Assistant Fabric R&D

Aquent is partnering with a globally recognized brand, celebrated for its optimistic American style and commitment to making a positive impact, to find talent who will shape the future of product development. This role offers an incredible opportunity to drive innovation and quality, directly influencing the creation of beloved products that resonate with customers worldwide. You will be at the forefront of balancing cutting-edge innovation with practical implementation, ensuring that products not only meet but exceed expectations for quality and cost efficiency.

**About the Role**

In this pivotal role, you will be accountable for supporting the ideation, development, implementation, and execution of production and vendor capability strategies. You will deliver significant value by effectively balancing innovation, quality, and cost within a highly matrixed global organization. You will be an integral part of cross-functional product teams, collaborating with Design, Merchandising, Tech Design, Quality Assurance, Sustainability, Fabric Research and Development, and Global Sourcing. Your keen attention to detail will ensure the product pipeline meets critical milestones, fulfilling market demands with precision and speed.

**What You'll Do**

* Understand product development implications on merchandising and design-driven product decisions based on category or vendor strategies.

* Drive communication between brand teams and global product teams to ensure strategic business alignment and optimal responsiveness.

* Collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet financial targets by delivering on cost guidance.

* Provide flash garment costing, accurately accounting for all costing components.

* Manage Bill of Materials (BOM) maintenance through the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system to ensure product execution.

* Communicate with global teams to understand product execution issues and provide timely support in resolving them.

* Monitor product launch calendar milestones and proactively escalate issues impacting deadlines.

* Support seasonal strategies to limit exposure to buying materials pre-line adoption, managing through liability as needed.

* Execute category product development strategies that align with production strategies and organizational goals.

* Manage specific categories in coordination with cross-functional teams and international sourcing partners.

**Required Skills & Experience**

* Global Product Development experience or exposure to driving global product development.

* Strong understanding of design, merchandising, and vendor/category management.

* Proven ability to proactively solve problems and effectively manage multiple challenges.

* Capability to anticipate and mitigate product launch risks by balancing cost, supplier, and time constraints.

* Demonstrated ability to influence and make decisions cross-functionally in a matrix environment where speed and cultural sensitivity are crucial.

* High learning agility, curiosity, and motivation to develop new skills and knowledge, with openness to feedback.

* Excellent communication skills to convey data and information clearly to cross-functional partners, supporting informed decision-making.

**About Aquent Talent:**

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world's biggest brands.

Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. More information on our awesome benefits!

Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.