Victoria and Albert Museum
Retail Product Technologist
London
Posted about 22 hours ago
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The Role
This position is located within the V&A Retail Buying team, working closely with Buyers and Merchandisers to oversee product testing and compliance documentation across all merchandise sold within the V&A shops and online. Reporting to the Head of Retail, the role is key to the V&A’s commitment to the highest standards of design, ensuring all products meet regulatory and certification standards, across a wide range of categories that includes toys, food, toiletries, homeware and fashion.
Responsibilities include:
- To manage product testing, compliance and certification processes for V&A merchandise, in line with wider departmental strategy and critical path.
- To work collaboratively with Buying, Merchandising and Design teams to ensure compliance across V&A Retail for both bought-in and own-brand products.
- To own the compliance strategy and processes from start to finish, developing as needed and working with internal and external partners to implement.
- To act as a first point of contact for internal and external parties for technical and compliance queries relating to retail product.
- To be appraised of all relevant legislation and its communication to wider teams as needed.
- To set out and communicate the compliance requirements for all categories and territories into which V&A Shops sell.
- To work closely with suppliers to ensure standards are met, investigate irregularities, report findings, and help implement corrective actions.
- To gather, review and approve third-party test documentation. To maintain records and data related to compliance. To review product labelling, warnings and back-of-pack information to ensure regulatory compliance.
- To perform risk assessments and create/update policies and processes where necessary.
- To support GPSR processes by maintaining and providing relevant product and packaging specifications.
- To develop and implement a product recall strategy for in-store and online.
- To work closely with internal teams such as Warehouse, Front of House, Merchandising and Web to conduct training and co-ordinate process improvements.
- To ensure V&A Retail sustainability targets are monitored, updated and recorded across retail activity including GOTS, FSC etc.
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Who are we looking for:
- Demonstrable experience of responsibility for product compliance in a retail setting, and of the legislation/certification environment that applies.
- Excellent understanding of regulatory process (UK, EU and international), ideally in lifestyle/gifting sector, including working, recent knowledge of key categories including toys, food and cosmetics.
- Strong understanding of supply chain management (UK, EU and international) with experience working directly with manufacturing partners.
- Experience managing technical documentation and compliance records.
- Excellent attention to detail within a contractual, compliance or legal framework.
- Understanding of sustainability targets and experience with certifications such as GOTS, FSC, SedEx etc.
- Collaborative, communicative and flexible approach to incoming requirements, confident in working across multiple projects.
- Proactive, independent working style, with ability to innovate processes and work across many teams.
- Excellent written English and highly numerate with the ability to carry out complex numerical analysis.
- Significant interpersonal and consultative skills, including the ability to communicate, present, negotiate, influence and build credibility with colleagues and external parties.
- The ability to work independently and as part of a team, showing both own initiative and collaborative thinking.
- Experience of managing and prioritising a high workload, multiple complex issues and tasks in a changing environment with tight deadlines.
- Excellent IT and Microsoft Office skills, including demonstrable proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, Word and email.
- Shares our Values of Sustainability, Equity, Creativity, Collaboration & Generosity.
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What’s in it for you?
- 29 days of holiday + public holidays each year
- 5.5% employee pension contribution, 10% employer pension contribution (post-probation)
- Life assurance scheme (to value of 4 x annual salary)
- Family-friendly policies e.g. enhanced maternity + paid carers leave
- Free sanitary products for all employees across our sites
- Free entrance to many major museums and exhibitions
- Benefits platform offering discounts at major retailers & many more
Full job description and list of benefits on our website.
When do applications close?
27 September @ 23:59
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Skills
Product Compliance
Regulatory Compliance
Supply Chain Management
Technical Documentation
Risk Assessment
Product Testing
Sustainability Certification
Numerical Analysis
Stakeholder Management
Microsoft Excel
Product Recall Strategy
Quality Assurance
Location