Manager, Material Quality, Polymer – Trims

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Vietnam.

📋 Description

• Oversee the quality of raw materials for footwear, with a strong emphasis on leather and polymers.

• Ensure that materials comply with VF's standards for quality, performance, sustainability, and brand requirements throughout bulk production.

• Administer quality standards and conduct risk assessments for leather, footwear polymers, and trims.

• Develop and uphold leather quality criteria that address grading, cutting yield, thickness, shade, grain appearance, physical performance, and compliance with restricted substances.

• Evaluate tannery controls for incoming hides, wet-end and finishing processes, recipe management, lot segregation, color consistency, and lot-level traceability.

• Mitigate and address leather-specific defects such as shade discrepancies, loose grain, cracking, peeling, dye transfer, crocking, water spotting, mold, and inconsistencies in finish.

• Analyze material specifications, test results, production methods, failure trends, and root causes; propose corrective and preventive measures.

• Identify and mitigate material quality risks during the development, commercialization, and bulk production phases.

• Assess supplier quality systems, technical capabilities, process controls, and production readiness.

• Leverage audits, scorecards, performance metrics, and KPIs to enhance supplier quality and accountability.

• Ensure quality controls and traceability from T2 material suppliers to T1 footwear factories.

• Lead or assist in material certification, supplier training, technical calibration, and continuous improvement efforts.

• Collaborate with Product Development, Global Materials, GMS, Color, Technical Development, Sourcing, Quality, Compliance, brands, suppliers, and laboratories.

• Convey risks, business implications, options, and recommendations to stakeholders effectively.

• Establish priorities and provide coaching, feedback, technical guidance, and developmental support to the team.

• Set strategic direction, align team objectives with business priorities, and clarify roles, expectations, and decision-making processes.

• Utilize technical expertise, consumer insights, and data to enhance operations.

• Foster cross-functional partnerships and cultivate a high-performing team through coaching, feedback, accountability, and career development.

• Guarantee that materials meet VF and brand standards, resolve risks early, maintain effective corrective actions, enhance supplier capabilities, support milestones, and promote team collaboration.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in footwear raw materials, material development, R&D, manufacturing, engineering, supplier quality, or a similar field.

• At least 3 years of experience in people leadership, team leadership, project leadership, or matrix leadership roles.

• In-depth knowledge of leather and/or footwear polymers and trims, manufacturing processes, performance, failure modes, and quality controls.

• Practical understanding of various leather types, tanning and finishing techniques, grading systems, color approval processes, physical and chemical testing, and tannery quality management.

• Familiarity with ISO 9001, 8D, SPC, CPK, FMEA, Six Sigma, and 5S methodologies.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, project management, and stakeholder management capabilities.

• Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; experience with Tableau or similar analytics tools is advantageous.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English.

• Willingness to travel as required by business needs.

• A Bachelor’s degree in Leather Technology, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline is preferred.

• Proficiency in Mandarin or another relevant Asian language is a plus.

🏝️ Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits that promote mental, physical, and financial well-being.

• Initiatives focused on inclusion and diversity.

• A respectful, open, and authentic workplace culture.