Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

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 Manager Materials Strategy you are a key contributor in the product creation process by ensuring the end-to-end availability of innovative materials which support the strategic marketing & design direction for enabling commercial success within a specific Business Unit (BU). The selection of materials has to be made in alignment with various stakeholders and attending different operational aspects such as calendar timelines, target prices, sourcing policy and quality standards among others. In this role you will act as an integral part of the BU, setting direction for Materials Development while at the same time representing Global Materials Creation in BU-specific projects and decisions. You will also actively communicate to material suppliers, and you will support the definition and presentation of the seasonal Materials Strategy on behalf of the BU. 

Key Responsibilities:  

• Under the guidance of the Senior Manager Materials Strategy, provide consultancy and assist on all material-related questions from Product Development, Marketing and Design.
• Steer the material selection process by coordinating regular cross-functional meetings within the BU to facilitate discussions around materials.
• Inform Materials Development through the creation of sharp Material Briefs which accurately capture the needs of the BU around specific materials and products.
• Support the creation of a seasonal Materials Strategy for the BU, presenting it to material suppliers and to all relevant internal stakeholders.
• Stay informed on ongoing seasonal material developments and provide guidance to Materials Development when requested.
• Support material consolidation efforts within the BU and seek for adherence to the efficiency targets set by Global Materials Creation.
• Support the development of tools and reports that can help the BU Product Creation teams on making fact-based and faster decisions around materials.
• Provide material risk management analysis for the BU upon request. Collaborate with Materials Development and Materials Sourcing to ensure alignment on allocation decisions for development and mass production of materials.
• Seek for continuous improvement through regular exchanges with the extended Materials Strategy community. Identify possible synergies across BUs and enforce knowhow sharing around materials where possible.
• Collaborate with Materials Data & Infrastructure on analyzing relevant reports of material management data. Ensure proper follow-up within the BU.  
• Create, maintain, and communicate Material relevant timelines. Ensure representation of Materials key milestones in Product Creation Calendars.
• Represent the point of view of the BU in cross-functional initiatives and projects around materials.
• Collaborate with Materials Innovation on implementing a business plan for launching new, innovative materials and/or technologies in full alignment with the BU commercial needs.

Key Relationships:  

• Materials Development
• Materials Innovation
• Materials Sourcing
• Product Development
• Product Marketing
• Product Design
• Planning
• Costing
• Suppliers Tier 1 and Tier 2 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Excellent communication, presentation and influencing skills.
• Solution-oriented mindset.
• Solid understanding of material properties and production processes.
• Basic understanding of the product creation process and T1 supplier landscape.
• Good organizational skills.
• Ability to work with people across different functions of an organization.
• English language proficiency.
• Ability to work with MS Office.
• Ability to work with internal material data base and reporting tool.
• Continuous learning/growth mindset

 Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications: 

• College/ university degree or comparable degree/education in engineering, preferably in materials engineering, chemical engineering, textile engineering or other related field (synthetics, films, knits, injected materials, etc.)
• Alternatively, combination of relevant education, experience, and training 
• Minimum of 2 years work experience in the footwear, apparel or relevant material industry.
• Previous experience in material development or product development is a plus.