Head of Menswear Outerwear

Company Description:

The Barbour story began in 1894 in South Shields in the North East of England. Founder John Barbour began supplying oilskins and other garments to protect the growing community of sailors, fishermen, and dockers. Still family-owned and now fifth generation, Barbour HQ remains in South Shields. Under the leadership of Chairman Dame Margaret Barbour, Barbour has grown into a lifestyle brand sold in over 55 countries worldwide including Europe, the US, and Asia, offering a wardrobe of stylish, functional clothing, footwear, and accessories inspired by the unique values of the British countryside. The iconic Barbour Bedale and Barbour Beaufort wax jackets continue to be made by hand in the factory in South Shields. In 2020, Barbour launched Wax for Life, an overarching name for all of Barbour’s wax services designed to encourage customers to extend the life of their wax garments. Wax for Life includes re-waxing and repairs (first introduced in 1921) and Barbour Re-Loved, an upcycling circularity initiative. Each year over 70,000 wax garments are sent back to Barbour globally to be repaired, rewaxed, or altered.

Position Overview:

We currently have a rare opportunity for a Head of Outerwear to join our Menswear team based at Barbour House, South Shields. You will be responsible for the management & direction of the Men's Outerwear business in line with agreed objectives. Driving the business forward across brands & categories in relation to sales, margin, and strategic direction with adherence to agreed timelines. A key directive of this role will be aligning the range with the market opportunity, (Global) on Price, on product direction, and range structure and on relevance. You will drive development to align with the retailers and their needs. In reference to our competitor set and the comparative ranges available to the market. While ensuring all men's outerwear meets the company's high standards for quality, durability, and craftsmanship. You will be a key and valued member of the Men's Senior Team and will be pivotal in driving our 5-year strategy in product and sourcing plans.

This role is based in our Head Office in South Shields and the expectation is 4 days onsite and 1 day of home working

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• In partnership with the wider senior team, you will deliver outstanding market-leading product ranges that capitalize on the global market opportunities and needs, ensuring we deliver the agreed 5-year plan. As a much-loved and respected brand with real iconic designs, respect the past whilst planning and evolving for the future.
• Drive Men's Outerwear forward balancing authenticity and relevance. Focussing on developing the product plans that are needed to achieve our business goals and our 5-year plan. This would both be at a high level, range direction/priorities, etc., and a more detailed level i.e., items and price points.
• Lead and manage the Design Managers (Outerwear teams), ensuring alignment with our standards and business objectives. Foster a culture of working hard together and continuous improvement.
• With support from the Senior Head of Menswear, ensure the team is engaged and focus on all aspects of product design & development and deliver season on season product excellence.
• Ensuring that the Design Managers planning is a joined-up approach for a Menswear POV in our approach to integrating our necessary timelines with Sales/Marketing/Supply Chain.
• Manage and mentor the team in design to deliver against the workload requirements. Ensure planning and execution is joined up and consistent, integrating our timeline and targets.
• Become the heart of the design and development process for Outerwear. It's a much-loved and respected brand with real iconic designs. Respect the past whilst planning and evolving for the future.
• Build on established cross-department relationships, with excellent communication, across the Sales, Marketing, Product, Supply Chain & Forecasting triangle.
• Supporting cross-department communication: SALES. Engaging and building relationships with the international Sales team to understand their needs, customers, and timings is central to the role.
• Supporting cross-department communication: MARKETING. The communication of story concepts, drops, and collection structure is an essential part of the WHT process with the Marketing teams.
• Support cross-department communication: SUPPLY CHAIN. Encourage Design teams to have strong links and a joined-up approach with Technical, suppliers, and Supply Chain teams.
• Suppliers - Understanding Factories, suppliers, and the production process and requirements. Integral to building the Menswear Outerwear business has undoubtedly been the close relationship that has been built with key suppliers across the categories.
• Understand the main partners/the process of development/the costing process between wax/quilt/WPB and Casuals. Liaise with Technical teams and Supply Chain to support in evaluating and strategically planning development.