Senior Manager Materials Development APP

We’ll never launch a product unless we consider it perfect. Our product development teams create every shirt, every shoe, and every piece of equipment for thousands of athletes and fashion lovers as if it was one of a kind. And it truly is, as they weave their passion into every single product. But translating designs, drawings and renderings into real products requires a lot of decision making.

As Senior Manager Material Development Apparel you are a key contributor in the apparel material development process by ensuring the end-to-end availability of materials (fabrics, trims, and prints), which support the strategic marketing & design direction to enable commercial success, including the selection of right materials according to calendar timelines, target prices, sourcing policy, and quality standards. You will lead and support the continuous improvement and evolvement of internal processes and new initiatives and represent the Materials Development Team on Management Level.

Key Responsibilities:

• Be the key contact and consultant for all material-related questions for all internal and global external interfaces.
• Lead all cross-functional and global external partner discussions related to materials topics, steer the material selection process and drive material consolidation to improve efficiency.
• Collaborate with internal and external interfaces such as Design, Creation Center Product Development, Material Sourcing, Quality, and Suppliers to identify strategic Material Management information needs and develop tools and reports that enable Product teams to make fact-based, faster material and product decisions.
• Ensure availability and accuracy of materials data in the internal administration system (technical data, cost, toolbox, lifecycle).
• Identify suitable sources for new materials and enable dual material developments according to sourcing strategy and in line with garment allocation, supporting LO sourcing on counter developments.
• Interact and guide Tier 2 suppliers (fabric mill and/or trim supplier) to translate the design vision into new, innovative materials that meet the commercial needs of the brand.
• Initiate and monitor all seasonal material developments and be responsible for initial material price negotiations and proto sampling yardage bookings with suppliers during the development stage.
• Invoice Handling and Management for fabric and proto development bookings.
• Ensure that all selected materials are tested and released by Materials Quality in accordance with applicable calendar timelines and quality standards.
• Color Management and Lab Dip Management with Tier 2 (fabric mill and/or trim supplier).
• Provide material-related risk management analysis by category and lead all activities on proactive risk management by taking relevant decisions on material/supplier changes.
• Cooperate with cross-functional teams to create a focused material toolbox and provide guidance on how to improve material efficiencies.
• Continuous improvement through regular consolidation and verification of the materials library for cross-functional communities, enforce material sharing where possible.
• Drive department internal process management and continuous improvement of all material development processes globally.
• Develop and execute regular reports of material management data focusing on material usage reports across our key material types and categories.
• Collaborate with horizontal teams and interact with relevant IT owners to ensure alignment between systems and process needs.
• Create, maintain, and communicate Material relevant timelines. Ensure representation of Materials key milestones in Product Creation Calendars.
• Represent the Materials team in cross-functional initiatives and projects.
• Establish and provide the latest information/research on material trends to the respective Business Units/categories also by gathering input from internal stakeholders, fairs, supplier meetings, apparel material show, etc.
• Responsible for working with horizontal teams to translate the innovation and sustainable concepts to Business plans in Business units.

Manage up to two team members by providing clear direction/targets and creating a motivational and supportive work environment in which employees are coached, trained, and provided with career opportunities through development.

Key Relationships:

• Marketing
• Design & Global External Partners
• Sourcing (incl. Quality)
• Product Operations (Product Development, Sustainability and Materials, Advanced Creation, Planning, Costing)
• Suppliers Tier 2 (fabric and/or trim supplier)
• Creation Center in Asia and North America
• IT

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent communication and presentation skills to internal and global external partners, to small and large audiences
• Excellent influencing skills and solution-oriented mindset
• Advanced knowledge of the apparel creation process, identify and call out material-related issues and offer alternatives to parties involved
• Ability to manage multiple calendars and timelines simultaneously
• Enhanced planning and organization skills, ability to multi-tasking
• Ability to work with people at all hierarchy levels in an organization
• Experience in working with multiple stakeholders and global external partners
• Ability to projects and implement changes at a global level
• English language proficiency required
• Strong IT skills (e-mail, MS office), ability to work with internal material database and reporting tool, preferably first experience in 3D creation process
• Business travel
• Continuous learning/growth mindset

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• College/university degree or comparable degree/education in textile engineering or related field
• At least 4 years of relevant work experience in material development or associated field
• At least 4 years of relevant experience in working with brand partnerships/collaborations