Lead Apparel Materials & Trim Developer, Local Creation

Global Sports Jobs Limited; Pahokee (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Global Sports Jobs Limited in Florida is seeking an experienced leader to drive development and commercialisation of apparel materials and trims within the North America Local Creation portfolio.

You will partner with Design, Product Management, Technical Development, Sourcing, Manufacturing, and Quality to balance design intent, feasibility, speed to market, and commercial viability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Textile Science or related field.
• Minimum 6 years in apparel materials, trims, or textile development.
• Deep knowledge of fabrics, trims, yarns, dyeing, finishing, and garment manufacturing processes.
• Proven experience leading material and trim development from concept to production readiness.
• Strong understanding of material performance, testing, quality, and risk management.
• Experience with textile mills, trim suppliers, and development partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and commercialisation of apparel materials and trims.
• Collaborate with Design, Product Management, Technical Development, Sourcing, Manufacturing, and Quality.
• Evaluate emerging material technologies and market trends for opportunities.
• Drive development timelines from concept to production readiness.
• Lead material testing, validation and risk assessment activities.
• Partner with vendors to develop and commercialise innovative solutions.
• Identify risks early and provide mitigation plans.
• Improve development processes to reduce lead times and improve quality.
• Document material specifications, status, risks, and opportunities clearly.
• Mentor teammates and contribute to the materials strategy and roadmap.

Skills

Textile knowledge

Project management

Vendor management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's in Textile Science

Textiles/Materials engineering background

Tools

PLM systems

3D development tools

Digital product creation tools

Job description

About the Role

This role sits within the North America Local Creation Materials & Trims team, supporting the broader Local Creation Apparel portfolio across multiple product dimensions and consumer opportunities. It reports to the Senior Manager, Materials & Trims and partners closely with Design, Product Management, Technical Development, Colour, Sourcing, Manufacturing, Quality, and vendor partners. The position leads material and trim development from concept through commercialisation, balancing design intent, technical feasibility, speed-to-market, and commercial viability. As a connector across functions, the role influences material strategies, drives execution with vendor partners, and helps elevate the Local Creation materials ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development and commercialisation of apparel materials and trims across assigned product opportunities within the Local Creation portfolio.
• Partner closely with Design, Product Management, Technical Development, Sourcing, Manufacturing, and Quality teams throughout the product creation process.
• Evaluate emerging material technologies, supplier capabilities, and market trends to identify opportunities that elevate product performance and consumer relevance.
• Drive material and trim development timelines from concept through production readiness, ensuring key milestones are achieved.
• Lead material testing, validation, and risk assessment activities to ensure products meet performance, quality, and commercialisation standards.
• Collaborate with vendor partners to develop, refine, and commercialise innovative material and trim solutions, and build and maintain strong supplier relationships that support speed, innovation, quality, and operational excellence.
• Identify risks early and provide clear recommendations and mitigation plans to support informed decision-making.
• Continuously improve development processes, driving efficiency, simplification, and reduced lead times across the materials development lifecycle.
• Document and communicate material specifications, development status, risks, and opportunities with clarity and consistency.
• Mentor and support teammates through technical expertise, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving, and contribute to the long-term materials strategy and innovation roadmap for North America Local Creation.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Textile Science, Apparel, Materials Engineering, Product Development, or a related field; any suitable combination of education, experience, and training will be accepted.
• A minimum of 6 years of directly relevant work experience in apparel materials, trims, textile development, product development, or a related field.
• Deep knowledge of fabrics, trims, yarns, knitting, weaving, dyeing, printing, finishing, and garment manufacturing processes.
• Proven experience leading material and trim development from concept through commercialisation and production readiness.
• Strong understanding of material performance requirements, testing methodologies, quality standards, and risk management practices.
• Experience working directly with textile mills, trim suppliers, manufacturers, and development partners to create and commercialise products.
• Ability to evaluate material construction, cost, performance, manufacturability, and sustainability considerations to support informed decision-making.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, timelines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Experience partnering effectively across Design, Product Management, Technical Development, Sourcing, Manufacturing, and Quality functions.
• Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority and drive alignment across a diverse group of internal and external partners.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations.
• A passion for innovation, continuous learning, and building new capabilities that enable speed, quality, and consumer relevance.
• Ability to travel as needed to support vendor engagement, material development, and commercialisation activities.

Preferred Skills

• Experience working with domestic and overseas vendors, sample rooms, ateliers, and manufacturing partners.
• Familiarity with digital product creation tools, material libraries, PLM systems, and 3D development tools.

The Application Process

Accommodations are available to complete the interview process, including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed.

1. Request accommodation via the Candidate Accommodation Request Form if assistance is needed due to a disability.