Trims Manager, Material Operation

VF Brands Pte Ltd; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

VF Brands Pte Ltd seeks a proactive Manager, Trims & Material Operations to lead integrated trims and material operations for Apparel Materials. You will shape trims strategy, govern data and processes, and partner with cross-functional teams to ensure timely development and compliant, high-quality outputs.

The role requires strong trims knowledge, supplier management experience, and a data-driven approach to drive measurable improvement across the trims portfolio and operations.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of apparel trims, construction, testing and quality standards.
• Experience managing trims supplier performance scorecards, costs and lead times.
• Data-driven mindset with ability to drive process improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead trims strategy and coordinate with brand material teams across development and operations.
• Oversee commercialization across trims portfolio, including testing and supplier coordination.
• Manage supplier performance, corrective actions, and onboarding.
• Own operating rhythm for KPI governance and reporting across fabrics and trims.
• Oversee quality data sources and dashboards; simplify workflows and improve decision support.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to resolve risks and maintain service continuity.
• Lead, coach and develop the trims team and build domain capability.

Skills

Trims knowledge

Supplier management

Data governance

Program management

Cross-functional collaboration

People leadership

Tools

PLM/Flex

Airtable

Trueview

Job description

ABOUT YOUR ROLE:

We are looking for a proactive and collaborative Manager, Trims & Material Operations, to lead the integrated trims and material operations agenda for Apparel Materials. This role combines trims category leadership with operational governance across fabrics and trims, and co-creates strategy, standards and ways of working with the wider Materials Sourcing team. The ideal candidate will bring strong trims and supplier knowledge, leadership experience, and a data-driven, solution-oriented mindset to deliver reliable development, consistent processes and measurable improvement.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE:

Trims Strategy & Brand Partnership

• Act as the primary trims contact for brand material development and product creation teams, providing a streamlined interface across Apparel Materials.

• Translate seasonal product needs into trims category, supplier, development, and operational priorities.

• Ensure timely visibility of trims readiness, development status, risks, and resolution plans across key product milestones.

Trims Development & Commercialization

• Oversee commercialization progress across the full trims portfolio, and support where needed, e.g., testing and supplier coordination.

• Ensure trims meet aesthetic, technical, quality, compliance, sustainability, cost, and timing requirements.

• Establish clear development standards, approval discipline, documentation, and system readiness across the trims portfolio.

Supplier Management & Performance

• Act as a working-level contact for trims suppliers and track supplier KPIs, including quality, cost, delivery, service, innovation, sustainability, and risk.

• Follow up on corrective actions and support supplier performance reviews and improvement plans.

• Support negotiation preparation and supplier onboarding.

Material Operations Leadership

• Own the operating rhythm for Apparel Materials KPI governance, including data integrity, process adherence, and leadership reporting across fabrics and trims.

• Co-create and standardize operating processes, roles, decision rights, tools, dashboards, and reporting to support one Apparel Materials way of working.

• Ensure accurate and timely tracking of development milestones, sample readiness, SMS and proto performance, Buy Ready status, and agreed service levels.

Systems, Data & Process Excellence

• Oversee the quality and use of operational tools and data sources, including Airtable, Trueview, PLM/Flex, scorecards, trackers, and dashboards.

• Partner with teams to simplify workflows, reduce manual work, strengthen data discipline, and improve decision support.

• Lead root-cause reviews and improvement plans where performance, process adherence, or data quality falls below expectation.

Cross-Functional Risk & Decision Making

• Partner with Sourcing, Material Development, Material Quality, Planning, Costing, Material Library, and product teams to resolve risks and maintain service continuity.

• Surface capacity, lead-time, quality, compliance, cost, and supplier risks early, with clear owners and mitigation actions; balance cost, speed, and quality.

• Convert complex data and issues into clear decisions and recommendations.

Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead, coach, and develop team members with clear goals, accountability, feedback, and development plans.

• Build trims domain capability and operational excellence across the broader Apparel Materials team.

• Foster an inclusive, collaborative culture focused on ownership, transparency, and continuous improvement.

WHAT WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR IN YOU:

Technical & Functional Expertise

• Trims Knowledge: Strong knowledge of apparel trims, construction, manufacturing processes, testing, quality standards, and commercialization.

• Supplier Management: Skilled in managing trims supplier performance scorecards, cost and lead-time levers, capacity, risk, and improvement plans.

• Systems & Data: Strong understanding of material development milestones, PLM and workflow tools, operational KPIs, and data governance.

Execution & Operational Focus

• Strong program and project management skills with disciplined follow-through.

• Comfort working across multiple seasons, categories, suppliers, and changing priorities.

• Data-oriented, solution-focused, and committed to process adherence and measurable improvement.

Collaboration & Communication

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Strong partnership skills across brand, product creation, sourcing, planning, quality, costing, library, and suppliers.

• Influence & Negotiation: Strong negotiation, facilitation, and issue-resolution skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and external partners.

• Communication: Clear, concise communicator who can turn complex operational data into recommendations.

Leadership & People Management

• Team Leadership: Ability to lead, coach, and develop a team.

• Change Leadership: Ability to lead teams through organizational and process change while maintaining service levels.

• Decision-Making: Sound judgement in balancing quality, cost, speed, sustainability, and supply risk.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US:

• Being a part of a movement that is Purpose led which enables us to have a positive impact on communities around the world, it gives greater meaning to the work we do.

• Working with a team of diverse and sharp minds that work with an inclusive and global mindset because our differences are what make us stronger together.

• Providing you with the best in class, work environment, well-being policies and work place flexibility that is about helping you show up and lean into life with your whole self – emotionally, physically and socially.