Technical & Quality Assistant.
To ensure that quality, ethical and legal standards are met on all products and that align to our group sustainability requirements.
Responsibilities.
• Reviewing technical development processes and systems to improve efficiency and accuracy
• Providing technical support to the design and customer service teams ensuring fabrics/wallpapers and paints meet the required standards.
• Understand what test requirements are needed for different end uses and carry out as applicable
• Make decisions on ‘next step’ if any fabrics fail FR or any other test parameters - Liaise with the Designers to ensure that designs are adapted to suit application/production methods
• Test and provide support certification/documentation for National Accounts, Contract Orders and Specials as and when requested by the relevant Sales Department.
• Management of all required testing (base and bulk testing), new designs/fabrics/collections, capturing all result in the relevant databases.
• To request technical information from Suppliers and ensure this is complete and accurate and in a timely manner.
• Supports the product lifecycle and sustainability goals of the business, playing a key role in ensuring our products meet all the required certification and accreditation (Sustainability, Carbon Reduction, Eco Friendly, FR treatments, Packaging (if new mill).
• Request and analyse the physical test samples where needed and upload into relevant databases and when required and suggest necessary course of action.
• Setup & Maintenance of technical information within Mertex (i.e Usage / Care / FR Finishes etc)
• Usage Code, Care Code, Finished FR code and Tariff code assignment to both fabrics and wall coverings.
• Check the technical details provided by suppliers and input all technical data into launch file or equivalent system.
• Keeping up to date with relevant legislation.
• Be up to date with FR treatment methodologies, share with relevant departments and train relevant colleagues.
• Due diligence execution, re-testing in accordance with set time frames across the group.
• If required by the technical customer service advisor physically inspect fabric and wallpaper in response to technical complaints (re-test if needed).
• Support the Customer Services and/or Sales teams by providing product and technical training resulting in first time query resolution, resolving complaints and warranty issues.
• Promote the sharing of knowledge, resulting in all having access to always required information at their fingertips.
• Responsible for completing all relevant assessment and testing forms on new developments.
• Following the stage gate process and ensuring the collections do not fall behind for technical reasons, follow critical paths, keeping to all deadlines, indicating any risks and potential changes needed.
• Make decision on whether products/collections are suitable for contract end use.
• Ensure all published material is technically accurate by supporting the Commercial and Patterning Teams. Proofreading technical content of published and promotional material ie. Sample Labels, strip tickets, price list content, pattern book indices, contract card tech info (where applicable) marketing campaign material. Creating and updating FR, Care and Usage Technical information tables or inserts for marketing and commercial use.
• Assessment of risk on all fabrics, dependent on recommended application, support the development of products improving quality and fit for purpose, re-test if needed.
• Approval of bulk shipment samples prior to shipments for patterning and bulk.
• Check centres for all fabrics and trims for all wallcoverings (with design where applicable) and work with mills to resolve any issues.
• Wallpaper collections (where applicable) - approve packaging labels, check trim, repeats and match info, arrange any testing and carry out QC checks on samples and bulk.
• Support the master’s process and procedures as required.
• Undertake any ad-hoc projects as defined by Quality & Technical Manager.
• To carry out all other reasonable duties as required.
• To comply with all health and safety requirements, including behavioural, always leading by example.
Process Management.
• Ensure that all processes are executed in an efficient and speedy manner. This to be carried out to meet all requirements and in a method, which is cost effective, providing a comprehensive and efficient service.
• Implement the most efficient work practices, aiming for zero errors, nil waste, no double handling, through regularly reviewing current process and scenarios, highlighting any areas of concern, suggesting improvements where necessary.
• Reduce level of manual intervention by leveraging existing applications to automate routine activities.
• Constantly aiming for the highest standards of quality and efficiency through a thorough understanding of the industry, latest technical requirements and process review.
• Ensure all data is maintained and accurate in the systems utilised by the company.
• Assess performance constantly identifying and sharing success factors, identifying bottlenecks, execute root cause analysis, propose improvements.
Measures of Success.
• Using substrates fit for purpose to avoid wastage sampling
• Contributing to group sustainability initiatives from product development
• Reduction of complaints by ensuring products are tested and meet expected standards from launch (Standard Performance Table)
• Reduce complaints/increase brand perception as a quality supplier through improvement projects on base cloths/targeted improvement projects
Skills & Experience.
• Extensive Knowledge of Textiles and testing requirements
• Organisational, Problem-solving skills
• Knowledge of production methods
• Understanding of textile properties
• Exceptional communication, organisation and prioritisation skills
• Able to interpret test results and make decisions based on the results
Behaviours.
• Customer Focus: always putting the customer at the heart of all decisions, and live the customer journey.
• Respect and accountability; always demonstrating respect for colleagues and customers, and taking responsibility for own actions through a ‘no blame’ culture.
• Communication; seeking to share knowledge and enthusiasm through maintaining an open and honest communication with all colleagues and customers. Effective in listening and critical reasoning. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Innovation; proactively welcome new opportunities and share ideas. Constantly working towards improving practices and systems, identify potential areas for improvement.
• Consistent: demonstrating a high standard in all work, always working efficiently, using best practice to drive results.
• Attention to Detail; Accomplishing tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how small; showing concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes and tasks; being watchful over a period of time.
• Organised; Organises and schedules time, activities and resources, plans time and milestones effectively, using appropriate tools.
• Analytical; ability to analyse issues and break them down into their component parts. Carries out diagnosis and develops solutions, and makes systematic and rational judgements, based on relevant information.
• Commercial Acumen; Awareness of how our business operates and an understanding of our peers. Ability to understand the commercial drivers, financial variables related to the role.
About Us.
Sanderson Design Group is an international luxury interior furnishings company that designs, manufactures and markets wallpapers and fabrics together with a wide range of ancillary interior products.
In 2020, we brought our portfolio of brands home to Sanderson Design Group, evoking the combined longevity and prodigious creative history of our brands. Sanderson Design Group describes the ebullience of our past endeavours. It sketches the outline of our future. A collective of quintessentially British luxury interior brands and 2 manufacturing brands, at Sanderson Design Group we are Sanderson, Morris & Co., Zoffany, Harlequin, Clarke & Clarke, Scion, Anstey Wallpaper Company and Standfast & Barracks.
Our purpose is "To bring the Beautiful into People’s Homes and Lives". This has defined and shaped our brands since our very earliest days. The oldest brand in our arsenal, from where we derive the namesake of our group, begun life in 1860, as an importer of fine French wallpapers to London. Arthur Sanderson & Sons Ltd played a pivotal role in defining English interior decoration tastes and its early success led to displaying designs at London’s finest showroom, at Berners Street. Around this time in 1924, Arthur Sanderson & Sons Ltd were awarded The Royal Warrant, becoming “purveyors of wallpaper and paint” to the court of George V.
We recognise that each one of our brands contributes a unique chapter to our story. It is why we represent the full spectrum of British interior design, catering from cutting-edge sleek modern styles, to the hearty warmth of traditional forms.
Our decision to rebrand as Sanderson Design Group in 2020 is our way of paying homage to our rich history, as well as marking our path towards a new future. As custodians of over 160 years of design experience, we are proud to Bring the Beautiful into People’s Homes and Lives. We are Sanderson Design Group.