Senior Furniture Product Development Manager

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING – OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE
As Product Development Manager you will be involved with the product development, engineering, technical and Quality aspects of Furniture products
(cabinets, sofa, chairs, tables, ect...) through its whole lifecycle, from drawing and sampling through to first production and launch.
You will report to the Chief Operation Officer Asia (Foreigner) and your day-to-day duties will be to support the Teemo business (B to B activities + Studio London Brand) in areas relevant to product development, engineering and Quality improvement. Your experience and knowledge of design, product development, engineering, product structure, Quality Management and production will bring you into daily contact with the UK office team (design, sales), Vietnam quality team, international customers (when needed) and the Merchandisers and suppliers in Vietnam.
You will support and assist the various teams in ensuring Teemo products are launched in accordance with the business expectations, and in a way appropriate to product design briefs, buyers’ critical paths, and product quality standards.
Primary Responsibilities:
• Manage a team of 4 Product development Technician (CAD drawers + Sample Developers)
• Checking furniture Technical drawings (Designer and Supplier)
• Confirmation of Standards and Test for each market and customers.
• Reviewing and approving Teemo’s Furniture technical Drawings
• Ensure all TDs are cost optimized and will pass tests.
• Managing the Teemo’s Product Development, technical Team (4 people)
• Furniture Sample Reviewing on factories (Design / Engineering / Technical, Quality)
• Writing Sample Reports and Pre-Production Sample Reports when needed
• Weekly meetings with UK Office but also sometimes with Customers (when needed)
• Follow up with Suppliers on sample development timeline.
• Follow up and support with the Teemo’s Quality Inspection Team especially on the first order
• Reviewing Assembly Instructions made by your team
• Confirming swatches
• Sample Sign Off
• Photo shoot sample – Confirmed as Gold sealed sample / Master Sample – ready for production
• Manage project folders so folders are complete
• Update weekly ‘Product development tracker’
Product and Technical Development
• Work with the UK and VN teams (design, Sales, Quality, ect…) daily ensuring product briefs and technical drawings meet Customer’s expectations and are within agreed timeframes and sourcing constraints.
• Issuing sample reports, ensuring all products are well executed in terms of design, construction, fitting, and means of production, finish, raw materials, and assembly instructions to the agreed quality and customer standards with the support of your team.
• At all key stages, from initial design to sealed samples, you will work on the technical development of product, assessing and evaluating potential product performance issues, such as item safety, stability, durability and functionality, fully ensuring designs are compliant, safe for use, durable, fit-for-purpose and meet due diligence requirements.
• Working with the design, technical team and suppliers in resolving technical problems arising during product design and development, actively proposing cost effective solutions and resolving problems without compromising design integrity.
• Ensure the buyers’ briefs and designers’ technical drawings have all the necessary information needed to develop and produce in accordance with the relevant Teemo standards.
• Evaluate the product design, build and support the suppliers to verify each product is manufactured according to the agreed technical drawing and sample review comments.
• Sign off final approved samples that meet all the requested revises in the Sample report.
• Conduct Drop test on site (if needed).
• Conduct Pre-Production Sample Review on site together with Quality team.
• Set Tolerances (if needed) according to Teemo standards.
• Work with the suppliers to ensure all products requiring assembly have clear, concise and accurate, easy to follow assembly instructions produced in alignment to the agreed Teemo format.
• Wherever necessary, revise assembly instructions to meet the needs of the business, ensuring revisions are made to meet customer expectations within agreed timeframes.
Supplier Management
• Create, build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, holding them accountable for product development defects and/or poor service in support of improving the supplier and product performance.
• Monitor supplier and product performance through a clear understanding of the product development process and reporting, identifying the most cost-effective solutions in a timely and supportive manner ensuring a quick resolution to issues to reduce product launch delays.
• Research, understand and advise the buying, merchandising and design team on supplier manufacturing techniques and processes for new and existing products and materials.
• Developing and managing each project (Off the self, ODM, In-house design, designer collaborations, external designers) from - briefing, supplier suggestion, sample reviewing and sample sign off.
Documentation, Tracking and Filling:
• Ensure that your department follow the right and most efficient process and adjust the process if needed
• Coordinate proper documentation of all development projects – Product brief, sample review reports, engineering changes, product specification sheets, technical drawings, Assembly Instruction, EUTR DoC.
• On time product development tasks: updating the tracking system to ensure all projects are following the agreed timeframe and product launch date
• Ensure folders are up to date and have all documentation saved in designated files.
• Check all real samples are aligned with the confirmed signed off sample before shipping the samples to the Customers.
Product Testing
• Check and confirm with UK technician, if the appropriate testing, whether in-house or third party, needs to be carried out for all new and current lines during sample review process.

Company Annual Bonus
,#Private health insurance
,#15 days paid annual leave

Furniture Product Development, English/Vietnamese Communication, Furniture Manufactoring, Furniture Engineering, Management & Leadership