Brooks Sports, Inc.:
Senior Footwear Materials Developer Job in Seattle, VT
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Seattle, VT
Full-time | Design - Footwear
About the job
Who We Are:
At Brooks, we believe a run can change a day, a life, the world. Everyone who works here is a key part of our obsession to make the best running gear on the planet. We want our business — which also happens to be our passion — to be a place where everyone feels welcome and comfortable being themselves. Our company culture defines us, bonds us together, and drives our success. We live this culture daily through our brand values: Runner First, Word is Bond, Champion Heart, There is no “I” in Run, and Keep Moving. This means we always solve for the runner, do what we say we will, give it our all, are generous with our humanity, and find a way to keep moving every day, because joy is kinetic.
Are you ready to help create something extraordinary?
Your Job:
The Senior Footwear Materials Developer will lead, manage, and execute the seasonal footwear material development process, utilizing advanced product and process knowledge. You will work with a cross-functional product creation team from the collection of insights through commercialization to deliver products that exceed consumer expectations. You will be responsible for generating ideas around engineering principles that improve product performance, product value, and communicate them across the product teams.
This role requires advanced knowledge across many material constructions and processes involved in footwear manufacturing including; engineering warps, wefts, and wovens. You must also have extensive knowledge of raw material properties, testing, and costing. Other critical responsibilities include understanding manufacturing capabilities, anticipating issues, problem-solving, and timely resolution.
Your Responsibilities:
! Manage and own Materials’ seasonal development calendar and lead innovations in process creation and execution.
! Recognize and evaluate the risk factors associated with all material developments and communicate and influence the product teams to ensure adherence to seasonal calendar dates
! Lead the team to continually create and build a knowledge base and stay informed about vendor capabilities and performance, factory relationships, quality issues, materials pricing, and lead times
! Anticipate downstream effect of decisions as it relates to product and project management. Be proactive in solutions in order to mitigate delays.
! Lead and collaborate with product teams in the development of materials specifications for product functionality, durability and aesthetics, including identifying needs and researching solutions.
! Self-initiate and contribute to research of emerging materials trends by attending material shows, machine shows, industry conferences, and staying informed with literature and industry news. Identify viable opportunities to bring in-house to Brooks and lead the implementation of new processes/technology to advance the footwear creation process or improve cost/quality or reduce environmental impact.
! Lead, own and manage projects having the biggest impact on the business and with new technology/ manufacturing techniques (franchise product, new technology, sustainability initiatives, etc.)
! Mentor material development and other Footwear teammates; may manage junior team members.
! Build and maintain a strong relationship with T2 partners. Act as a key voice and representative of the Brooks’ Materials Team.
! Serve as the materials subject matter expert for members of the project teams
! Oversee coordination and review with Asia materials testing team, to ensure that all materials pass Brooks Sports commercialization process by the specified dates on the seasonal calendar.
! Develop and maintain an organized materials library, complete with up-to-date material resources, testing history and specifications.
! Continuously build advanced materials expertise and work to create a network of contacts within the industry.
! Lead, recommend, and specify to product team the material options to meet pricing targets and product’s functional goals, as well as assure product performance integrity through product testing (physical and field testing)
! Initiate and lead meetings with product teams during various phases of development to review, evaluate, update and ultimately drive the decision-making process that leads to on-time production confirmation and margin goals
! Collaborate with Research, Design, Development, Marketing, Costing, and Color in order to show sample materials that meet the criteria for the category based on material performance data
! Organize and communicate new processes and techniques to the cross-functional teams
! Assist with advanced materials R&D projects (when needed).
! Must be available to travel (Domestic/ International).
Qualifications:
! BS in Textile Design or related field; may be substituted with relevant experience.
! Minimum of 7+ years of experience in engineering, trouble-shooting, and testing performance knits and wovens.
! Deep understanding and proven success working with footwear construction methods, a range of material constructions, and material processes.
! Proficient in PLM system to build, support and maintain digital material library.
! Computer proficiency with office software; MS Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Key Note, and Illustrator.
! Demonstrated ability to lead and influence in a collaborative, cross-functional group without command/ control to meet strategic objectives.
! Effective project management skills and experience, including the ability to articulate goals and objectives, manage projects independently, and the ability to network and utilize internal and external resources.
! Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution of tasks (self and through others), while still seeing the big picture and understanding how all the pieces fit together and affect one another.
! Outstanding communication skills, verbal and written. Advanced ability to communicate new ideas, concepts, and functional expertise within project teams and to external stakeholders.
! Ability to anticipate how a decision made can affect our customers, our partners, our products, or other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots.”
! Curious and open-minded; always open to a challenge, inventive, creative. With the ability to challenge the status quo – always looking at improving our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details.
! Demonstrated ability to develop highly positive relationships with individuals and teams that are made up of diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds resulting in effective working relationships across the company
! Passionate participation in Brooks’ sports activities is a plus, overridden by the ability to understand and empathize with the runner in order to develop loyal, engaging relationships with our customers and the Brooks community.
