Head of Design | Premium Interiors Brand | London
The Client
We're partnering with a premium, design-led interiors brand with a strong reputation for creating beautifully considered furniture for modern workplaces. Combining thoughtful design with British manufacturing, the business has built a distinctive position in the market and is continuing to develop its product offering in response to changing customer needs.
With innovation and product quality at the heart of the business, they're now looking for a Head of Design to shape the next phase of their product portfolio. This is an opportunity to join a business where design has a genuine influence on commercial performance, with the chance to bring new ideas to market, explore new materials and manufacturing techniques, and help shape products that are both aesthetically strong and commercially successful.
The Role
As Head of Design, you'll lead the design and technical development function, taking ownership of the full New Product Development process from initial concept through to manufacture and launch. Working closely with the Managing Director, you'll turn ideas from the leadership team, customers and external designers into commercially viable products that meet the highest standards of quality, functionality, sustainability and aesthetics.
You'll lead and develop the Technical Design team while setting the product development strategy for the business. This means balancing the creative side of product design with the technical and commercial realities of manufacturing, working closely with Purchasing, Supply Chain, Production, Sales and Marketing to bring the right products to market.
It's a broad role with significant influence, suited to someone who enjoys moving between long-term product strategy, technical detail, people leadership and hands-on problem solving.
Key Duties
- Lead, mentor and develop the Technical Design team, creating a collaborative culture focused on innovation and continuous improvement
- Own the complete New Product Development programme, from initial concept, prototyping and testing through to manufacture and launch
- Translate ideas from the Managing Director, customers and external designers into commercially viable, manufacturable products
- Develop and maintain a strategic product roadmap aligned with the company's commercial objectives
- Review the existing product portfolio, identifying opportunities to improve, refresh or rationalise ranges
- Use sales performance, customer feedback, competitor activity and wider market trends to inform future product development
- Work closely with Purchasing, Supply Chain and manufacturing partners to identify new materials, manufacturing innovations, cost efficiencies and sustainable alternatives
- Coordinate NPD projects across Design, Purchasing, Sales, Production, Marketing and Customer Services, ensuring timelines, risks and communication are managed effectively
- Partner with Marketing and Creative on new product launches, including technical information, product collateral, photography, showroom presentation and product training
- Oversee bespoke and special product developments, ensuring solutions remain commercially viable while meeting the required design standards
- Develop best practice across the design and product development process, improving the efficiency and structure of NPD
- Build strong relationships with external designers, suppliers and manufacturing partners to support continued product innovation
What the Client Would Like to See
- Proven experience leading a product design or technical design team
- Strong experience within furniture manufacturing or a related manufacturing environment
- A thorough understanding of product development from initial concept through to manufacture
- Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, materials and production techniques
- A commercially minded approach, with the ability to balance design excellence with profitability
- Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple NPD projects simultaneously
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to work across multiple departments
- Experience working with external designers, suppliers and manufacturing partners
- CAD and technical drawing experience
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to use sales data and market trends to inform product decisions
What We Would Like to See
- Experience developing premium or design-led furniture products
- A genuine passion for product design, innovation and British manufacturing
- Experience introducing new materials, manufacturing techniques or sustainable alternatives into a product range
- Someone who is naturally curious and enjoys challenging conventional approaches while remaining commercially practical
- A track record of improving NPD processes and bringing greater structure to product development
- Someone who combines creative thinking with strong technical attention to detail
- A collaborative leader who can inspire a team while maintaining clear accountability and commercial focus
Start-date: ASAP
Location: London
Salary: £75,000-£85,000 + bonus
At Harmonic, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and assure you that every candidate will be thoughtfully considered for the roles we represent, without regard to race, religion, gender expression, disability, or sexual orientation.