Senior Manager, Advanced Concepts & Innovation

lululemon

Vancouver

On-site

CAD 167,000 - 220,000

Full time

6 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Extended health and dental benefits

Paid time off

Retirement plan matching

Employee discount

Fitness & yoga classes

Parenthood top-up

Job summary

lululemon seeks an Advanced Concepts Senior Manager to lead the Concept Creation team, translating design visions into prototyping and scalable production. You will supervise cross-functional work with Design, Research, Labs, and Materials to push new methods of make and athletic performance.

This role requires strategic thinking, strong communication, and a passion for groundbreaking product creation. You will champion digital transformation, mentor talent, and collaborate with executives to

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Apparel Product Design, Product Development, or a related field; advanced degree preferred or equivalent experience.
Minimum of 8+ years of experience in the performance apparel industry.
High profile communication and influencing skills, including the ability to interact and update leaders on status to ensure alignment.
Expert knowledge of apparel and sport bra design, construction, and manufacturing.
Proficient understanding of elite athlete product needs, design, construction, and product creation best practices and expertise in development time management with strong communication skills.
High profile athlete communication and ability to interact with key internal business stakeholders and partners.
Adjust to changing circumstances and adapt to ensure product creation excellence.
In-depth understanding of the innovation creation calendar dates and gates, with the ability to adjust direction based on compressed timelines/ Athlete and Business needs.
The ability to travel 30% of the time.
Hands on make experience.
Product Development or Technical Development experience.
Consumer and Athlete Insight experience.
Gerber, Browzewear, CLO3D, AI tools, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Apple Keynote.
A passion for pushing the boundaries of product creation and crafting of product to deliver world-class performance apparel.
Proven experience in leading high-performance teams and driving innovation and product creation.
Expertise in product creation, GTM processes, and a forward-thinking approach to bringing products to our global guests.
A deep understanding of athlete and guest needs and a commitment to crafting apparel that enhances performance.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
Experience in stakeholder management and the ability to level set expectations x-functionally within Product Innovation and with our Mainline partners.

Responsibilities

Drive Team Excellence: Lead and inspire the Advanced Concepts (AC) Concept Creation team within Product Innovation, setting the vision, goals, and clear processes that turn big ideas into reality.
Innovative Concept Creation Excellence: Expertise in apparel innovation creation, planning, and best practices that lead towards breakthrough products across various performance product categories that are tailored for our guests' and athletes' while obsessing over the details, while collaborating, ideating, and refining product construction, performance, fit, and aesthetic while leveraging our internal sampling team and innovation factory partners.
Product Creation Process: Lead the planning and detailed sequence of events that drives and facilitates decisions throughout the innovation creation process that encompasses ideation to final product delivery, ensuring excellence in performance, fit, function, and aesthetic intent is maintained without compromise.
Future-Proof the Concept Creation Process: Develop and test new product creation processes that elevate the team's capabilities, ensuring we remain ahead of the curve in performance design and creation.
Strategy: Shape and define the Concept Creation strategy for Advanced Concepts, driving the creation of high-performance apparel that reflects our brand ethos and pushes the boundaries of design.
Create Game-Changing Products: Take apparel concepts from design inception through to execution, ensuring they meet the highest standards of performance, quality, and style, worn by our athletes on the global stage.
Collaborative Problem-Solving: As an apparel creation expert, you will identify and provide innovative construction and fit solutions while delivering product of the highest quality for our guests and athletes to go beyond their potential. Working cross-functionally across teams consisting of Design, Research, Labs, Raw Materials, to ideate, refine, and evolve product concepts, always pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
Mentor and Build Talent: Foster a culture of creativity and growth, guiding your team to develop both their craft and leadership potential while building a stronger business within your area of expertise.
Lead Digital Transformation: Pioneering new ways of working, you will introduce end-to-end digital processes that encourage exploration and innovation within your team.
Innovate with AI: Be at the forefront of integrating AI into the product creation process, blending technology with creativity to deliver the next generation of performance apparel.
Shape the Future: Craft short- and long-term strategies that align with team goals, positioning Lululemon at the cutting edge of innovation in performance apparel.
Influence Leadership: Present your vision and progress to senior leadership, including executives and presidents, ensuring your strategy align with the brand's broader goals.