Sr. Manager Fabric R&D

About Athleta

For the past 22 years, we've committed ourselves and our brand to a single aim: to empower all women and girls. Inspiration. Collaboration. Connection. Inclusivity. It's what we do best, and we're on the hunt for people who share our passion for leading an active lifestyle, growing personally as well as professionally, and creating game-changing products and experiences.

We use business as a force for good by putting people and the planet right up there with profit, which is why Athleta is a certified B Corp. Ready to make a move? Join us. Because we know that alone we're strong, but together we're unstoppable.

About the role

Founded in 1999 in the picturesque town of Petaluma, CA, Athleta is a performance & lifestyle apparel brand dedicated to female empowerment & inclusivity, sustainability, technical beauty & innovation.
We've grown a bit since then, but our DNA remains the same. Our HQ is now in downtown San Francisco, and we've opened over 180 stores across the U.S., with more on the way.

What you'll do

• Develop seasonal fabric requests by translating the brand aesthetic into clear, executable direction for GIS to communicate to suppliers
• Ensure all fabrications meet Athleta's performance attributes, testing requirements and sustainability requirements to support marketing claims (wicking, odor management, UPF, etc)
• Comprehend results of lab tests and their impact on quality, performance, and price
• Provide expertise to design, product development, and production teams on fabric construction & content, fabric finishing technical capabilities to deliver raw material innovation
• Translate Brand aesthetic into clear, executable direction for mill partners
• Support key product initiatives through fabric research with strategic mill partners
• Identify and proactively engage cross functional business partners when issues arise with recommendations for viable options/solutions
• Maintain PLM system with relevant fabric info
• Schedule seasonal appointments with strategic mills prior to development each season
• Represent and /or lead assigned departmental projects
• Travel domestically and internationally to develop fabrics with key mills and attend industry trade shows.

Who you are

• College degree in apparel/textiles, manufacturing, or related experience
• 7 years' experience in material development of technical performance product
• Strong technical knowledge of yarn, fabric construction, dyeing and functional finishing
• Proficient in industry performance testing standards and protocols
• Knowledgeable of garment and material manufacturing processes, bulk manufacturing, cost drivers, lead times & sourcing strategy
• Ability to engineer & solve for specific quality, cost, or fit issues via technical alterations
• Strong attention to detail, active follow-through, assertiveness, self-motivation and ability to work in a team environment
• Display curiosity & knowledge of new innovation, trends, & construction finishes/dying, mill innovation, fabric developments, fiber technology
• Ability to build strong relationships & maintain alignment with internal & external, cross functional partners
• Ability to influence + collaborate with cross functional partners
• Agile and Flexible- our pace and process is fast and every changing, must be able to manage multiple projects and problems under time pressure
• Displays effective executive presence, positive and solution minded
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Notice to applicants in San Francisco: Gap Inc. and its related brands will consider for employment, qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. The Fair Chance Ordinance is provided here: English Spanish Chinese Tagalog

Benefits at Athleta

• Merchandise discount for our brands: 50% off regular-priced merchandise at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta, and 30% off at Outlet for all employees.
• One of the most competitive Paid Time Off plans in the industry.*
• Employees can take up to five "on the clock" hours each month to volunteer at a charity of their choice.*
• Extensive 401(k) plan with company matching for contributions up to four percent of an employee's base pay.*
• Employee stock purchase plan.*
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance.*
• See more of the benefits we offer.

*For eligible employees

Gap Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, training and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, and make all employment decisions without regard to any protected status. We have received numerous awards for our long-held commitment to equality and will continue to foster a diverse and inclusive environment of belonging. This year, we've been named as one of the Best Places to Work by the Humans Rights Campaign for the fourteenth consecutive year and have been included in the 2019 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the second year in a row.