Job Title:Product Technologist – Socks & Hosiery (Ladies, Men's, Children's)Reports To:Quality ManagerTeam:Ladies EssentialsLocation:DublinJob Type:12-month fixed term contractPurpose of the RoleTo ensure any product developed and supplied to Primark complies with international Quality Assurance Standards & Regulations. To work alongside buying teams, suppliers and key stakeholders to establish and maintain best practise and to meet the Primark customer's expectations.Duties & ResponsibilitiesProduct and ProcessUnderstand and support delivery of the Primark Departmental and Quality strategy to deliver the customer promise.Demonstrate strong technical expertise to deliver quality products that are safe, legal and fit for purpose.Demonstrate proven experience developing ladies, men's, children's including baby categories across socks and hosiery.Possess deep technical knowledge of socks and hosiery product construction, and fit.Apply strong commercial awareness to develop socks and hosiery products at entry, mid, and exit price points, understanding the requirements and differences between each.Partner with Buying and Design to interpret creative direction into commercially viable, well-constructed, safe and compliant products for all our retail markets.Provide innovative, solution-oriented approaches to product development challenges while maintaining quality, cost, compliance and speed to market.Demonstrate a strong understanding of testing standards and an ability to commercially evaluate testing. Including knowledge for children's testing and safety requirements.Responsible for ensuring all products signed off meet the relevant quality and compliance requirements.Adheres to Best Practice ways of working, focusing on Risk Assessment Review / Black Seal / Gold Seal approval.Quality benchmarking of Primark and key competitors for fit, quality and performance.Working alongside the Primark Compliance team to ensure the Primark Quality Standards are in line with industry standards (Value/Volume retail).Demonstrates an understanding of the legal requirements for socks and hosiery products including the substantiation of claims.Supports and resolves quality issues in a timely manner with clear solutions and communication to all relevant stakeholders.Evaluating risk and ability to make commercial recommendations on quality priorities in a volume environment.Monitors the Returns Report to identify high returning styles/products at store level, working with the supply base and offshore team to resolve and improve future deliveries.Identifies risk suppliers/product for Pre-shipment and CFS inspection.Aware of emerging trends, innovations and legal requirements to proactively support product development.Liaise with retail teams to understand and interpret customer feedback on quality issues.Manage the customer complaints providing support to Quality Manager – conducting investigative process to a resolution.SuppliersThrough reporting (portal testing, store visits, pre-shipment inspections, returns and CFS reports) identify quality issues within the supply base and work with the buying teams and the Quality Manager to support solutions.In partnership with the buying teams and Quality Manager participate in supplier meetings to drive the quality agenda.Maintain regular updates to the supply base on Primark quality standards.Engage with Sourcing and Ethical teams to understand supplier performance.Identify opportunities where process efficiencies can be developed and drive cost savingsCommunication and InfluenceThrough regular, timely and robust communication promote and represent Quality Assurance within the department, facilitating a culture of continuous improvement.Works with the Quality Manager on the strategy for the socks and hosiery teams.Through training and engagement with Buying and Suppliers, improve the sampling hit rate and support innovation.Supports and delivers departmental updates and presentations both internally and externally.Attends allocated department meetings representing Quality Assurance.Demonstrates ability to influence Buyers, Heads of and Directors with their decision-making regarding quality standards.Working With Others / Leading And Managing OthersCoaches' others to identify their skills, abilities and development areas and aligns these to stretching and challenging development activities while maintaining motivation.Conducts regular, open discussions with direct reports about their strengths and development areas, facilitating an understanding of performance expectations and the creation of formal development plans.Facilitates team decision making, consistency and fairness when working with others.Actively seeks out stretching opportunities to support own development.Provides training in best practice for sample approval to QA, buying teams and suppliers.Work in collaboration with the offshore Quality Team and buying on CFS rejections.Our fashion isn't one-size-fits-all and neither is our culture. Primark promotes equal employment opportunity, we strive to create an inclusive workplace where people can be themselves, access opportunities and thrive together.REQ ID:JR-555