Fourth Floor Looking for MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER at Costa Mesa, California Full Time

A popular clothing company in Costa Mesa is looking for a Materials Development Manager to join their team!

What you’ll do:

Strategy & Innovation

• Drive the multi-season material development process with a focus on sustainability, brand cohesiveness, trend identification, function and performance attributes, quality, cost and the ability to commercialize.
• Implement a costing framework that meets the needs of internal stakeholders in Merchandising and Design while maximizing the goals of the business.
• Maintain a forward-looking innovation pipeline that anticipates the needs of the target customer, changes in trend and new developments in technology.
• Build the material sourcing strategy while collaborating with Material Planning to minimize liability risk and maximize efficiencies across genders, brands and suppliers.

Operations & Results

• Track and execute seasonal material development calendars, ensuring materials are confirmed prior to any booking and mitigate any risks to meeting key delivery dates.
• Partner with Merchandising and Development to ensure quality execution, assist in costing negotiations to achieve margin goals of the business.
• Continuously identify opportunities for improved innovation, sustainability, quality, cost reduction and production efficiency from season to season.
• Maintain a fabric/trim library as well as the database for all confirmed materials with a focus on accuracy of pricing, and testing results that meet compliance requirements.
• Maintain the vendor testing manual and ensure all suppliers complete profile requirements and compliance forms as well as an up-to-date checklist of all legal requirements.
• Develop the global labeling strategy that meets the compliance requirements for each region and/or retailer.
• Partner with Material Planning on any bulk production quality issues and identify chargeback violations on behalf of material suppliers
• Provide key input to the Merchandising, Development and Design teams during pre and post season line reviews.

Leadership & Relationship Management

• Effectively communicate and follow-up with internal and external constituents in offices around the world including internal stakeholders, material suppliers, and licensors where relevant.
• Manage and identify risks in supplier relationships, opportunities to leverage existing business or the need to bring on new suppliers.
• Coordinate supplier meetings for material submits and prepare educational material to assist in the design creation, assortment planning and the sell-in processes.

What you’ll need:

• Bachelor’s degree in textile engineering, materials or related field preferred or combination of education and experience.
• Minimum 5+ years’ experience in material development and innovation in performance apparel, knowledge of fabric/garment production process, mechanical and chemical treatments.
• Proven track record to commercialize and implement an effective material sourcing strategy while building an innovation pipeline that anticipates future needs of technology, sustainability, quality, cost and delivery.
• Should have a strong understanding of the performance apparel supply chain, experience in negotiations, and the ability to work cross-functionally internally and globally.
• Highly organized and attentive to detail with the ability to independently manage a material development calendar and provide input to streamline processes.
• Extensive experience working with various material suppliers and ability to travel internationally.