This role supports quality assurance and risk mitigation specifically for apparel raw materials. The specialist will partner with internal and external stakeholders to identify potential quality issues and lead proactive measures to ensure consistent material performance and compliance. The role also supports supplier improvement through technical training, governance programs, and ongoing collaboration. Acts as a subject matter expert in apparel raw materials, educating cross-functional teams and promoting material knowledge across the organization.
How You Will Make a Difference
What you will do:
- Drive and support the raw material certification and training initiatives to ensure seamless calibration and adherence to VF standards.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to define material quality root causes and drive corrective action plans.
- Maintain strong relationship and effective communication with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment and shared understanding.
- Collaborate with Regional Quality team and Material Sourcing to identify quality risks and develop innovative solutions.
- Deliver technical recommendations and best practices to continuously improve apparel raw material performance and reduce quality incidents.
- Develop and implement procedures and guidelines that support quality consistency across all apparel raw material types and suppliers.
- Drive processes and strategies to ensure effective communication internally among the various stakeholders and externally with fabric suppliers and testing labs.
- Support the certification and training (SCP) of apparel raw materials to ensure alignment with VF quality standards and proper calibration procedures.
How you will do it:
- Actively connect with Brand and VF teams to share relevant material quality insights that impact product performance and customer satisfaction.
- Foster authentic, solution-focused dialogue with stakeholders to align on quality goals.
- Build credibility and strong partnerships within VF and across the apparel supply base
What success looks like:
- Demonstrate active listening and collaborative idea exchange to influence others toward achieving quality and performance objectives for apparel materials.
- Applies facts and adapts own communication style and language based on the audience and situation.
Free to Be, Inclusion & Diversity
As a purpose-led, performance driven company, we strive to foster a culture of belonging based on respect, connection, openness, and authenticity. We are committed to building and maintaining a workplace that celebrates the diversity of our associates, allowing them to bring their authentic selves to work every day.
Skills for Success
Years of related professional experience: 5 years
Educational position requirements: A formal education and subsequent undergraduate/graduate degrees are nice to have, but we are most interested in your total experience and professional achievements.
- What we expect you already know:
- Applicable experience in Raw material R&D, manufacturing, or related experience.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Detail oriented with strong organizational skills
- Proven ability to develop and apply analytic solutions to solve business problems
- Ability to work at a high level and detail level to draw conclusion and make recommendations
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Bilingual: English/Spanish
- Required Competencies:
- Continuous Improvement
- Team Building
- Excellent Communication Skills
- Results Oriented
- Others:
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel & PowerPoint
- Good analytical and problem solving skill
- Familiar with 5S / ISO 9001 / 8D problem solving
- Familiar with Fishbone Diagram / 5 WHY
- Knowledge in Six Sigma disciplines would be advantageous
- Manufacturing Operations Knowledge
Hybrid position
R-20251008-0017
