About ICONS
At ICONS, we make iconic design accessible to everyone — delivering original-quality products inspired by the world’s most celebrated designs, at radically lower prices.
We’re a lean, data-driven, and highly productive team guided by seven core values:
Keep it Simple · Do Less but Better · Data-Driven · Process-Oriented · Productive · Inspiration over Invention · Frugality
The Role
We’re hiring a Buying & Product Development Lead – Leather Goods (Handbags) to take full ownership of this new category from concept to production.
Most of your time will be spent on product development, design coordination, and project management — ensuring suppliers and freelancers deliver accurate samples on time and to the right standard.
You’ll also conduct structured product research, manage sourcing tasks, and work directly with factories, freelancers, and the CEO to bring high-quality replicas of iconic handbags to market quickly and efficiently.
This is a hands-on, individual-contributor role (no team management) for someone who is structured, precise, and thrives in a process-driven environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Product Development & Design (main focus):
- Manage the end-to-end development process from tech packs to final samples.
- Coordinate designers and freelancers to produce renders and patterns (inspired by the originals).
- Oversee sampling, materials, and feedback loops, ensuring deadlines are met.
- Project Management:
- Plan, track, and manage all tasks in Asana, maintaining strict deadlines with factories and freelancers.
- Monitor timelines, follow up daily where needed, and ensure all suppliers deliver to agreed schedules.
- Product Research: Identify bestselling and trending handbag designs using structured checklists and competitor analysis.
- Sourcing: Identify and evaluate factories via ImportGenius, trade fairs, and direct outreach.
- Collaboration: Attend trade fairs and occasional factory visits with the CEO during new supplier onboarding.
Who You Are
- Experience in handbag or leather-goods product development for a Western brand or supplier.
- Proven project management skills — able to coordinate multiple suppliers and freelancers to hit deadlines.
- Strong understanding of materials, construction, and costing.
- Process-driven, data-oriented, and disciplined, comfortable with measurable KPIs (e.g., Time Doctor activity metrics).
- Excellent written communication and follow-up discipline.
- Confident working independently within a lean, high-performance culture.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary (£50–60K) with clear performance metrics.
- Opportunity to build a new category within a fast-scaling global e-commerce brand.
- Hybrid structure: Kensington office + remote flexibility.
Application Deadline: 9 November 2025
Recruitment Timeline: 4+ weeks · Video interviews mid-November · Final interviews late November · Start date January 2026 (flexible)
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £50,000.00-£60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Employee discount
- Work from home
Application question(s):
- How many years of experience do you have in leather-goods or handbag product development for a Western brand or supplier?
- This is a hands-on, individual-contributor role. Are you happy to personally manage sampling, supplier communication, and tech-pack coordination without a team?
- We use structured tools (Asana, Process Street, Time Doctor) to manage workflows and measure productivity. Are you comfortable working in a process-driven, data-measured environment?
- This role is hybrid, requiring a few days per week in our Kensington office. Are you able to commute to Kensington on that schedule?
- Our selection process includes short online assessments (approx. 50 minutes total). Are you happy to complete these as part of your application?
Work Location: Hybrid remote in London W10 5AD
Application deadline: 09/11/2025
