Job Description

Solent Group work with a diverse portfolio of Retailers and supply bespoke products within various categories, including Health & Beauty, Household Impulse Snacking and Reusable Bags. We are proud to be best-in-class when it comes to own-label product innovation. Our Categories are fast-paced with ever-evolving trends and a host of ground-breaking products coming to market on a regular basis - we add value to retailers by leading and owning each category.


Here at Solent we want people to be extraordinary. We pride ourselves on creating and producing amazing products and brands for our Global Customers. You will be joining a company with offices globally across South Africa, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Vietnam, and the UK.

Position:

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POSITION

: Junior Product Manager

DIVISION/DEPT

: HBH

REPORT TO

: Head of Product

LOCATION

: Commuting distance to Christchurch, Dorset

TRAVEL

: UK travel

Purpose of the role

This is a full time contract developing trend Health & Beauty & Household ranges for the Primark & Aldi customers.


As a Junior Product Manager we want you to be immersed in current and upcoming trends and constantly be looking at how we at Solent can be first to market with amazing products! We want someone with an eye for creativity and an imagination that can develop a trend from an initial concept all the way through to an amazing, stand-out product!


Working on the Primark and Aldi accounts, your day to day will vary from viral beauty buys to must-have eco swaps- bringing fresh ideas to life! Think bold concepts, breakthrough products, and a team that's all about creativity, collaboration, and getting things done.

Scope & Relationships

We encourage you to be creative and innovative, bringing fresh ideas to the division, for your own customers as well as for others across the team. The product division work collaboratively and often share inspiration and potential opportunities for each other, with one of our core company values being 'strength in unity'.



As a Junior Product Manager, you will support the Product Manager and Sales Manager of the Primark & Aldi accounts to develop and deliver strong, products for your customers that meet the consumer needs. You will ultimately report in to Head of Product, who will help support and guide your development within the business.



You will work closely with the design team to bring your ideas to life, and over time will develop an understanding of your customer and what their product needs to look and feel like. You will also work with our incredible team in the Far East, who liase directly with our suppliers, helping to source and quote for your requests. There are other teams within the division that will also help support you throughout the product life cycle, including technical, marketing and logistics.

Requirements:

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Main Responsibilities

Understand the market, product trends and research, including talking to customers and visiting customer stores. Assess competitors' products to identify important features and compare performance with equivalent company products Conduct market research, identify and drive new product development and product upgrades against a plan Support on all projects for the HBH division ( Primark & Aldi). Own the entire product lifecycle from concept to launch Deliver products and ranges that are targeted and exceed customer expectations Manage cross functional relationships with our overseas offices, maintaining our One Team culture at all times Manage our critical paths and ensure communication is at the front of mind Write clear briefs and communicate efficiently with our production teams globally Be able to work with large amounts of detail Arrange samples, costs, and presentations for customer meetings and present to customers/ attend customer meetings Review supplier quotes to ensure competitive and fair pricing. Collaborate with commercial to analyse product costs and margins. Suggest and negotiate solutions for product components or the final product to align with profitability goals Develop and engage with the wider team on new product concepts. Approve product samples and assure quality standards through all stages of new product development Travel to our office locations across the UK and for meetings/trade shows

About you:

Min 1-2 years in product development Product management and/or product development or brand management experience/ skills Ideally 1-2 years' experience in product management role or similar A willingness to learn and improve and have a 'hands on' approach Can show examples of cross functional working Appetite to learn new categories and explore new product ranges Confident in communicating and developing relationships with internal and external sources Strong time management and a proactive work ethic Strong attention to detail and good collaboration, communication, and project management skills Fluent use of Microsoft Office - Outlook, Excel and Power Point Fluent use of online platforms for virtual meetings and presentations


The successful candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment and be passionate about product and trends in these areas - developing into licenced and branded opportunities. We are looking for an individual who can multi-task, knows how to prioritise, learn quickly, and be open to a challenge - previous experience in a similar role is preferable

Other information:

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In turn we offer:

Competitive salary with annual salary reviews 25 days holiday per annum, increasing to 27 days after 3 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service Extensive benefits program including buying additional holiday, medical cash plan, access to mental health support and many other benefits Flexible hours and work from home available to all staff Great learning and development and progression opportunities Yearly bonus structure (based on company targets) Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave Generous Company Sick Pay Pension Scheme Contribution Solent social events run by our inhouse Social Team Cycle to Work scheme Dress down Fridays * Free parking on Christchurch Quay