Job: The Bristol Weaving Mill Ltd. Sales & Design Manager | Maternity Cover Role

The Bristol Weaving Mill Ltd. Sales & Design Manager | Maternity Cover Role

Role to commence in March 2022 under a fixed-term contract, 35 hours per week.

Salary £21,000 per annum.

The Bristol Weaving Mill (BWM)  are looking for a creative and technically confident woven textile designer with product development and sales experience, and the ability to manage project timelines with meticulous attention to detail. The successful applicant will work to nurture and maintain client relationships through pro-active and responsive communication and design work. This role involves overseeing and managing sales, design, and manufacturing schedules for new and on-going projects.

Bristol Weaving Mill work across both fashion and interiors, designing, developing and manufacturing woven products and fabric for a variety of outcomes. End uses include, but are not limited to Ready to Wear and Couture Menswear and Womenswear fabrics, finished shawls and scarfs, interior drapery, tapestry panels, upholstery fabric and finished interior soft accessories and products such as throws, blankets and cushions.

From their largest commercial client to their smallest personal project, each of their client relationships is based on offering a service catered to their individual needs. Most of BWM customers seek not only the small-batch and locally managed production capabilities of the mill but are also looking to BWM to provide input and direction creatively, offering technical advice where necessary.

This job will involve working closely and strategically on sales, building upon the existing client relationships and establishing new ones. In particular, the role will involve management of key client accounts and overseeing commercial design and manufacturing of finished woven products for home interiors.

The successful applicant will need to be an excellent communicator and extremely organised with impeccable attention to detail and quality. As a designer, the ability to assume the aesthetic identity of a wide range of clients is essential. They should be able to handle multiple projects at once, while maintaining excellent communication with customers and colleagues. The ability to self-motivate and work independently as well as in a team is essential.A thorough grasp of the technical elements of weaving and woven fabrics is needed to support the design and administrative elements of this role. These skills are vital for accurate, relevant product development and the subsequent costings and prices for client projects, as well as enabling clear communication with the mill production team, suppliers, and subcontractors. A real passion for hand-weaving and woven design is essential for this opportunity to contribute to a small but growing creative business.

Bristol Weaving Mill Sales & Design Manager Maternity Cover Responsibilities

 Organisation & Project Management:

• Working directly with the Head of Product Development to organise and monitor production schedules and associated tasks, prioritising and problem solving where necessary.
• Working together with the Production Team at BWM and suppliers to determine critical paths for client projects.
• Together with the BWM Production Team, to oversee work being completed by existing BWM sub-contractors.
• Researching and implementing new supplier relationships when necessary.
• Maintain the systems and procedures which ensure efficient and consistent productivity standards in the mill, including project management schedules and project documents.
• Effectively communicating any changes to project critical paths to clients.

Design and Product Development:

• Align any personal design style with the BWM house style and successfully assume and amplify individual client aesthetics through design work.
• Work closely with clients to develop their design ideas through meetings, trend research, mood-boards, CADs and handloom samples.
• Hand-weave design samples for clients and overseeing other members of the BWM team to weave client samples.
• Design CADs for clients and projects using Pointcarre weave software and Photoshop, including simulations of products and fabric, and developing original peg-plans and weave structures for client sampling.
• Thorough and organised digital documentation of design developments including technical sheets, weave plans, and photographs with physical cuttings of design samples.

• Prepare designs for production including creating full product CADs, calculating yarn quantities required, creating product spec sheets and accurate production paperwork, in communication with BWM production team.
• Occasionally more general practical weaving tasks including warp winding, threading and reeding, as well as help with product finishing, cutting and labelling products, or mocking up sample products for client approval.
• Collate any new supplier information and research with particular focus on supply chain, traceability, product information, certifications and testing.

Client Sales & Market Growth:

• Handling customer inquiries for the mill, maintaining communications with existing and new clients remotely by phone, video chat and email.
• Initiating digital meetings and telephone calls with clients and meeting with existing and new clients in-house and at customer premises.
• Planning and organising of samples (yarn and cloth) to show customers.
• Updating clients on project progress throughout.
• Manage client accounts, including issuing Quotes, Order Confirmations and Invoicing.
• Research potential clients, nurture new relationships and secure new business, focusing on identifying clients who share similar values and market position to BWM.

Training is provided for operation of in-house looms and CAD software, but a thorough understanding of hand-weaving and woven construction, and previous experience with some weaving software is essential for the role.

COVID-19: BWM have followed all government guidelines and undertaken the necessary risk assessments and safety precautions with regards to limiting employees’ potential exposure to the Novel Coronavirus and will continue to update our practises as the situation progresses.

To apply please email your CV together with a covering letter and your digitalised portfolio in PDF format to juliet@bristolweavingmill.co.uk by 6pm on Monday 24th^th January 2022.