Footwear Product Manager

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PORTWEST, a leading global manufacturer of safety wear, workwear and PPE is currently seeking applications for the position of Footwear Product Manager in Manchester, UK. Portwest is one of the fastest growing workwear companies in the world currently employing over 5,300 staff worldwide, with customer service staff in over 130+ countries and 11 Global warehouses in UK, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, UAE, USA and Australia.We design, manufacture and distribute market leading workwear, safety wear and PPE in fully owned production facilities.

JOB TITLE: Footwear Product Manager
EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full time.
REPORTS TO: Category Manager.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Footwear Product Manager will be responsible for developing commercial footwear products, managing product costs, overseeing prototype creation, and collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality products. This role includes liaising with overseas suppliers, managing production timelines, ensuring quality standards, and supporting the sales team with technical product insights. The Product Manager will also ensure all products comply with industry standards and regulations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Research and develop commercial products to drive sales growth.

• Calculate costs for new products, aligned with target market selling prices.

• Manage prototype sample creation and present product ideas to senior management and sales representatives.

• Make recommendations for final product selection for production.

• Develop detailed technical specifications, including measurements and construction details.

• Coordinate product photography sessions and write marketing text for sales brochures.

• Train and supervise junior staff on product development duties.

• Collaborate with China-based teams to create accurate samples and manage bulk production.

• Inspect and fit pre-production and production samples to ensure accuracy and adherence to production timelines.

• Communicate with overseas suppliers to proactively solve production issues.

• Monitor production status and track products until delivered to the warehouse.

• Conduct quality checks on random production samples at the warehouse.

• Analyze sales data and recommend future product purchases.

• Provide technical support to sales representatives and customers.

• Work with test houses to certify products to relevant standards.

• Ensure product compliance with REACH standards and coordinate necessary testing.

• Utilize the Portwest M3 stock system to monitor product supply.

• Prioritize customer special orders in collaboration with the sales team.

REQUIREMENTS

• Relevant 3rd level degree in Fashion, Product Development, or a related field.

• 5+ years in Product Management/Design/Development within the PPE/Workwear industry.

• Strong industry knowledge and commercial awareness in the PPE/Workwear sector.

• Passion for continuous learning and improvement.

• Ability to work effectively in both team settings and on individual projects.

COMPANY AWARDS

• Great Place To Work 2023

• Best Medium Sized Workplaces 2022

• Ibec Leading in Wellbeing Top 100 companies 2021

• Portwest CEO - Business Man Of The Year - In Business Ireland 2020

• Deloitte Best Managed Companies 2016-2023

• Private Irish Business of the Year Export Industry Awards 2019

• Exporter of the Year 2018

• Portwest CEO - EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017

Portwest do not support visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must have a right to work and must fulfil any relevant visa / work permit requirements in the relevant jurisdiction.

Portwest are anequalopportunityemployer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, civil status, veteran status, family status, disability status or membership of a minority group.