Interim Materials Lead

ASICS EMEA; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Gym membership

Discount on ASICS gear

Calm app access

Runkeeper Go app access

Wellness programme

OpenUp Access

Working abroad (4 weeks/year)

Hybrid working model

Job summary

ASICS EMEA is seeking a Materials Specialist to own global fabrics development for running and tennis apparel. You will manage supplier relationships, work with design to translate needs into mill-ready specs, and oversee testing across seasons.

The role requires a textile engineering background, extensive materials experience, and strong project management. The position is based at the Hoofddorp office with a nine-month fixed-term contract starting November 2026.

Qualifications

• A textile engineering background with deep hands-on industry experience.
• Strong fibre science knowledge including properties and manufacturing processes.
• Working understanding of tier 1–4 supply chains with direct supplier/mill experience.
• Solid grounding in textile testing standards and compliance requirements.
• Exceptional organisation and project management for multi-stage fabric developments.
• Ability to work independently with high ownership and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Materials Development: Own global materials development for running and tennis apparel, across all seasons and every fabric category.
• Design and Product Partnership: Turn fabric needs from design teams into mill-ready specifications, on time and to cost.
• Supplier and Mill Management: Maintain direct relationships with tier 2–4 suppliers, chase dates and resolve issues.
• Testing and Compliance: Manage fabric testing with independent labs and athlete testing programs.
• Seasonal Calendar and Project Delivery: Run dozens of concurrent fabric developments against the seasonal calendar with milestones.
• Handover and Continuity: Complete first-month handover and maintain calendar and pipelines throughout the contract.

Skills

Textile engineering

Fibre science

Supply chain experience

Fabric development

Project management

Independent work

Education

Textile engineering degree

Tools

Lab testing workflows

Job description

Be part of a movement that moves the world

At ASICS, we're more than just a brand; we’re more than just a brand; we’re more than just a brand; we’re more than just a brand; we’re more than just a brand; it's open to all. Here at ASICS, we welcome diversity in our people, their backgrounds and life experiences. So, you could be the right person for this role regardless of your age, nationality, religious beliefs, or gender identification.

Your role in our shared journey

Located at our EMEA headquarters in Hoofddorp, near Amsterdam, you will join us on a nine-month fixed-term employment contract starting in early November 2026. You will sit within the tier development team for running and tennis, a group of around eight people, reporting to the Head of Design, Apparel. This is the seat that owns the fabric. Every material going into a running or tennis garment is developed, tested, approved and chased by you, globally, across all seasons. Your first month is spent working alongside the current specialist, picking up the live fabric projects and meeting the mills, laboratories and testing partners first hand. After that the work is yours to run. You will hold the supplier and testing relationships directly and make the calls without waiting for sign-off, which is how this role has always worked. At a larger brand, a materials specialist usually covers a single fabric type. Here you will own every fabric category across two sports. The team is close-knit and open, and with ASICS EMEA growing at pace, there is plenty in motion to get your hands on.

Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• End-to-End Materials Development: Own global materials development for running and tennis apparel, across all seasons and every fabric category. Take materials from initial brief through to bulk approval, working directly with mills to get them right.
• Design and Product Partnership: Work with the design teams who request the fabrics, turning what they want into something a mill can actually make, on time and to cost.
• Supplier and Mill Management: Hold direct relationships with tier 2 to 4 suppliers. Chase missed dates, resolve failed tests, and keep the partnership strong while doing it.
• Testing and Compliance: Manage all fabric testing through independent laboratories and our athlete testing programme. Make sure every material meets the applicable standards and that the evidence exists to prove it.
• Seasonal Calendar and Project Delivery: Run several dozen concurrent multi-stage fabric developments against the seasonal calendar, each with its own milestones and its own deadline.
• Handover and Continuity: Absorb a detailed handover in your first month, then keep the calendar, the supplier relationships and the testing pipeline in good order throughout the contract.

Essential

You have the following skills:

• A textile engineering background, including 10 years of hands-on industry experience, deep industry experience in performance sports carries real weight with us.
• Strong fibre science knowledge, covering physical and chemical properties and the manufacturing processes behind them - potentially through university studies or experience.
• A working understanding of the tier 1 to 4 supply chain, with direct experience managing mills and suppliers and specific examples you can talk us through.
• Solid grounding in textile testing standards and compliance requirements, including what has to be met and how it gets evidenced.
• Exceptional organisation and project management. Every fabric is a multi-stage project with its own timeline, and many run at the same time.
• Comfortable working independently with a high degree of ownership, and detail-focused enough to catch the small thing that would otherwise undo a full fabric development.

Nice To Have

• Experience in running or tennis product specifically, alongside broader apparel experience.
• Established relationships with mills and material suppliers.
• Exposure to athlete testing or wear-testing programmes.
• Availability to start in early November 2026 or latest December 2026, so you get the full handover.

Please note: this role is based at our Hoofddorp office and requires the right to work in the Netherlands. We are not able to offer visa sponsorship or relocation support for this fixed term contract.

Life at ASICS

When you join ASICS, you become part of something special. Here, your voice matters, your growth and wellbeing are important. We believe in fostering an environment where every step forward is celebrated, where diversity fuels our journey, and inclusion strengthens individuals. And together and as individuals, we can inspire more people to move for body and for mind.

Our commitment to your wellbeing

Benefits

We're dedicated to ensuring that every team member experiences the joy and benefits of movement. To support your wellbeing, we offer:

• Access to office gym and sports membership discount.
• Exclusive discount on ASICS gear.
• Unlimited access to the Calm app for better sleep and mental fitness.
• Complimentary premium subscription to our Runkeeper Go™ app.
• A comprehensive wellness programme consisting of exercise and educational sessions.
• Professional support and meditation classes are available through OpenUp Access.
• Working abroad for four weeks every year.
• Hybrid working model, in-office days for 50% of the time.