Developer Materials HN

At Fanatics Commerce, we’re more than just a leader in licensed sports merchandise – we’re a team united by a relentless passion for our fans and a commitment to innovation. We live by our BOLD Leadership principles: We Build Championship Teams, we’re Obsessed with Fans, we embrace a Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit, and we approach every challenge with a Determined and Relentless Mindset. If you’re ready to contribute to a dynamic, fast-paced environment that thrives on collaboration and growth, we want you to be part of our team.

Role Overview 

The Material Developer is to guide the capabilities of our new and existing fabric, trim &/or component suppliers through workflow optimization and expert knowledge, which spans everything from concept through constructing prototypes to bulk production. Develop and maintain an applied material portfolio to support our creative design team. This involves coordinating with the suppliers & US teams to oversee the development, approvals, and production-ready status of all material in the designated product line, to deliver quality products in a timely & consistent manner.

How you will make an impact:

Concept Development 

• Support end-to-end material development process that enables and elevates innovation, productivity, efficiency, quality, and profitability.
• Come up with seasonal updates to core material, incorporating market and performance trend, by brand segmentations strategy.
• Receive, send out cuttings & review submits of material from suppliers. Communicate any issues on material (testing, proto, price) to US material team.
• Execute counter development to regional suppliers by sending swatches, strike off or physical samples with the material detail to supplier and follow up submit date.
• In the case of fabrics, preposition proto yardage per seasonal forecast & update cross functional partners.
• Drive risk assessment analysis & proactively identify issues prior to development.
• Research and develop trends and innovation continuously by working closely with Suppliers and PCC.
• Prepare data & material for trend presentation, supporting us seasonal strategy meetings.
• Track developments by calendar due dates.

Test & Validate

• Work with Suppliers to proactively solve testing issues and communicate with PI/CFT
• Receive and review failed testing specimen with manager, make recommendation for resolution.
• Support necessary decoration testing to designated product service model. 
• Proactively identify risk & work on solutions to mitigate testing issues by researching new materials & techniques.
• Support PI on root cause analysis and corrective action plan with any material production quality issue. 

Daily Activities

• Ensure materials are confirmed with price and quality, testing, RMDS fill in correctly & on-time. 
• Monitor work in progress (WIP), create & maintain tracking and all Material-related record keeping, data input, and in/out parcel coordination. Update weekly information regarding approval/comments to CFT.
• Organize and maintain the material library by running samples, standards, and new material section. 
• Create and maintain carryover & seasonal material boards, publish as approved.
• Gather data for adoption ratio post buy & analyze for adoption ratio and department overview of material usage by channel, with suggested roadmap.
• Facilitate timely communication with internal and external parties between US offices & PCC.
• Compile weekly metrics & analysis to support Material KPI’s. 
• Partner with Material Manager/ Director to identify opportunities within the process to increase speed, efficiency & quality. 
• Input & evaluate report card metrics for on-time sample performance, quality & communicate action plans to suppliers.
• Support SOP documentation, distribution, and training relevant to necessary process updates for internal & external partners. Inclusive of being a SME in cross-functional SOP validation.

what you bring to the team:

• Bachelor's degree in Textiles, Industrial Engineering or manufacturing related field.
• 3+ years of experience in related field, with a strong technical knowledge gained in retail/manufacturing environment covering all areas of textiles from raw material, process, finishing, printing and quality. Experience with performance fabrications preferred.
• History of established strong partnerships with materials suppliers globally and can navigate difficult situations to drive solutions while maintaining positive relationships.
• Experience visiting mills & factories have a keen eye for quality, compliance, cost negotiations & process optimization.
• Basic knowledge in lab dip process. 
• Understanding of AATCC and ASTM industry test methods.
• A team player with a good attitude, strong communication and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient in product line management (PLM), databases, and MS Office applications, 3D development experienced is a plus.
• Must be detail-oriented, able to multitask, and punctual in meeting deadlines.
• Ability to juggle multiple deadlines and tasks in a fast-paced environment. Strong sense of urgency and intuitive sense of priorities and accuracy.
• Willing and able to travel extensively, often to foreign and/or remote locations.
• Ability to communicate verbally and written in a clear, concise, tactful manner (English proficient a must)

About Us:

We are a global leader in sportswear and merchandise that focuses on all professional sports leagues and sporting events worldwide. We produce thousands of officially licensed products for leading sports brands through our fast-growing e-commerce platform and major retailers. Our global supply chain utilizes factories and fabric mills that produce for the top-10 apparel brands  while maintaining Better Works social compliance standards.

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally. 

Fanatics Commerce is a leading designer, manufacturer, and seller of licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods. It operates a vertically-integrated platform of digital and physical capabilities for leading sports leagues, teams, colleges, and associations globally – as well as its flagship site, www.fanatics.com.

Fanatics Commerce has a broad range of online, sports venue, and vertical apparel partnerships worldwide, including comprehensive partnerships with leading leagues, teams, colleges, and sports organizations across the world—including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, Formula 1, and Australian Football League (AFL); the Dallas Cowboys, Golden State Warriors, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Chelsea FC, and Tokyo Giants; the University of Notre Dame, University of Alabama, and University of Texas; the International Olympic Committee (IOC), England Rugby, and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

At Fanatics Commerce, we infuse our BOLD Leadership Principles in everything we do:
· Build Championship Teams
· Obsessed with Fans
· Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit
· Determined and Relentless Mindset