externally, including our brand ambassadors, trusted partners adding value to product, reducing cost through product engineering where appropriate.
• Review and align, reduction of duplication, processes, and SOP to ensure a consistent way of working cross functionally, including the extended wider team our in-country offices.
• Work upfront to identify risk at the offset ensuring in a smooth critical path and support at design and costing stage. Craft and refine product that balance functionality, durability and performance ensuring consistency for the customer. Awareness of costing implications.
• Accountable for product development cycle from concept to delivery working in line with the depts critical path targets. Manage fit process, sizing standards with a clear understanding of grade rules.
• Responsible for functional performance - SEP, ICO, CFS - UK DC rejections, testing data, customer returns, with clear action planning to ensure compliance and quality the customer can trust.
• Drive a right product – right supplier – right 1st time approach in line with the Goerge / Asda technical manual – clear communicator within the product team. Inputting and influencing in supplier selection.
• Competitor benchmarking to ensure George leads the market on value for money, fit and innovation.
• Understand crisis management process and the ability to deal with product withdrawals / recalls, stock on hold.
• Accountability to drive overall cost reduction through product engineering and efficiency within the supply base.
• Support, train a diverse global supply base subject to individual needs.
• Responsible for action planning based on - Quality ratings customer reviews, returns, overall quality levels. Identify customers wants and needs.

Let's find out about you?

• Extensive experience in multi-product categories, with an in-depth understanding of pattern cutting construction techniques and manufacturing excellence within a global supply chain.
• In depth knowledge of industry regulations, guidelines in line with all legal compliance.
• A strong product eye with commercial awareness and understanding, problem solving abilities to address issues before they reach bulk as well as issues occurred during the bulk stage.
• Excellent communicator skills to drive stakeholder engagement both internally and externally.
• Strong supplier relationship working hand in hand with the supply base through challenge ensuring a positive outcome.
• Knowledge of how to improve the quality of garments to a higher level, with excellent fabric knowledge.
• Experienced in factory audits, implementing caps, follow up is critical. An in-depth knowledge of the manufacturing processes, lean lines, driving factory efficiencies.
• Ability to conduct instore product audits on a regular basis with clear action planning.

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Everything you'll love

To ensure we balance moments where we know we need to collaborate together and the need for flexibility, Asda has a hybrid way of working with a minimum 3 days a week in one of our Home Offices. Over and above this, each area of Asda may have additional requirements which may require spending more days in the office, visiting suppliers, stores or depots.

You will also get an excellent benefits package including:

• Discretionary company bonus
• Company pension up to 7% matched
• Company Car allowance of £5,700
• 15% colleague discount in store and online
• Free access to wellbeing services such as Wagestream, 24/7 virtual GP, counselling, health and dental cash plans and a 24/7 employee assistance helpline, alongside discounts across a range of services and activities, from airport parking, enhanced to theme parks and cinemas.
• Asda Allies Inclusion Networks – helping colleagues to make sure everybody is included and that our differences are recognised and celebrated
• Excellent parental leave policies, including maternity & adoption leave, paternity leave, shared parental leave, neonatal care leave, and support for those doing fertility treatments.

We want all colleagues to be able to bring their best and true selves to work, every day. Simply put, we want our colleagues to be Proud to be Asda and proud to be themselves"