Lead Knits, Wovens and Hardgoods

Job description

**Department**: Product Creation Development **Reports to**: Senior Manager, Proof of Concept Validation **Location**: North Vancouver, BC **Your opportunity at Arc’teryx:** As the Lead, Knits, Wovens and Hardgoods, you lead a specialized team of Experts, Engineers and Product Developers through the testing and validation of the technical sets. Your efforts focus on testing, validation of materials and construction. Your innovative and solutions-focused approach to Proof of Concept ensures that each new development meets Arc’teryx standards, design intent and downstream requirements. You demonstrate integrity in your work, lead by example, and provide overall support and coaching to your team. **Meet your future team:** We’re a small but high-performing team at the heart of product creation. Our work behind the scenes powers every stage of development—from concept to commercialization. We collaborate closely with Designers, Product Developers, and specialists in Circularity, Repairability, Disassembly, Raw Material Development, and Manufacturing to validate the finished goods toolbox and ensure go-to-market success. By building strong relationships across functions, we transform ideas into durable, sustainable, and innovative products that meet the highest standards of performance and integrity. ### If you were in the Lead Knits, Wovens and Hardgoods role now, here are some of the core activities you would be responsible for: - Supporting the Senior Manager, Proof of Concept Validation in building and coaching a team of technical Experts, Engineers and Developers, and owning the day-to-day leadership and development of the team. - Owning and developing accurate documentation of the testing and validation methods and results whilst ensuring parameters are accurately documented. - Partner with Compliance to identify changes in regulations/standards, and how these changes impact constructions. - Partner with Compliance and engineering to identify Hardgoods pull test needs and initial testing. - Facilitating regular communication between cross-functional groups to establish and maintain practices to ensure smooth transition to downstream teams. - Partnering with Product Integrity to ensure that all constructions / technical sets meet our standards. - Partnering with Product Operations on calendar requirements, ensuring timelines are met throughout the Proof-of-Concept process by managing workloads amongst team members - Providing regular reporting of metrics to Proof-of-Concept leadership team - Accurately producing technical drawings of approved constructions and maintaining Knits, Wovens and Hardgoods construction and testing libraries. - Managing a limited repertoire of testing and validating materials and construction as the technical expert, ensuring Arc'teryx brand standards are consistently met. - Communicating seasonal technical sets validation in the transition to Execution. - Being the point of contact for troubleshooting any sample / technical sets challenges during samples in the Execution and Commercialization phases ### Here are some of the things you could be working on in the future: - Supporting strategic needs through contributions to high-visibility projects - Project management for key initiatives - Work directly with cross-functional partners on any key developments. ### Are you our next Lead, Knits, Wovens and Hardgoods? - You have 8+ years’ experience in product development, with a minimum of 2 years at a senior / expert level with an emphasis on technical / innovative apparel and equipment, or equivalent additional experience in lieu - You have an Undergraduate Degree OR equivalent industry training, certification, or related business experience - You have a complete understanding of the product lifecycle process - from ideation to consumer - You have a comprehensive understanding of design intent, product aesthetics, construction, production and fit - You have excellent interpersonal and communication (written and verbal) skills - You have strong leadership skills with an aptitude for coaching and mentoring teams - You have an extensive knowledge of raw materials, technical construction, and sourcing - You have experience effectively communicating with and travelling to domestic and offshore vendors and manufacturers - You have experience in product costing and negotiation skills - You are detailed and accuracy oriented with strong organizational skills - You are goal-driven with a results-oriented attitude - You have strong prioritization skills - You have strong computer skills in Adobe Illustrator and Microsoft Office