Junior Product Technologist - Accessories

We are looking for a Junior Product Technologist to join Team OB in our Support Office on a 12 month maternity cover contract.

As a Junior Product Technologist for fashion accessories at OB, you will work closely with the Buying, Design and Quality teams to ensure that our Fashion Accessories meet safety and quality requirements and are all fit for purpose. You will work across a varied product range, including bags, footwear, jewellery, belts, umbrellas and sunglasses, working to multiple critical path deadlines.

You will support the Senior Product Technologist and work closely with the Junior Product Technologist to manage the quality process within the Fashion Accessories department, ensuring that product launches on time.

Our Support Office is based in Tolworth, near Chessington, only a 30-minute journey from London Waterloo. We offer hybrid working with a split of 3 days in the office and 2 days home working per week and are open to having conversations about working flexibly.

A bit about us …

At Oliver Bonas (OB), our values of Work Hard, Play Hard & Be Kind are integral to everything we do. Collaboration, imagination, curiosity, and teamwork are key to our success, and everyone has their part to play in making OB a special place to work.

Having fun is key, and a playful and positive approach creates an optimistic environment. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we are serious about what we do.

Our team knows their stuff. They’re confident and creative and unafraid to challenge convention to find solutions, taking accountability for their actions, but always with kindness and humility.

An OB Junior Product Technologist will:

• Support the Senior Product Technologist with maintaining the existing testing protocol for Fashion Accessories
• Assess product design briefs and risk assess designs and initial samples for quality and production capability call outs ensuring designs are fit for purpose and meet required legal and safety requirements
• Work closely across functions and the business to manage sealing process documentation to ensure all comments are adequately documented
• Assist and liaise with multiple Buying teams, maintaining the critical path and product developments deadlines
• Communicate with suppliers and agents on any issues, ensuring that samples are produced to required standards
• Assist product briefing and risk assessment meetings detailing testing requirements to ensure all products adhere to testing standards and are fit for purpose
• Work closely with the Customer Services team to monitor customer complaints, support/advise on appropriate feedback while identifying trends and reacting accordingly
• Review production AQL documents received prior to shipments and raise any concerns with your team
• Communicate packaging and labelling requirements for Fashion Accessory products
• Work with suppliers and in-house teams to ensure product packaging is commercial, fit for purpose and not excessive
• Maintain and update technical files, workbooks, photographs and any relevant correspondence
• Keep up to date records of all test reports, sustainability certification and communicate any issues to your team and suppliers
• Log returns, performance and complaints data to drive technical improvements
• Generate returns analysis and feedback internally to the business
• Work in conjunction with the Ethical & Sustainability team to ensure both new and existing suppliers adhere to our Code of Conduct, feeding any quality issues into audit briefing

What we look for:

• Knowledge of product technology, risk assessments, safety standards and legal requirements is required, in at least some of the product categories
• An awareness of the own label product development process
• Relevant degree or relevant previous experience
• A team player
• Enthusiasm to learn with a can do approach
• Prioritisation skills with ability to meet multiple deadlines
• Adaptable to change
• Collaborative, and able to manage, develop and strengthen relationships with key suppliers and third parties
• Strong planning and organisational skills
• Great attention to detail and an inquisitive nature
• Able to address difficult issues in an open and constructive way
• Problem solving skills
• Excellent communication skills and computer literacy, with a knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook

Bonas Benefits:

• Generous employee discount up to 50% off all OB products
• Free access to our 24 hour employee assistance programme with Care First – offering financial, emotional and vocational support
• Flexible holiday – 30 days (including bank holidays) – increasing to 35 days with length of service
• Annual discretionary profit related bonus scheme
• Auto-enrolment into our pension plan
• Free access to our onsite gym
• Cycle to work scheme
• Refer a Friend incentive
• Quarterly free lunch
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Voice network and EDI team
• Mental Health First Aider support
• Education and support through 360L eLearning platform

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at OB

At Oliver Bonas, our promise is to do our bit to make living a joyful experience and give cause for optimism. This promise is central to our work in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). To bring joy to others, we must first ensure everyone at OB feels valued, included and most importantly, can be themselves at work.

It is important to us that our brand reflects wider society and the communities in which we operate. As a result, we welcome all eligible applicants for this role however we are particularly interested in speaking to eligible candidates from the Black, Asian & Mixed Heritage communities.

Oliver Bonas is a Disability Confident Committed employer under the Disability Confident employer scheme.