Trims Manager, Material Operation

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.
R-20261103-0042

Skills
Project Management, Negotiation, Sourcing, Onboarding, Documentation