Lead, Footwear Materials Manufacturing Engineering (MME)

The Lead, Materials Manufacturing Engineering (MME) role is responsible for executing manufacturing readiness for new and evolving materials, focusing on innovation scale-up, supplier ramp-up, and production integration. The role translates upstream readiness strategy into disciplined execution during pilot, scale-up, and early production, ensuring new materials and processes can reliably scale. This position reports to the Director, Footwear MME & MSO and works closely with internal teams such as Materials Quality Engineering, Supplier Management, Materials Sourcing, Innovation, Product Creation, Product Integrity, and Chemical Engineering, as well as external material suppliers and footwear factory partners to drive manufacturing excellence, execution stability, and delivery confidence at scale.

• Define and execute manufacturing readiness plans for new, high-risk, or first-of-kind materials and processes to meet brand and consumer expectations.
• Drive the transition of new material innovations from development into scalable manufacturing, ensuring quality, delivery, and repeatable production across the supply chain.
• Support early manufacturing integration activities and timelines, including pilot builds, early production, footwear development, and engineering.
• Partner closely with suppliers to implement and stabilise new manufacturing methods, workflows, and processes to deliver production needs.
• Contribute to building scalable manufacturing solutions that can be leveraged across multiple models, seasons, and/or product lines to maximise efficiency and consistency.
• Identify and mitigate manufacturability, scalability, and capability risks prior to seasonal production.
• Anticipate constraints in material flow or supplier capability and proactively drive solutions that minimise impact on production readiness.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 6–8 years of experience in materials manufacturing, supplier management, or production support.
• Hands-on experience working directly with suppliers and factory partners.
• Strong project management and execution discipline with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Clear communication with the ability to proactively escalate risks, influence stakeholders, and drive resolutions.
• Ability to travel approximately 10%.