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Director, Raw Materials, Shoes
Tory Burch
New York, NY, United States
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About Us:
Tory Burch is an American lifestyle brand that embodies the personal style and sensibility of its Chairman, CEO and Designer, Tory Burch. The collection, known for color, print and eclectic details, includes ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, accessories, home and beauty. Art, music, travel, interiors and the designer’s own stylish parents are inspirations for the collection.
Our company launched in February 2004 with a single boutique on what was then a remote street in downtown Manhattan. Today, we are a global brand with a presence in more than 50 countries, but in many ways we are only just beginning. There is so much we want to do!
Brand integrity, global inspiration and beautiful products are integral to who we are as a company and what we have accomplished to date. Our incredible team is an equally important part of the equation. We believe that each of our employees play a vital role in our continuing efforts to grow and evolve.
As a Tory Burch Director of Raw Materials, you are a critical cross functional leader, pivotal in translating design’s vision by developing and sourcing on-brand, on-trend leathers, fabrics, and trims.
The Materials Management role is performed by:
1. Sourcing trend right and affordable materials in sync with key milestones of the development calendar.
2. Maintaining accurate reporting on status of materials in development and stage of approval.
3. Coordinating worldwide materials sourcing efforts in tandem with development calendar and strategic sourcing strategies.
4. Establishing clear standards and costs for materials and maintaining records for future reference.
Responsibilities:
DEVELOPMENT
• Interpret design needs and communicate daily with the design team, PD, overseas offices, and suppliers on standards and needs.
• Collaborate with design and merchandising to direct development requests and development status.
• Perform research on suppliers’ capability and reputation.
• Direct the compilation and review of all leather and fabric data sheets (LDS, FDS) for accuracy, quality, affordability, and compliance prior to issuance.
• Schedules, tracks, and reports on all requested materials.
• Reviews all material submissions with PD and Design to ensure execution to design’s request.
• Collaborate with design to maintain updated, seasonal color palette and execute/distribute lab dips.
• Coordinates with country offices (in-house as well as sourcing agent) to schedule, purchase, and monitor salesman sample materials.
• Maintains and issues all approved standards (quality, colors, color window/acceptable variation) to country offices, suppliers and shoe factories.
• Understands shoe-finishing products (waxes, cream, and different type of brushes) and how they can be applied to certain leathers to enhance aesthetics.
SOURCING
• Works closely with the design teams on seasonal offering needs to provide options in materials, suppliers, techniques, and costs that are on brand.
• Attend domestic and International material shows to identify sources and research trends.
• Coordinate supplier appointments in tandem with the calendar.
• Collaborate with country offices to review supplier performance in regards to quality and on-time delivery; suggest areas and timing of improvements.
PRODUCT INTEGRITY
• Aims to instill quality in the product from onset of development through final production.
• Reviews all materials with an eye for quality and performance; problem-solve quality lapses.
• Ensures that all components and constructions used are compliant for performance and restricted substances prior to production.
• Tests questionable materials and treatments in development cycle for performance and RS compliance to prevent a lapse in production.
• Act as an educator and provide material knowledge to cross-functional teams; callout potential quality and color variations on production skins; get sign-off from cross-functional teams.
ADMINISTRATION
• Ensure timely turnover of development to meet calendar needs (prototype, SMS).
• Maintains development tracking and adoption records.
• Directs the maintenance of approved material/color library/swatches.
• Distributes cuttings or skins to design and PD for key milestone meetings.
• Maintains records and swatches of liabilities and work closely with PD and merchandising to find ways to liquidate in MFOs.
• Develop material care cards and identify materials that require them.
• Collaborate with sourcing offices to resolve quality and delivery issues with suppliers and shoe factories
Qualifications:
• BS/BA/BFA degree
• Leather course accreditations a strong plus
• Minimum 10-12 years in footwear leather and textile sourcing and development
• Strong collaborative, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Strong math and negotiation skills
• Able to work in a fluid, fast-paced, multi-channel environment.
• Ability to travel as needed