Sr. Materials Innovation Manager – Advanced Concepts

ARC'TERYX; North Vancouver; On-site; CAD 126,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellbeing

Financial wellbeing

Time & flexibility

Family support

Growth and community

Job summary

ARC’TERYX in North Vancouver seeks a Sr. Materials Innovation Manager – Advanced Concepts who leads the advanced materials development, delivering industry-leading textile platforms and guiding the AC Materials team.

You will manage partnerships, budgets, and cross-functional collaboration with research, sourcing, design and manufacturing to bring breakthrough materials to market while ensuring scalable processes and IP protection.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in textile engineering, materials science, fiber science, polymer science or related field.
• 10+ years’ experience in product or material/trim development for apparel, footwear or outdoor industries.
• Experience mentoring and developing people and teams.
• Experience initiating and integrating external partnerships.
• Strong understanding of product creation process, technology transfer, supply chain, commercialization, and specialization in technical textiles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the advanced materials development function and drive textile technology platforms.
• Collaborate with AC designers, engineers, scientists, and researchers to deliver innovative products and systems.
• Manage budget, proposals, and tracking; support governance and program execution.
• Partner with external organizations to access and develop exclusive materials and technologies.
• Develop IP strategies and frameworks; maintain robust testing methods and standards.
• Build and mentor the AC Materials team; manage contractors or full-time staff.

Education

Advanced degree in textile engineering, materials science, fiber science, polymer science or related field

Tools

PLM

ERP

Centric

ENOVIA

SAP

Job description

Your Opportunity at ARC’TERYX:

As the Sr. Materials Innovation Manager – Advanced Concepts, you lead the advanced materials development function, creating industry-leading textile technology platforms and collaborating with the other Advanced Concepts (AC) designers, engineers, scientists and researchers to deliver ground-breaking and revolutionary products, projects and/or systems. The role also acts as the main catalyst for operational improvement (process, ways of working, frameworks), people-management and development of the AC Materials team’s capabilities internally & externally.

This role is based out of our North Vancouver office and is expected to be performed on-location.

Meet Your Future Team:

The Advanced Concepts team drives breakthrough innovation in snow, trail and climb for the mountain athlete everywhere. Fueled by curiosity, we take a holistic approach to identifying future needs and tangible solutions across advanced materials, products, technologies, and experiences. We are a team of builders, problem solvers and outdoor enthusiasts. Our in-house end-to-end capabilities in research, engineering, design, development, digital and validation allow us to innovate head-to-toe solutions that bring the coast mountain experience to the world. Our unique methodology, mindset of sustainability and fanatic passion for product are at the heart of what we do.

• Inventing, developing and commercializing best-in-class materials/trims that address functional problems; durability, performance, circularity, and impact for AC projects
• Initiating, building and strengthening external partnerships to execute, access, and invent unique and exclusive materials and technologies for the brand
• Creating and supporting a robust Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio of material technologies
• Leading the creation & implementation of legal frameworks, such as bespoke joint development agreements, to enable and protect development work
• Researching early-stage and emerging material technologies, while maintaining a detailed understanding of the commercially available (and competitor) landscape
• Transferring technologies developed within the Advanced Concepts team to supply chain partners, while working on continuous process improvement for internal adoption, including technology guidelines, documentation, and establishing new material category testing methods & standards
• Championing AC projects and concepts alongside Innovation Management to ensure on-track progress, accurate status updates/reporting, and delivery
• Managing contractors and/or full time employees to develop a talent pipeline in addition to building the team’s capabilities/expertise
• Establishing oneself as an expert in particular material type(s), consulting and constructing near-to-long term material technology strategies, as well as act as a generalist who can adapt and deliver according to evolving needs and demands
• Support with budgeting, proposals, and tracking
• Collaborating on the Advanced Concepts’ innovation pipeline, while aligning on priorities across Raw Materials Development, Sourcing, Quality, Design and Merchandising teams
• Customizing, designing and/or evaluating in-house laboratory material testing, 3rd-party testing, and on-human/field testing to drive key development decisions and build messaging around new technologies in preparation for product launch

Are you our next Sr. Materials Innovation Manager – Advanced Concepts?

• You have an advanced degree in textile engineering, materials science, fiber science, polymer science or a related field
• You have 10+ years’ experience in product or material/trim development for the apparel, footwear, sporting goods, outdoor, personal protective equipment or adjacent industries - creating proprietary, exclusive, and bespoke material technologies for a commercial brand
• You have managed, mentored, and developed people and teams
• You have experience initiating and integrating new partnerships from outside of an established supply chain, or even outside of the industry
• You have a strong understanding of the product creation process, technology transfer, supply chain, commercialization, and you have a specialization in technical textiles, natural and synthetic fibers
• You have experience travelling and working directly with research institutions, machinery manufacturers, mills/suppliers, material fabricators, technology providers and factories in global locations domestically and overseas
• You are comfortable working with laboratory test equipment and/or interpreting and analyzing data
• You are an effective and empathetic public speaker, communicator and presenter—able to explain complex concepts to a wide audience
• You have experience using PLM, ERP or other product/BOM creation systems (such as Centric, ENOVIA, SAP, etc.)
• You are a problem-solver with a high degree of self-drive and optimism
• You are detail-oriented and follow-through on commitments to do what is right, and you strive for continuous improvement
• You remain highly flexible and adaptable when faced with ambiguity
• You effectively balance autonomy and collaboration
• Your passion for your work is paralleled by your passion for getting outside and living it

Compensation:

The salary range for this role is CAD$126,000 - CAD$165,000

Total Rewards

Most new team members join between the start and midpoint of the range, where you can contribute right away while continuing to grow your craft, your collaborations, and your impact at Arc’teryx. This range reflects market alignment and the scope of the role. Individual pay is determined by your skills, experience, and level of responsibility.

We’re committed to fair, equitable, and competitive pay, reviewed regularly to ensure internal alignment and market relevance. Transparency is part of how we follow through on our commitments and how we honour the value you bring to our team.

In addition to base pay, Arc’teryx supports people through benefits designed to sustain both work and life:

• Health & wellbeing - Extended health, dental, and vision coverage, including mental health support, fertility benefits, gender-affirming care and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Financial wellbeing - RRSP matching and eligibility for Arc'teryx Annual Incentive Plan and access to Employee Stock Purchase program (ESPP) where applicable.
• Time & Flexibilit y - Paid time off, wellness time, and No Wasted Day program (dedicated paid days to get outside & explore).
• Family support - Parental leave top-up and a nesting period for new parents.
• Growth, community & gear - Professional development opportunities, Arc'teryx Academies (outdoor skill-building events),Employee Belonging Councils, and access to employee discounts and Pro Deals (exclusive discounted pricing on gear).

  *Eligibility for certain programs may vary by role.

Equal Opportunity

Arc’teryx is committed to actively creating and fostering a culture of inclusivity where voices are heard, people are seen, and values are respected. We care about the uniqueness of our applicants, employees, and guests, and we do so in a safe space fueled by curiosity and acceptance.

Creating an inclusive workplace is connected to our core value Do Right while also having the added benefit of helping make our business better. We believe inclusion helps us to create a healthier, happier workplace, drive creativity and innovation, and reflect the communities where we operate.

All applicants, employees, and guests can expect equality of opportunity and fair treatment in alignment with our values.

Leave it Better

We believe that the mountains transform us, that how we adventure matters, and that there’s always a better way.

Join us in creating positive change in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Live it. Get out there - the mountains make us better

Disruptive evolution. In pursuit of better. Always.

Commit. We set bold objectives and see them through.