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
We currently operate as InteriorIcons.com, a leading online retailer of design-inspired furniture in the U.S. market, and are now rebranding to ICONS — expanding into new lifestyle categories such as footwear, handbags, jewellery, and apparel.
The Role
We’re hiring a Buying & Product Development Lead – Footwear to take full ownership of this category from concept to production, covering heels, sneakers, boots, loafers, and other core styles.
Most of your time will be spent on product development, design coordination, and project management — ensuring factories and freelancers deliver samples that accurately replicate the design intent, on time and to quality expectations.
You’ll also conduct structured product research, manage sourcing tasks, and work directly with suppliers and the CEO to bring high-quality footwear inspired by iconic designs 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 full development cycle from tech pack to final sample approval.
- Coordinate freelance designers to create accurate tech packs and CADs inspired by original silhouettes.
- Review lasts, uppers, outsoles, and materials to ensure the right fit, comfort, and construction.
- Oversee sampling rounds, feedback loops, and material selection, ensuring agreed timelines and specifications are met.
Project Management:
- Plan, track, and manage all projects in Asana, maintaining strict timelines with factories and freelancers.
- Follow up proactively and ensure suppliers meet deadlines.
Product Research:
- Identify bestselling and trending footwear designs through structured checklists and competitor analysis.
Sourcing:
- Identify and evaluate footwear factories via ImportGenius, trade fairs, and direct outreach.
Collaboration:
- Attend footwear trade fairs and occasional factory visits with the CEO during new supplier onboarding.
Who You Are
- Experience in footwear product development or buying for a Western brand or supplier.
- Solid understanding of materials, lasts, construction methods, and costing.
- Proven project management skills — able to coordinate multiple suppliers and freelancers to hit deadlines.
- Process-driven, data-oriented, and disciplined, comfortable with measurable KPIs (e.g. Time Doctor activity metrics).
- Excellent written communication and supplier-management 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 footwear product development, design, or buying for a Western brand or supplier?
- This is a hands-on, individual-contributor role. Are you happy to personally manage sampling, supplier communication, and design 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 hybrid role requires a few days per week in our Kensington office. Are you able to commute to Kensington on that schedule?
- Our selection process includes a short online assessment (approx. 50 minutes). Are you happy to complete this as part of your application?
Work Location: Hybrid remote in London W10 5AD
Application deadline: 09/11/2025
