Materials Leader

Job Title: Manager, Material Sourcing

About the Role:

Our organization is seeking a proactive and collaborative Material Manager to lead a team focused on building strong partnerships with brand material development and product creation teams.

This role is responsible for driving material excellence across apparel categories by aligning development strategies with business goals, while owning supplier performance and relationships to optimize the material supply base.

The ideal candidate will bring strong industry knowledge, leadership experience, and a solution-oriented mindset to deliver innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.

Key Responsibilities:

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• Brand & Product Creation Partnership

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  • Act as the primary contact for brand material development and product creation teams.

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  • Ensure timely communication of material readiness, development status, and issue resolution.

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  • Support the execution of seasonal material briefs and ensure alignment with product timelines.

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• Supplier Relationship & Performance Management

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  • Manage supplier performance reviews using KPIs (quality, cost, delivery, innovation, sustainability).

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  • Drive continuous improvement plans and corrective actions with underperforming suppliers.

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  • Negotiate development priorities, lead times, and capacity planning with suppliers to support seasonal and long-term needs.

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• Material Development Management

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  • Oversee the development and commercialization of materials across assigned categories.

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  • Ensure materials meet technical specifications, compliance standards, and brand expectations.

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  • Ensure testing, approvals, and documentation in PLM systems.

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• Material Supply Optimization

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  • Monitor material lead times, sample order status, and delivery schedules.

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  • Collaborate with sourcing and planning teams to ensure material availability and mitigate risks.

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  • Support capacity planning and supplier allocation based on seasonal needs.

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• Sustainability & Innovation Support

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  • Assist in identifying and integrating sustainable materials into the development pipeline.

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  • Maintain awareness of new material technologies and supplier capabilities.

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• Team Leadership & Development

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  • Lead, mentor, and develop a team of material developers to ensure high performance, accountability, and continuous learning.

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  • Set clear goals, provide regular feedback, and support career development plans for team members.

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  • Foster a collaborative and inclusive team culture that encourages innovation and ownership.

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What We're Looking For:

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• Technical & Functional Expertise

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  • Material Knowledge: Deep understanding of textile construction, finishing, dyeing, and performance standards.

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  • Supplier Management: Skilled in managing global mill relationships, supplier scorecards, and performance improvement plans.

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  • Sustainability Expertise: Familiarity with sustainable materials, certifications (e.g., GRS, Bluesign, Oeko-Tex), and circular design principles.

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• Execution & Operational Focus

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  • Strong project management and organizational skills.

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  • Ability to manage multiple development timelines and deliverables.

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• Collaboration & Communication

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  • Cross-Functional Partnership: Proven ability to work across product creation, sourcing, planning, and brand teams.

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  • Influence & Negotiation: Strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills with both internal teams and external suppliers.

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  • Communication: Clear and persuasive communicator, capable of presenting to senior leadership and external partners.

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Our Expectations:

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• Strategic Leadership

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  • Understands and has ability to explain organization vision and strategic goals to the team, and how daily operations activities relate to achieving overall direction.

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  • Participates in planning and prioritization; identifies opportunities to improve effectiveness through cross-functional collaboration.

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• Growing People & Teams

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  • Supports employee performance and development through coaching and feedback.

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  • Encourages collaboration and shared learning to strengthen team performance.

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  • Leads by example, demonstrating continuous improvement and adaptability.

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• Driving Results

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  • Focuses on achieving objectives through execution against aligned processes and ways of working.

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  • Anticipates and prevents problems that could impact team performance.

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  • Proactively seeks solutions to solve problems effectively to maintain team performance.

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• Partnership

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  • Works effectively with peers and partners, provides constructive feedback to drive achievement of shared goals.

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  • Builds strong relationships and ensures clear, transparent communication within their teams and with stakeholders.

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  • Understands cross-functional goals that support team objectives and business outcomes.

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What You Can Expect From Us:

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• A purpose-led movement that enables us to have a positive impact on communities around the world.

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• Working with a diverse and sharp-minded team that works with an inclusive and global mindset because our differences are what make us stronger together.

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• Providing you with a best-in-class work environment, well-being policies, and workplace flexibility that is about helping you show up and lean into life with your whole self - emotionally, physically, and socially.

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