Job Title: Lead – Footwear Materials
As the Lead for Footwear Materials, you will be instrumental in executing the global performance materials strategy and advancing material technology in alignment with the company's vision. This role involves overseeing material creation, advanced development, and technical execution while collaborating with various functions to support performance, sustainability, and high-performance product objectives. You will report to the Footwear Materials Team Lead and manage material development projects across multiple seasons. Your collaboration with Design, Development, Product Management, and Sustainability teams will be crucial. Depending on the project scope, you may also mentor junior specialists and guide cross-functional partners in delivering material solutions from concept to production.
Your Mission
- Define, develop, and lead the creation and strategic sourcing of technical, high-performance materials following design briefs, product roadmaps, timelines, sourcing policies, and sustainability requirements.
- Establish and manage material availability standards, sourcing policies, and quality assurance processes to support target pricing and adherence to program timelines across the supply chain.
- Lead material development workstreams within assigned projects, ensuring alignment with program objectives across multiple product seasons.
- Drive and report on material-specific targets in accordance with the company sustainability roadmap, ensuring compliance and fostering continuous improvement.
- Create and maintain material and component specifications, color applications, and related documentation using Adobe Illustrator and PLM systems, while promoting best practices within the team.
- Manage the material lifecycle, ensuring that all materials undergo thorough testing, approval, and ongoing enhancement by leveraging expertise in yarns, material structures, and polymers.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with T2 material suppliers and T1 factory teams to enhance material development, quality, and process improvements.
- Contribute to the development and maintenance of the material library and tools used across the product creation team to support both inline and special projects.
- Support the implementation of next-generation material performance initiatives and achievement of material-specific sustainability targets as outlined in the company roadmap, ensuring compliance and fostering continuous improvement.
- Collaborate across functions with internal teams — Design, Product Development, Product Management, Innovation, Sustainability, and Testing — across regions (EU/NAM/ASIA) to ensure alignment and successful execution of material initiatives.
Your Profile
- Bachelor’s degree (minimum) in Footwear Textile Sciences, Textile Engineering/Technology, or a related field; Master's degree or equivalent experience preferred.
- 8+ years of experience in performance footwear material development, including collaboration with Asia-based suppliers and factories.
- Extensive global travel experience to T2 material suppliers and T1 factories for material creation, development, and sourcing.
- Proven experience managing cross-functional material development projects from concept to production.
- Strong passion for footwear design and technology, with in-depth knowledge of performance materials, construction methods, and industry trends.
- Track record of driving innovation in performance materials, managing multiple seasons of product development successfully.
- Exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to create well-structured presentations and long-term planning documents.
- Deep understanding of footwear industry processes, with the capacity to work independently while effectively collaborating and mentoring colleagues.
- Strong collaborative skills and experience engaging with diverse stakeholders, complemented by excellent verbal and written communication abilities.
- Able to balance creativity with organization and discipline, thriving in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
- Demonstrated ability to navigate significant change, embracing an entrepreneurial mindset and a solution-oriented approach to complex challenges.
Your Team
The Footwear Materials team is dedicated to developing and delivering the company's sustainability strategy for footwear materials. This team conducts research, defines material strategies, and supports projects that drive the advancement of more sustainable materials, products, and processes. Collaborating closely with cross-functional partners, the team embeds material sustainability priorities into footwear creation, with a strong focus on effective communication and knowledge sharing. As a Lead, you will play a vital role in supporting the team’s development and promoting effective collaboration across the global footwear creation organization.
Apply online using the form below. Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.