Raw Materials Development Manager - 12 Months Maternity Cover

About Us

DeMellier is a London-based brand that was founded with the vision of doing things differently: to design handbags that would make women feel empowered, made ethically and sustainably, while giving back to those who need it most. These principles guide everything we do. All our pieces are crafted ethically in Europe using the finest sustainably sourced materials. We champion equality, and for every piece sold, we fund vaccines and medical treatments aimed at saving the life of a child in need. So far, through our permanent charity initiative, ‘A Bag, A Life’, in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages, we have funded over 2.5 million vaccines. Join us and be part of an award-winning, purpose-driven brand that fosters creativity, collaboration, and meaningful impact within the luxury industry.  

The Role

As a Raw Materials Development Manager at DeMellier, you will lead the sourcing, development, and innovation of leathers, fabrics, hardware, and trims. This strategic and hands-on role is central to ensuring the quality, sustainability, and commercial viability of our raw materials across all collections. You will own the full raw materials development lifecycle and manage our supplier network, negotiating costs and terms, maintaining stock accuracy, and supporting design and production teams through each season. You’ll also provide leadership and mentorship to a Raw Materials Developer and Product Development assistant, delegating daily operational tasks while ensuring alignment with our sustainability goals and critical path timelines. Frequent travel is a key part of this role, as you’ll be regularly visiting trade shows, factories, tanneries, and suppliers to maintain quality control, strengthen partnerships, and drive innovation.  

Main responsibilities

Raw Materials & Hardware Development

• Lead end-to-end development of leathers, fabrics, hardware, and trims across seasonal collections.
• Provide expert technical knowledge of raw materials, material engineering, manufacturing technologies, material performance and moulds, while continuously driving innovation through new materials, processes and technologies. 
• Manage the raw materials and hardware development critical path, collaborating with the FG Product Development, industrialisation and production team to flag and resolve issues.
• Maintain accurate archives of all materials and hardware, ensuring data is up to date in ERP/ PLM, Dropbox, and shared folders.
• Attend international trade fairs to source materials and hardware; schedule appointments with suppliers, prepare meeting agendas, and follow up on deliverables.
• Collect and consolidate swatches, certification documents, pricing, compositions, MOQs, and lead times from fairs and supplier meetings.
• Negotiate quality standards, pricing, MOQs, grading splits, wastage percentages, lead times, and payment terms with suppliers.
• Oversee inbound sampling shipments and stock levels; ensure all new materials are checked, and discrepancies are flagged upon arrival. C
• Conduct lab and wear-testing of new materials and hardware to ensure performance and compliance standards are met.
• Create and implement storage guides and materials handling systems (masters/ color references, etc.)  in collaboration with factories.

Supplier Management

• Source, assess, and onboard new materials and hardware suppliers to expand the brand’s sustainable and innovative raw materials library.
• Organise and host supplier visits at HQ and coordinate with the Industrialisation and Production team as needed.
• Build strong, long-term relationships with international suppliers to support quality, reliability, and ethical development and production.
• Guide and support the Raw Materials Developer in managing daily communication with suppliers, lab dip processes, testing, PO tracking, and raw material documentation.  

Pre-Production & Cross-Functional Support

• Oversee the creation, upkeep and handover of all product development masters: colour masters, full skin masters, fabric masters, hardware and trim masters. Ensure seasonal carry-over colours and materials are consistently matched to masters.
• Track and communicate any raw material or hardware quality issues during development, handing over findings clearly to the Industrialisation/Production team.
• Hand over and co-sign pre-production masters and samples with industrialisation/ production team.
• Provide accurate care instructions and technical sheet to cross-functional teams (e-commerce, marketing, creative).
• Support seasonal training pack creation and maintenance throughout the development stage by supplying detailed RM and hardware information for wholesale showroom use and cross-team product training in collaboration with the industrialisation and compliance manager.  

Sustainability & Innovation

• Lead the sustainability strategy for all raw material and hardware initial development, assuring brand values are at the forefront from the get-go.
• Continuously research sustainable alternatives, new technologies, and areas of improvement within materials and sourcing.
• Build and maintain a digital library of supplier certifications (LWG, REACH, animal welfare, etc.), accessible to the wider team in collaboration with the industrialisation and compliance manager.
• Ensure full traceability of all raw materials and hardware components where possible, documenting origin, processing methods, and environmental impacts to support transparency and storytelling and handover to industrialisation/ compliance manager ahead of mass production.
• Coordinate initial supplier audits or collect third-party audit reports to ensure ethical sourcing practices and alignment with DeMellier’s sustainability values.
• Work with internal teams to build and maintain a digital raw materials library in ERP/PLM, supporting real-time visibility, version control, and sustainability metrics.
• Evaluate new materials and hardware against end-of-life considerations such as recyclability, biodegradability, and reusability, supporting circular product design.

Documentation & Systems Management

• Ensure all materials and hardware are accurately logged in ERP/PLM, with detailed pricing, composition, supplier data, and certification records. Oversee seasonal folders for lab dips, colour cards, and swatches.
• Manage the raw materials development budget, proactively identifying cost-saving opportunities and efficiencies across sourcing and development.
• Oversee processing of all related invoices accurately using the budget tracker /Finance system.
• Ensure records related to lab tests, performance standards, and care requirements are organised and easily accessible.  

Team Leadership & People Management

• Directly manage and develop members of the Raw Materials team, providing clear leadership, guidance and day-to-day support.
• Set and communicate individual and team objectives, priorities and expectations, ensuring alignment with wider business and brand goals.
• Conduct regular one-to-ones, probation reviews and annual performance reviews, providing constructive feedback and supporting ongoing development.
• Delegate responsibilities effectively, manage team workload and priorities, and ensure accountability against critical path deadlines and deliverables.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable and solutions-focused team culture, addressing performance or delivery issues where required.  

Requirements

• 8+ years in raw material development or sourcing, preferably within leather accessories, footwear, or luxury goods.
• Strong understanding of raw material cost structures, technical specs, and lead times. Familiarity with sustainable materials and certifications (e.g., LWG, REACH).
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP), Zedonk, Priority or equivalent ERP/PDM systems. Exceptionally detail-oriented with strong organisational and time management skills.
• Confident negotiator with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Frequent travel within Europe is required, including attendance at industry trade fairs and regular visits to tanneries, manufacturers, and key suppliers.
• Travel will typically include several trips per season in line with the development calendar, supplier audits, development/sourcing initiatives and troubleshooting.
• Fluent in English; Italian is a strong advantage.
• Structured, proactive, and solutions-oriented.
• Must have a full UK driver's licence  
• Right to work in the UK   

Benefits

• Hybrid-working 
• Annual Leave package increases the longer you stay with us  
• Enhanced company maternity policy
• Employee Discount: 50% off Stock and up to 90% off Seasonal Sample Sales
• Free gift DeMellier bag on successful probation