! Embraces and lives the Brooks values!
At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment oppo
At Brooks, we believe a run can change a day, a life, the world. Everyone who works here is a key part of our obsession to make the best running gear on the planet. We want our business — which also happens to be our passion — to be a place where everyone feels welcome and comfortable being themselves. Our company culture defines us, bonds us together, and drives our success. We live this culture daily through our brand values: Runner First, Word is Bond, Champion Heart, There is no “I” in Run, and Keep Moving. This means we always solve for the runner, do what we say we will, give it our all, are generous with our humanity, and find a way to keep moving every day, because joy is kinetic.
Are you ready to help create something extraordinary?
Your Job:
The Senior Footwear Materials Developer will lead, manage, and execute the seasonal footwear material development process, utilizing advanced product and process knowledge. You will work with a cross-functional product creation team from the collection of insights through commercialization to deliver products that exceed consumer expectations. You will be responsible for generating ideas around engineering principles that improve product performance, product value, and communicate them across the product teams.
This role requires advanced knowledge across many material constructions and processes involved in footwear manufacturing including; engineering warps, wefts, and wovens. You must also have extensive knowledge of raw material properties, testing, and costing. Other critical responsibilities include understanding manufacturing capabilities, anticipating issues, problem-solving, and timely resolution.
Your Responsibilities:
! Manage and own Materials’ seasonal development calendar and lead innovations in process creation and execution.
! Recognize and evaluate the risk factors associated with all material developments and communicate and influence the product teams to ensure adherence to seasonal calendar dates
! Lead the team to continually create and build a knowledge base and stay informed about vendor capabilities and performance, factory relationships, quality issues, materials pricing, and lead times
! Anticipate downstream effect of decisions as it relates to product and project management. Be proactive in solutions in order to mitigate delays.
! Lead and collaborate with product teams in the development of materials specifications for product functionality, durability and aesthetics, including identifying needs and researching solutions.
! Self-initiate and contribute to research of emerging materials trends by attending material shows, machine shows, industry conferences, and staying informed with literature and industry news. Identify viable opportunities to bring in-house to Brooks and lead the implementation of new processes/technology to advance the footwear creation process or improve cost/quality or reduce environmental impact.
! Lead, own and manage projects having the biggest impact on the business and with new technology/ manufacturing techniques (franchise product, new technology, sustainability initiatives, etc.)
! Mentor material development and other Footwear teammates; may manage junior team members.
! Build and maintain a strong relationship with T2 partners. Act as a key voice and representative of the Brooks’ Materials Team.
! Serve as the materials subject matter expert for members of the project teams
! Oversee coordination and review with Asia materials testing team, to ensure that all materials pass Brooks Sports commercialization process by the specified dates on the seasonal calendar.
! Develop and maintain an organized materials library, complete with up-to-date material resources, testing history and specifications.
! Continuously build advanced materials expertise and work to create a network of contacts within the industry.
! Lead, recommend, and specify to product team the material options to meet pricing targets and product’s functional goals, as well as assure product performance integrity through product testing (physical and field testing)
! Initiate and lead meetings with product teams during various phases of development to review, evaluate, update and ultimately drive the decision-making process that leads to on-time production confirmation and margin goals
! Collaborate with Research, Design, Development, Marketing, Costing, and Color in order to show sample materials that meet the criteria for the category based on material performance data
! Organize and communicate new processes and techniques to the cross-functional teams
! Assist with advanced materials R&D projects (when needed).
! Must be available to travel (Domestic/ International).
Qualifications:
! BS in Textile Design or related field; may be substituted with relevant experience.
! Minimum of 7+ years of experience in engineering, trouble-shooting, and testing performance knits and wovens.
! Deep understanding and proven success working with footwear construction methods, a range of material constructions, and material processes.
! Proficient in PLM system to build, support and maintain digital material library.
! Computer proficiency with office software; MS Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Key Note, and Illustrator.
! Demonstrated ability to lead and influence in a collaborative, cross-functional group without command/ control to meet strategic objectives.
! Effective project management skills and experience, including the ability to articulate goals and objectives, manage projects independently, and the ability to network and utilize internal and external resources.
! Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution of tasks (self and through others), while still seeing the big picture and understanding how all the pieces fit together and affect one another.
! Outstanding communication skills, verbal and written. Advanced ability to communicate new ideas, concepts, and functional expertise within project teams and to external stakeholders.
! Ability to anticipate how a decision made can affect our customers, our partners, our products, or other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots.”
! Curious and open-minded; always open to a challenge, inventive, creative. With the ability to challenge the status quo – always looking at improving our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details.
! Demonstrated ability to develop highly positive relationships with individuals and teams that are made up of diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds resulting in effective working relationships across the company
! Passionate participation in Brooks’ sports activities is a plus, overridden by the ability to understand and empathize with the runner in order to develop loyal, engaging relationships with our customers and the Brooks community.
! Embraces and lives the Brooks values!
At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment oppo