ABOUT YOUR ROLE:
We are looking for a proactive and collaborative Manager, Trims & Material Operations, to lead the integrated trims and material operations agenda for Apparel Materials. This role combines trims category leadership with operational governance across fabrics and trims, and co-creates strategy, standards and ways of working with the wider Materials Sourcing team. The ideal candidate will bring strong trims and supplier knowledge, leadership experience, and a data-driven, solution-oriented mindset to deliver reliable development, consistent processes and measurable improvement.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE:
Trims Strategy & Brand Partnership
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Act as the primary trims contact for brand material development and product creation teams, providing a streamlined interface across Apparel Materials.
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Translate seasonal product needs into trims category, supplier, development, and operational priorities.
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Ensure timely visibility of trims readiness, development status, risks, and resolution plans across key product milestones.
Trims Development & Commercialization
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Oversee commercialization progress across the full trims portfolio, and support where needed, e.g., testing and supplier coordination.
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Ensure trims meet aesthetic, technical, quality, compliance, sustainability, cost, and timing requirements.
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Establish clear development standards, approval discipline, documentation, and system readiness across the trims portfolio.
Supplier Management & Performance
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Act as a working-level contact for trims suppliers and track supplier KPIs, including quality, cost, delivery, service, innovation, sustainability, and risk.
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Follow up on corrective actions and support supplier performance reviews and improvement plans.
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Support negotiation preparation and supplier onboarding.
Material Operations Leadership
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Own the operating rhythm for Apparel Materials KPI governance, including data integrity, process adherence, and leadership reporting across fabrics and trims.
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Co-create and standardize operating processes, roles, decision rights, tools, dashboards, and reporting to support one Apparel Materials way of working.
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Ensure accurate and timely tracking of development milestones, sample readiness, SMS and proto performance, Buy Ready status, and agreed service levels.
Systems, Data & Process Excellence
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Oversee the quality and use of operational tools and data sources, including Airtable, Trueview, PLM/Flex, scorecards, trackers, and dashboards.
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Partner with teams to simplify workflows, reduce manual work, strengthen data discipline, and improve decision support.
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Lead root-cause reviews and improvement plans where performance, process adherence, or data quality falls below expectation.
Cross-Functional Risk & Decision Making
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Partner with Sourcing, Material Development, Material Quality, Planning, Costing, Material Library, and product teams to resolve risks and maintain service continuity.
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Surface capacity, lead-time, quality, compliance, cost, and supplier risks early, with clear owners and mitigation actions; balance cost, speed, and quality.
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Convert complex data and issues into clear decisions and recommendations.
Team Leadership & Capability Building
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Lead, coach, and develop team members with clear goals, accountability, feedback, and development plans.
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Build trims domain capability and operational excellence across the broader Apparel Materials team.
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Foster an inclusive, collaborative culture focused on ownership, transparency, and continuous improvement.
WHAT WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR IN YOU:
Technical & Functional Expertise
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Trims Knowledge: Strong knowledge of apparel trims, construction, manufacturing processes, testing, quality standards, and commercialization.
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Supplier Management: Skilled in managing trims supplier performance scorecards, cost and lead-time levers, capacity, risk, and improvement plans.
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Systems & Data: Strong understanding of material development milestones, PLM and workflow tools, operational KPIs, and data governance.
Execution & Operational Focus
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Strong program and project management skills with disciplined follow-through.
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Comfort working across multiple seasons, categories, suppliers, and changing priorities.
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Data-oriented, solution-focused, and committed to process adherence and measurable improvement.
Collaboration & Communication
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Cross-Functional Partnership: Strong partnership skills across brand, product creation, sourcing, planning, quality, costing, library, and suppliers.
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Influence & Negotiation: Strong negotiation, facilitation, and issue-resolution skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and external partners.
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Communication: Clear, concise communicator who can turn complex operational data into recommendations.
Leadership & People Management
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Team Leadership: Ability to lead, coach, and develop a team.
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Change Leadership: Ability to lead teams through organizational and process change while maintaining service levels.
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Decision-Making: Sound judgement in balancing quality, cost, speed, sustainability, and supply risk.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US:
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Being a part of a movement that is Purpose led which enables us to have a positive impact on communities around the world, it gives greater meaning to the work we do.
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Working with a team of diverse and sharp minds that work with an inclusive and global mindset because our differences are what make us stronger together.
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Providing you with the best in class, work environment, well-being policies and work place flexibility that is about helping you show up and lean into life with your whole self – emotionally, physically and socially.
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