Fabric Sourcing Manager - Menswear

NEXT Retail Ltd.; Leicester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent fashion retailer in the UK is seeking a Fabric Manager for its Menswear department. The role involves leading the fabric sourcing strategy, managing a team, and ensuring high quality standards across the department. Candidates should have extensive experience in fabric sourcing and development, exceptional negotiation skills, and a passion for travel. This position plays a pivotal role in shaping the menswear offering with innovative and quality fabrics.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in fabric sourcing and development.
• Proven track record in managing teams and stakeholders.
• Advanced knowledge of the global textile market.

Responsibilities

• Lead the fabric sourcing strategy for the menswear department.
• Drive innovation in fabric development and quality standards.
• Ensure alignment of sourcing strategies with garment tech.

Skills

Leadership qualities

Negotiation skills

Influencing skills

Commercial awareness

Job description

Our team of Designers, Technologists, Buyers, and Merchandisers at Next is dedicated to continuous innovation, focusing on emerging trends, elevating quality and expanding our offering for our extensive customer base. As the Fabric Manager within our Menswear department, you will play a pivotal, leadership role, directing the fabric sourcing strategy across the entire menswear department. This role requires a highly elevated taste level, strong technical knowledge and a love of newness. You will work alongside the Design Manager to identify key fabric trends well in advance of the season, initiating new fabric developments bespoke to Next's Menswear division. You will continuously improve our quality standards.

Strategy, Leadership, and Impact

• Lead Strategic Direction: Formulate a vision, develop a strategy and lead your team to deliver.
• Drive Innovation: Spearhead the driving of new and bespoke fabrics and yarns, continually improving quality standards.
• Influence: Present the latest trends and innovations to the wider menswear floor, influencing key stakeholders to embrace newness.
• Team Management: Lead, mentor, and develop the team, fostering accountability and strong supplier relations.

Sourcing, Development, and Negotiation

• Global Direct Sourcing: Strategically improve the fabric supplier portfolio through sourcing trips, focusing on direct sourcing.
• Market Intelligence: Attend major global trade fairs and key sourcing territories to identify innovations, gather intel, and secure long‑term strategic partnerships.
• Integrated Expertise: Apply technical knowledge (composition, structure, finish etc.), to create fabric perfect for the end use.
• Commercial Awareness: Ensure alignment of cost targets with brand positioning and value equation.
• Sourcing: Work closely with the garment tech manager to ensure fabrics are fit for purpose and that fabric and garment sourcing strategies are aligned.

Quality, Risk, and Compliance

• Quality Assurance: Ensure all fabrics meet high quality standards (aesthetic and performance), and oversee production quality.
• Production Management: Provide the expertise to manage production of fabrics, overseeing critical paths to ensure on‑time delivery.
• Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing: Collaborate internally to understand Responsible Sourcing & Production Legislation. Ensure all materials meet sustainability requirements. Assess and mitigate supply chain risks. Drive responsible sourcing forward.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Extensive experience with a proven track record of operating at a senior level within fabric sourcing, development and technology – ideally gained within a major UK or international fashion retailer or brand.
• Exceptional leadership qualities with experience managing, motivating, and developing a team, including managing managers.
• A demonstrable, advanced knowledge of the global textile market, including complex supply chains, fabric construction, finishing processes, and commercial costing methodologies. A strong technical background and knowledge of all fabric types and processes is needed to ensure fabrics developed meet Next's quality standards.
• Strong commercial awareness.
• Highly developed negotiation and influencing skills, capable of building and maintaining relationships with both internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• A love of travel! The role requires frequent and extensive international travel to key sourcing regions and major global trade fairs.