Director of Industry Engagement

Textile Exchange; City Of London; Remote; GBP 105,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

A global non-profit organization is seeking a Director of Industry to lead strategic engagement with brands and suppliers in textile sustainability. This role focuses on mobilizing stakeholders for meaningful change and managing an engagement team. Ideal candidates will have extensive industry knowledge and strong networking skills. The position includes a comprehensive employment package with an annual salary ranging from $140,000 to $175,000 USD.

Benefits

Discretionary bonus

Benefits tailored to region

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of fashion apparel and textile industry.
• Strong public speaking experience.
• Proven ability to lead organizations through complex transformation.

Responsibilities

• Lead organization’s engagement efforts with brands and suppliers.
• Manage and cultivate the Industry Engagement team.
• Establish systems for collecting and analyzing stakeholder feedback.
• Oversee delivery of events, workshops, and webinars.
• Contribute to development of KPIs and metrics.

Skills

Crisis Management

Public Speaking

Networking

Change Management

Strategic Planning

Education

8 years of experience in fashion apparel and textile sustainability

Job description

Reports to

Senior Director Engagement & Partnerships

About Us

Textile Exchange is a global non‑profit driving beneficial impact on climate change across the fashion and textile industry. It guides a growing community of brands, manufacturers and farmers towards more purposeful production from the very start of the supply chain.

By 2030 its goal is to guide the industry in achieving a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions within fiber and raw material production. Its focus is holistic and interconnected, accelerating the adoption of practices that improve the state of our water, soil, health and biodiversity. For real change to happen everyone needs a clear path to beneficial impact. That’s why Textile Exchange believes that approachable step‑by‑step instruction paired with collective action can change the system to make preferred materials and fibers an accessible default, mobilizing leaders through attainable strategies, proven solutions and a driven community.

At Textile Exchange materials matter. To learn more visit.

Job Summary

Textile Exchange is seeking a confident, connected and forward‑thinking Director of Industry to lead our strategic engagement with brands, retailers and suppliers (Tiers 1‑3). This critical leadership role focuses on guiding the industry toward meaningful systems change by mobilizing key stakeholders to scale preferred production systems and enabling collective action that delivers measurable benefits for climate, nature and people.

The Director will serve as a counterpart and close partner to our Materials Engagement team, working collaboratively to bridge insights across the value chain. They will bring forward learnings and perspectives from brands, retailers and suppliers while ensuring insights from producers and Tier 4 stakeholders inform engagement strategies and industry alignment, identifying opportunities for collaboration.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Engagement and Partnership, the Director will shape and implement a comprehensive industry‑facing engagement strategy. Building on Textile Exchange’s organizational Engagement Strategy, the Director will lead efforts to engage brands, retailers and suppliers in committing to the Pathway to Preferred Production Systems, supporting them in reporting progress, sourcing verified materials and taking action to improve outcomes across environmental and social dimensions.

The Director will provide strategic leadership across engagement efforts, managing a team of engagement specialists and working closely with the Activation team to deliver compelling stakeholder experiences such as events, working groups, webinars and workshops that help organizations advance toward Textile Exchange’s goals. With a focus on team leadership they will foster a high‑performing, motivated team and ensure stakeholders are effectively supported through change.

The role also requires strong cross‑functional collaboration, ensuring effective feedback loops between external stakeholders and internal departments including Climate and Nature and the Standards System, so that Textile Exchange’s programs, tools and resources remain aligned with evolving industry needs and realities.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive knowledge of the fashion apparel and textile industry, including the challenges and opportunities it faces in achieving beneficial climate and nature impact. They will have trusted relationships with key decision‑makers, a proven ability to lead organizations through complex transformation and a collaborative, visionary approach to stakeholder engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the organization’s overall efforts to engage brands, retailers and suppliers (Tiers 1‑3) in line with strategic objectives.
• Manage and cultivate the Industry Engagement team to ensure stakeholders’ continued and increased engagement with the Pathway to Preferred Production Systems as part of Textile Exchange’s Engagement Strategy.
• In collaboration with the Standards Engagement team drive the adoption and implementation of the Materials Matter Standard, overseeing the transition pathway for brands, retailers and Tier 1‑3 to this new standard.
• Establish and manage systems for collecting and analyzing stakeholder feedback to drive continuous improvement, leveraging data to track performance and glean stakeholder insights.
• Manage key relationships with stakeholders, working collaboratively to identify opportunities for deepened engagement and collective action.
• Design and oversee engagement strategies to enhance stakeholder satisfaction and comprehension of Textile Exchange opportunities spanning awareness, interest, activation, adoption and evaluation stages.
• Lead initiatives to raise awareness of how Textile Exchange’s Pathway to Preferred Production Systems contributes to positive climate and nature impacts.
• Oversee the delivery of relevant and informed events, workshops, conference sessions and webinars in collaboration with the Activation team.
• Work across the organization to ensure stakeholders are engaged in a cohesive, organized way.
• Oversee the process to identify and engage strategic organizations that will contribute to the industry’s overall progress, leveraging opportunities through Textile Exchange’s Engagement Model and driving commitment.
• Contribute to the development and strategy of Textile Exchange tools and resources (in particular the Annual Reporting Framework and Standards System) in collaboration with other departments, ensuring effective feedback loops are maintained and representing the perspectives of brands and retailers.
• Contribute to the development of KPIs and metrics to track industry progress against goals and targets.
• Manage budgets for the Industry Engagement team.
• Travel and speak to represent Textile Exchange professionally across a wide range of stakeholders, including beginners in sustainability, C‑suite executives and sector leaders.
• Maintain team satisfaction and keep motivation levels high to achieve maximum results.

Minimum Qualifications

• 8 years of experience in fashion apparel and textile sustainability with a preference for prior engagement with the Textile Exchange network.
• Deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities brands and retailers face in achieving beneficial climate and nature impacts and change management (across ESG policy, reporting, sourcing).
• Highly developed engagement, networking and change management skills with strong communication skills.
• Proven ability to achieve outcomes through collaboration and partnership across a wide range of people and departments at all levels within an organization.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully designing and delivering strategic engagement plans.
• Proven experience managing large teams across multiple areas of work.
• Experience in delivering engaging learning and networking experiences.
• Strong commitment to working collaboratively.
• Strong public speaking experience.
• Experience managing teams and budgets along with strategic planning.
• Must be prepared to travel (approximately 15% of time).

Employment Package

• Full‑time position, 40 hours a week.
• Location: Virtual / Remote (Europe or US East Coast).
• Annual salary range: $140,000 – $175,000 USD.
• Discretionary bonus eligible.
• Required travel: Approximate 15%.
• Commencement date: as agreed between parties (start date to be agreed).
• Salary determined based on role candidate experience, education and other relevant factors but not on location; offers presented in local currency of candidate’s permanent residence.
• Benefits tailored to the region of the candidate’s permanent residence and aligned with Textile Exchange’s regional employment packages.

Key Skills

Crisis Management, Marketing, Public Relations, Fundraising, Media Relations, Constant Contact, Strategic Planning, Social Media Management, Team Management, Public Speaking, Wordpress, Writing Skills.

Application

Please submit your résumé, cover letter and salary expectations to the Careers page at Textile Exchange.