Technical Development Manager

RESPONSIBILITIES

• 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.
• Willingness to travel approximately 30%–50%.