Who We Are:
At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line.
Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation.
Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success:
· Runner First
We act in the best interest of the runner
· Word is Bond
We do what we say we’ll do
· Champion Heart
We give our all in everything we do
· There is no “I” in Run
We stay generous with our humanity
· Keep Moving
We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic!
We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement — because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there.
Your Job:
The Senior Footwear Materials Developer will lead, manage, and execute the seasonal footwear material development process, utilizing advanced product and process knowledge. You will work with a cross-functional product creation team from the collection of insights through commercialization to deliver products that exceed consumer expectations. You will be responsible for generating ideas around engineering principles that improve product performance, product value, and communicate them across the product teams.
This role requires advanced knowledge across many material constructions and processes involved in footwear manufacturing including; engineering warps, wefts, and wovens. You must also have extensive knowledge in raw material properties, testing, and costing. Other critical responsibilities include understanding manufacturing capabilities, anticipating issues, problem-solving, and timely resolution.
Your Responsibilities:
- Manage and own Materials’ seasonal development calendar and lead innovations in process creation and execution. Support other team members in the execution of seasonal deliverables.
- Manage and lead all seasonal development toolbox work – Inline, MRA, and Pre-Development.
- Recognize and evaluate the risk factors associated with all material developments and communicate and influence with the product teams to ensure adherence to seasonal calendar dates
- Lead the team to continually create and build a knowledge base and stay informed about vendor capabilities and performance, factory relationships, quality issues, materials pricing, and lead times
- Anticipate downstream effects of decisions as they relate to product and project management. Be proactive in solutions to mitigate delays.
- Lead and collaborate with product teams in the development of materials specifications for product functionality, durability, and aesthetics, including identifying needs and researching solutions.
- Self-initiate and contribute to research of emerging materials trends by attending material shows, machine shows, and industry conferences, and staying informed with literature and industry news. Identify viable opportunities to bring in-house to Brooks and lead implementation of new processes/technology to advance the footwear creation process or improve cost/quality or reduce environmental impact.
- Lead, own, and manage projects having the biggest impact on the business and with new technology/ manufacturing techniques (franchise product, new technology, sustainability initiatives, etc.)
- Mentor material development and other Footwear teammates; may manage up to 1 direct report.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with T2 partners. Act as a key voice and representative of the Brooks’ Materials Team.
- Serve as the materials subject matter expert for members of the project teams
- Oversee coordination and review with Asia materials testing team, to ensure that all materials pass Brooks Sports commercialization process by the specified dates on the seasonal calendar.
- Develop and maintain an organized materials library, complete with up-to-date material resources, testing history, and specifications.
- Continuously build advanced materials expertise and work to create a network of contacts within the industry.
- Lead, recommend, and specify to product team the material options to meet pricing targets and the product’s functional goals, as well as assure product performance integrity through product testing (physical and field testing)
- Initiate and lead meetings with product teams during various phases of development to review, evaluate, update, and ultimately drive the decision-making process that leads to on-time production confirmation and margin goals
- Collaborate with Research, Design, Development, Marketing, Costing, and Color in order to show sample materials that meet the criteria for the category based on material performance data
- Organize and communicate new processes and techniques to the cross-functional teams
- Assist with advanced materials R&D projects (when needed).
- Lead trips to suppliers 3 or more times per year and additional travel as needed.
Qualifications:
- BS in Textile Engineering, Textile Design, Materials Engineering, Textile Chemistry, or related field; may be substituted with relevant work experience
- 7+ years of experience in footwear textile development/ design, material development
- Deep understanding and proven success working with footwear construction methods, a range of material constructions, and material processes.
- Proficient in PLM system to build, support, and maintain digital material library.
- Computer proficiency with office software; MS Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Key Note, and Illustrator.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and influence in a collaborative, cross-functional group without command/ control to meet strategic objectives.
- Effective project management skills and experience, including the ability to articulate goals and objectives, manage projects independently, and the ability to network and utilize internal and external resources.
- Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution of tasks (self and through others), while still seeing the big picture and understanding how all the pieces fit together and affect one another.
- Outstanding communication skills, verbal and written. Advanced ability to communicate new ideas, concepts, and functional expertise within project teams and to external stakeholders.
- Ability to anticipate how a decision made can affect our customers, our partners, our products, or other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots.”
- Curious and open-minded; always open for a challenge, inventive, creative. With the ability to challenge the status quo – always looking at improving our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details.
- Demonstrated ability to develop highly positive relationships with individuals and teams that are made up of diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds resulting in effective working relationships across the company
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed (15-25% travel time)
Compensation: The pay range for this position, based out of the Brooks Seattle HQ, is $121,798 - $182,749 per year. Base pay offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
Other:
Brooks is proud to offer a robust benefits package to our employees and their families!
Benefits- including medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance, HSA and employer contribution, FSA, family & fertility assistance, 401K Savings Plan and match, employee assistance program, and transportation assistance.
Paid Time Off- Brooks offers generous time off including three to five weeks of paid time off, eleven paid holidays, paid sick and parental leave.
Bonus-in addition to base pay, Brooks employees may also be offered an annual bonus based on company performance.
Perks- including product discounts, employee recognition, fitness discounts, volunteer and donation benefits.
Location- You will spend 3 days per week in our Seattle offices, as we believe our organization flourishes when connections, collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and celebrations happen in person.
At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, two-spirit identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, sensory, physical, or mental disability, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), honorable discharge or military status, protected citizen status, actual or perceived victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, HIV or Hepatitis C infection, political ideology, use of a trained guide dog by a person with a disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state or local law, or any other non-merit based factors.
