Manager, Materials - Womens Footwear & Handbags

The Materials Manager Womens Footwear & Handbags will manage the development of raw materials used in womens footwear and handbags. This role partners cross functionally with design, product development, and overseas teams to develop and source seasonal materials that support product excellence and on-time delivery while meeting design intent, quality, cost, and testing requirements. The ideal candidate brings expertise in leather, textiles, and synthetics and has experience managing material development from concepts through pre-production.

CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Source and develop raw materials for womens footwear and handbags that support Cole Haans brand positioning and product performance
• Partner with the design, materials and product development teams to establish seasonal color and materials direction and manage strike offs and development
• Drive material innovation by identifying emerging trends, technologies and sustainable alternatives.
• Collaborate with the design, materials, and product development teams to create and drive materials development calendar that aligns with the product creation calendar
• Liaise with product development and overseas materials teams to ensure cost targets are achieved
• Communicate with overseas materials team and vendor partners to obtain material specs and prices to build seasonal materials library for sales sample BOMs
• Create and organize seasonal swatches, materials specs and testing data, maintaining them throughout the product creation milestones, from concept through sales samples
• Attend local material fairs to spot new trends and source seasonal materials
• Problem solve potential high-risk materials as it pertains to price, usage and production quality prior to sales sampling
• Oversee material approvals, including lab dips and bulk submissions to ensure quality craftsmanship, and execution in line with Cole Haan's quality positioning

• Bachelors Degree in textile engineering, product development, supply chain management or a related field
• 5+ years prior experience in raw materials sourcing and development within footwear or handbags
• Strong understanding of leathers, textiles and synthetics is required
• Knowledge of footwear development and manufacturing processes strongly preferred
• Experience in working and communicating with Asia based offices and suppliers
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication skills and collaborative team player
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel
• Experience with Adobe Illustrator and/or PLM systems preferred

Base Salary/Hourly Range: From $100,000 to $125,000 annually*

Bonus Eligibility: Yes, eligible for annual target bonus based on company and individual performance.

Benefits Offered: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Care, Health Savings Accounts, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Vacation Time, Sick Time, Paid Parental Leave, Holidays and Cole Haan Discounts

*Rate of pay dependent upon candidates relevant skills and experience

This position is not available to be performed in Colorado