Product Development & Sourcing Lead
The Opportunity
It’s an exciting time at Antler; we’ve reimagined our 112-year-old brand and are growing globally, making our ambitions a reality as we continue to build momentum.
From 2025 we become a ‘House of Brands’, with product design and development being driven from our design studio in London, alongside category specialists in Sydney.
Antler is seeking an experienced Product Development and Sourcing Lead with a strong background in bag and accessory development and project management. The successful candidate will lead the full product development lifecycle, from concept through to production, working closely with the design team in London as well as factories and suppliers throughout Asia, to deliver innovative, high-quality and commercially viable bags and accessories.
Day to Day Responsibilities
We’re fast-paced and opportunistic, meaning we’re agile and comfortable in an entrepreneurial setting, where no two days are ever the same. These are the things that will be core to your role and will keep you busy:
1. Manage product lifecycle for bags and accessories. Lead the end-to-end development of products from initial concept through to market launch. Ensure all outputs align with design intent, quality standards, commercial objectives and the brands overarching product strategy.
Create and maintain detailed product specifications, technical packs, BOMs and revision histories. Ensure all documentation is accurate, complete and communicated effectively with suppliers and internal teams.
Oversee initial production runs, including pre-production meetings, line trials and golden sample approvals. Work directly with factories on site to ensure manufacturing readiness and to resolve pre-production issues. Travel to Asia is expected at least twice a year in this role.
2. Collaborate with Design and Cross-Functional Teams. Work closely with the design team (London) to develop approved concepts into fully manufacturable products. Refine design details, materials and construction methods to ensure each product meets cost, quality and performance targets while preserving the original design intent.
Working with the Product and Sourcing team in Australia and across Asia means that some meetings will occur outside of standard office hours due to time zone differences. Antler provides flexible working hours to support this collaboration.
3. Global Sourcing. Source, evaluate, and onboard new and existing suppliers. Oversee supplier capability assessments, factory audits, RFP processes, cost analyses and ongoing relationship management to maintain strong manufacturing partnerships.
4. Manage Costing and Commercial Negotiations. Review costs and negotiate with suppliers to ensure all products achieve required margin targets. Evaluate and optimise component, material, labour, tooling, and logistics costs without compromising design intent or quality.
5. Manage Critical Paths. Work to the product development calendar and critical path to ensure all milestones, approvals and deliverables are completed on schedule.
Identify potential risks across development, sourcing and production. Implement mitigation strategies and lead resolution of technical, quality or timeline issues to keep programs on track.
6. Sample management. Oversee sample ordering, tracking and evaluation across all development stages. Provide structured feedback to suppliers to make accurate iterations. Liaise with the commercial and marketing teams to arrange presentation samples.
7. Budget Oversight and Forecasting. Support budget planning by forecasting development costs, tooling investments and sampling expenses. Monitor budget performance and highlight challenges.
8. Ensure Product Quality and Compliance. Evaluate products through structured testing and compliance reviews. Identify opportunities to refine design, materials, or construction methods and propose actions to improve product performance.
9. Patents and intellectual property. Protect product innovation by identifying features, technologies or design elements that may warrant intellectual property filing. Coordinate with legal teams to prepare documentation for patents, design registrations and trademark applications.
10. Material and Manufacturing Innovation. Explore emerging materials, production methods and manufacturing technologies to enhance product performance, durability, sustainability and cost efficiency.
Requirements
The Requirements
1. Product Development Experience. Background in bag and accessory development, with additional experience across adjacent product categories considered beneficial.
2. Quality and Compliance Knowledge. Understanding of product testing protocols, quality assurance processes and compliance standards across international markets.
3. Project Delivery. Demonstrated capability to manage multiple development programs concurrently, maintaining timelines, budgets and key deliverables.
4. Communication and Collaboration. Excellent communication and organisational skills are essential, including strong attention to detail and a proactive, solution-focused approach.
Effective collaboration with design teams, factories and suppliers to advance products from concept through to production, as well as proven capability in conducting commercial negotiations with suppliers and manufacturing partners.
5. Design and Data Tools. Proficiency in CAD software and Microsoft Excel; familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite, PLM platforms and project management tools.
6. Education. Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Fashion Design, Engineering, or a related discipline.
Benefits
The Perks
Aside from the role, the people and our big ambitions, here are some of the other things that make Antler a great place to work.
- Lifestyle: 33 days annual leave inclusive of Bank Holidays.
- Lifestyle: Hybrid approach – typical office days are Monday, Tuesday & Thursday.
- Flexible hours: If you start the day early with international calls, you can finish up early.
- Health: Health cash plan provided by Medicash.
- Wealth: Pension + pension advice, life insurance and discretionary company bonus.
- Family: Enhanced family leave for both primary and secondary careers.
- Benefits: Antler allowance and discount, CharlieHR perks, retail discounts and cashback