Associate Fabric R&D Manager

In this role, you will leverage consumer insights, mill strategies, and key trends to drive fabric development, innovation, costing, and positioning. You will drive a ‘Fabric First’ mentality and strategy throughout the product-to-market process. You will also provide direction and thought partnership to internal Gap Inc teams in North America, as well as the Mill Management and Fabric Engineering teams in Asia based on cross-functional strategies.

• Analyze fabric needs across the company communicate recommendations to cross functional partners for leveraging qualities across divisions, taking into consideration and tracking all components of the fabric and wash resource library to support seasonal inspiration, as well as archive Gap Inc platformed fabrics
• Track Fabric development KPIs and brand discipline on number of seasonal developments and fabric testing reporting and risk assessment tool to level set expectations across functional areas
• Partner with Product Development and Merchandising to ensure that fabrics are within the V/G/B/B pricing architecture
• Identify fabrics that need to be cost engineered and communicate with the Mill management team
• Drive fabric process discipline throughout product to market calendar to ensure alignment at each key milestone from Mill Week to Fabric Alignment and Sampling
• Manage projects and program execution within R&D and ensures quality of work

• Strong experience with fabric constructions, dye techniques, finishes, and garment construction and manufacturing/sourcing processes
• Proven ability to influence and make decisions across geographies in a matrix environment where speed and cultural sensitivity is crucial
• Anticipate operational/program issues and develops preventative measures
• Apply fully functional professional knowledge in R&D