• Is responsible for the successful production and on-time execution of materials; inclusive of quality, color, and testing.
• Partnering with product development teams to evaluate new fabrics, scaling up from lab dips to bulk, and ensuring mills are ready for commercialization and production.
• Partner with development teams, material vendors, and manufacturing partners to proactively identify and mitigate quality risks.
• Provide technical guidance on material development, manufacturing processes, and testing protocols to ensure consistent product performance and aesthetics.
• Drive issue management processes including root cause analysis, corrective action planning, and communication with stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain robust quality standards, metrics, and tools to assess supplier capabilities, monitor performance, and drive continuous improvement.
• Conduct visual and physical inspections of incoming fabric (greige and finished).
• Check for defects such as weaving flaws, dyeing inconsistencies, stains, and damages.
• Ensure testing for colorfastness, tensile strength, pilling, etc., is carried out as per Skechers standards.
• Provide guidance to fabric mills setting dates and gates to manage timelines for on time delivery.
• Ensure accredited in-house lab testing are aligned with Skechers requirement.
• 3rd party lab test reports with pass results are ready before release fabric shipment.
• Ensure fabric mills’ inspection reports are properly filed with detailed findings, including photos, and defect data. Follow up with mills and suppliers for corrective actions.
• Communicate unresolved quality issues to Skechers Operations & Materials teams for final decision.
• Work closely with the Supply Chain, Operations, and Sourcing teams to improve mill quality performance.
• Own mill performance scorecards and conduct business reviews.
• Spend time in mills to observe production, troubleshoot issues, and foster strong supplier relationships as the single point of contact for operational matters.
• Provide training, coaching, and technical guidance to mill partners when necessary.