Fabric R&D Manager

Lucky Brand•New York, NY

9d•$89,100 - $162,000

About The Position

The Fabric Manager, Fabric R&D supports seasonal fabric development and executes divisional fabric strategies across private brands. This role partners closely with Design, Product Development, Sourcing, and our CBSO (international sourcing) offices to deliver fabric innovation, quality, cost competitiveness, and speed-to-market aligned to business objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree preferred (or equivalent relevant experience).
5–8 years of experience in fabric sourcing, fabric development, or raw materials management.
Strong understanding of fabric construction, performance standards, quality requirements, and testing methods.
Knowledge of global fabric sourcing, raw material markets, and cost drivers.
Experience working with mills, suppliers, and international sourcing offices.
Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Collaborative team player with strong communication and cross-functional partnership skills.
Excellent time management skills, able to work independently and prioritize.

Nice To Haves

PLM system knowledge preferred.
Working knowledge of sourcing strategies and trade considerations preferred.

Responsibilities

Execute seasonal fabric development aligned to divisional fabric and mill strategies.
Partner with Design and Product Development to develop fabrics that support brand aesthetic, performance requirements, and cost targets.
Manage fabric development with mills and suppliers, ensuring timely execution of submits, approvals, and commercialization.
Identify shared fabric opportunities across brands/divisions to leverage scale and improve efficiencies.
Benchmark pricing for key fabric qualities and support cost savings initiatives through supplier collaboration and market analysis.
Support core fabric platforms (carryover qualities) and counter-source opportunities to strengthen competitiveness and mitigate supply risk.
Maintain development charts, fabric trackers, and master fabric menus, ensuring accurate communication across cross-functional teams.
Ensure adherence to company quality requirements, including fabric construction standards and testing protocols.
Troubleshoot fabric construction, testing, and quality issues during development, partnering with mills, CBSO Fabric teams, and Product Development to drive issue resolution.
Support fabric-related quality issues in bulk production, collaborating with CBSO Fabric and CBSO Merchant teams and Sourcing on investigation and corrective actions.
Maintain fabric data integrity within PLM, including development submissions and fabric specifications.
Partner closely with CBSO Fabric and CBSO Merchant teams to ensure alignment on development execution, costing, and sourcing strategies.
Support sustainability initiatives through the development and adoption of responsible fibers and material solutions.