Lead, coach, and develop the APAC Technical Development (TD) team to strengthen capabilities and ensure high performance.
Oversee the TD team’s execution within the new product development (NPD) process.
Assign TD members to projects to support product design, conduct design risk assessments, develop test plans, review samples, and approve confirmation and PSA samples.
Collaborate closely with design and product development teams to ensure products meet functional, aesthetic, and cost requirements. Provide engineering input on construction methods and material selection.
Partner with Quality teams to lead key production milestones (e.g., pre-production, pilot runs, test orders), identify issues, and implement solutions.
Work with sourcing teams to train and support manufacturing partners on best engineering practices for soft goods.
Collaborate with factories to optimize production processes, including sewing and welding lines, improving efficiency and reducing bottlenecks.
Lead cross-functional meetings, communicate project updates, highlight risks, and drive action plans.
Develop and implement factory technical capability assessment systems to improve efficiency and reduce lead times.
Drive innovation initiatives from the manufacturing side and evaluate new ideas with cross-functional teams.
Support urgent or fast-track projects from product management teams.
Ensure all assigned tasks are delivered on time, with high quality, and in a collaborative manner.
REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor’s degree or above in Engineering, Technology, or a related field.
Minimum 10 years of experience in soft goods development for global consumer brands.
At least 5 years of experience leading Technical Development teams (soft goods).
Strong expertise in textile cut-and-sew and RF welding processes (experience in bags preferred).
Knowledge of Six Sigma or similar process improvement methodologies is a plus.
Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator; experience with 3D modeling and other technical software is preferred.
Strong project and team management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage timelines effectively.
Excellent communication skills (written and verbal), with the ability to work across regions and functions.
Ability to influence stakeholders and collaborate with internal teams and external factory partners.
Experience in technical documentation, reporting, and presentations.
Comfortable communicating directly with manufacturing partners.
Strong analytical thinking with a process-driven and solution-oriented mindset.
Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality and respond effectively to issues or complaints.
