Adecco Creative is partnering with an iconic NYC fashion house to recruit for a Materials Manager role. This position will be a 6-month contract and hybrid schedule in Midtown Manhattan.
Support and manage the end-to-end development of materials across leathergoods, fabrics, prints, and trims. Partner closely with cross functional teams to ensure materials align with design intent, sustainability standards, cost targets, and development timelines.
Key Responsibilities
Material Development & Execution
• Partner with Product Development and Design to support and manage material development based on seasonal strategies and priorities.
• Manage all aspects of development, ensuring materials meet aesthetic, performance, and timeline expectations.
• Maintain and create raw material trackers, material boards, and lab dip requests.
• Analyze design cards and BOMs with PD for accuracy and completeness.
• Coordinate development packages, materials, and trims to sample rooms and service providers.
• Lead the review and approval of material and color submits to meet milestones.
Innovation & Sustainability
• Support and manage material innovation initiatives.
• Partner with ESG sustainability teams to ensure circular product certificates are requested and approved.
• Collaborate with Design on the material innovation roadmap and present updates in weekly meetings.
• Manage innovation pilots and testing; deliver proof of concept updates and recommend integration into assortments.
• Partner with Trade, Compliance, ESG, and Marketing on customer facing material claims.
Costing, Feasibility & Production Readiness
• Collect and evaluate costing and minimums at proto, final sample, and bulk stages.
• Manage all communication, workload, and direction to factories and mills.
• Manage the Material Liability process and update the brand team on new liability.
Cross Functional Leadership & Workflow Management
• Lead weekly materials meetings and ensure cross functional alignment.
• Partner closely with Design, Global Merchandising, and Operations to drive agile development timelines and ensure all deadlines are met.
• Manage communication and collaboration with external design and development agencies.
• Work within agile methodology—supporting rapid experimentation, continuous feedback, and adaptive planning within short sprints.