In a nutshell

Lead product development for our Home and Furniture categories across the Asia supply base, to support in developing ranges that provide outstanding quality, excellent value, and style that meet our customers’ needs and expectations. Work closely with UK Design, and the UK Buying teams to understand the UK market and identify new opportunities to drive and select new development, products, innovation and trends to support the strategic growth of our own brand. 

What I need to do

• Work with the Habitat leadership team to develop Habitat Home & Furniture strategy.
• Target efficiencies in the critical path to ultimately shorten lead times to market.
• Support the sourcing strategy ensuring it compliments both our Habitat Vision and the Global Sourcing strategy.
• Develop all team members in product development understanding, ways of working, manufacturing in each category and the capabilities of the supply base.
• Work with the UK Buying & Design teams to understand the changing requirements of the UK market in terms of customer missions, trends, range hierarchy and price requirement.  PD should maintain an awareness of the competition and highlight developing trends and new techniques from the supply base, to ensure Sainsbury’s has a competitive and comprehensive range
• Contribute upstream new developments and techniques to the relevant UK department’s seasonal intent and sourcing strategies.
• Support our key supplier partners, identifying appropriate product opportunities and relay design strengths for optimisation to ensure we deliver great design and innovation, whilst maintaining quality and price expectations.
• Deliver outstanding design led product at pace, working with Design and Buying in the UK as well as  merchandise teams to actively pursue the best product possible
• In partnership with UK design and buying work with suppliers on design briefing and sample screening processes across all Asia merchandising and technical teams, to ensure we are consistently delivering great quality product right first time
• Deliver an improved hit rate and sample execution across our supply base to the UK teams
• Identifying opportunities is key to this role and PD should have an entrepreneurial approach to categories.  PD should also lead on relevant sourcing projects as and when needed
• Build strong supplier relationships as the key person on the ground close the strategic partners supporting in implementing efficiencies in our ways of working together.
• Have awareness of future market trends and innovation to fuel the development process by feeding our key suppliers with relevant market information.
• Improve speed to market through regular visits and communication with key suppliers to support in driving newness and identify relevant and new opportunities to our supply base.
• Support our Merchandising and Technical teams in all on going product development to ensure our briefs are shared with the appropriate suppliers and we address any complications, in order to ensure briefs are right first time.
• Be a proactive contributor to the Global Leadership team and establish excellent communication channels with key stakeholders and peers globally
• Lead in ensuring that Habitat is a great place to work
• Create a world class team that is engaged, motivated and developing through inspirational leadership that recognises and rewards talent

What I need to know

• Design, development or buying experience for UK retailer across Home and Furniture
• Passionate about product, manufacturing knowledge and attention to detail
• Good ongoing understanding of Competitor activity in the UK Market and macro trends emerging
• Up to date with UK commercial and retail landscape changes
• Articulate in communicating ideas and creative thinking and putting them into action
• Confident in translating trends and inspiration into commercial and suppliers
• High level of commercial acumen and understanding of pricing within product categories
• Ability to develop strong external relationships
• Able to influence successfully across a diverse audience
• Sound judgement and decision making skills and a logical approach to problem solving
• Strong team working ethic

What I need to show

• Broad leadership capability which inspires and influences at all levels with an ability to flex style where required.
• Ownership of role and stakeholder relationships across both local and global landscapes
• Support talent and develop colleagues alongside the JDI model to ensure strong succession plans are in place
• Address complex and challenging situations by taking intelligent risks
• Have an impact beyond my own department with the global team across Habitat
• Make good quality and timely decisions even in ambiguous situations using creative and logical thinking
• Able to successfully lead a team through change
• A passion for making a difference for colleagues and customers
• Inspirational and clear concise communication skills

J Sainsbury Plc is one of the UK’s leading Grocery and Non Food retailers. Sainsbury’s was founded in 1869 and our heritage defines the way we operate. Our vision is to be the most trusted retailer where customers and colleagues love to work and shop, and our 160,000 colleagues put this into practice every day across our 1,200 multi format stores in the UK. We put our customers and their values at the heart of everything do, and apply industry leading ethical trading practices underpinned by a firm commitment to sustainable sourcing.

Sainsbury’s Argos Asia is the direct sourcing function for Sainsbury’s. We source great products from suppliers at the best quality and the right cost in order to provide our customers with the products they love. To support the ongoing growth of our strategic sourcing from the region we are now looking for confident and passionate candidates to join our team in challenging and enjoyable roles.

Find out more about us at http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/ and http://www.sainsburys.co.uk