Leather Technician

General Summary:

A Footwear Leather Technician provides technical input and support to the teams and factories. A leather Technician can be involved in all stages of leather development and leather manufacture. They have a good understanding to supply technical support to team, troubleshooting where needed, finding solutions and improving efficiencies.

Reports to: Sr Material Manager

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Development of leather articles according to the company direction.
• Select new article and trends to present to design team.
• Check evaluate and correct leather articles to ensure quality and production stability.
• Support sourcing to develop and maintain a portfolio for regional vendors with curated vendor/market strength, capabilities, and opportunities
• Leather samples, production confirmation approval
• Color review and management for samples and production.
• Alignment initiatives to ensure quality consistency between factory and countries.
• Align with regional sourcing strategies and ensure product and material expertise and capabilities are also in alignment.
• Attend leather and materials shows as appropriate to gain perspective on newness, innovation, sustainability, and trend as it applies to the brand.
• Ensure product key milestone and calendar dates are met.
• Support sample leather and materials development with sourcing, determining proper hand feel, finishing and construction.
• Identify and evaluate any potential Risk and document all findings and recommendations in a detailed Risk Assessment report.
• Document and update supplier pool and material library information to enhance efficiency and effectiveness, including composition, properties, uses and availability.
• Evaluate suppliers' performance (quality/service and delivery), review the performance and reliability for each supplier
• Provide support and guidance to the shoe finishing, to ensure that the shoe finishing is done properly and meets the desired quality standard.

Required Skills:

• Above 5 years’ experience in materials leather sourcing for export-oriented company.
• Good experience with local leather sourcing market.
• Strong business sense and analytical skills.
• IT-skills e-mail, MS Office, Excel
• Reporting and Excel Skills knowledge are required
• Fluent English oral and written

Minimum Experience:

• At least 5 years’ experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong various leather knowledge.

Minimum Education:

• Bachelor’s degree