Director - Specialty Fibers

Description

THE ROLE

Director of Specialty Fibers

This role ensures that every product made from cashmere, merino, yak, alpaca, and other luxury fibers meets Quince's uncompromising standards for quality, sustainability, and affordability.

The Director blends deep technical expertise in fiber science with strategic supply chain leadership and cross-functional collaboration, serving as the central hub connecting sourcing, production, quality, and design teams across global markets.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Supply Chain Management

• Orchestrate the end-to-end supply chain as the central hub connecting sourcing managers, production teams, and quality specialists to ensure a seamless, resilient, and efficient flow from fiber to finished yarn.
• Lead and mentor a diverse, specialized team of sourcing managers, quality engineers, and production experts, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence.
• Drive multi-sourcing and nearshoring strategies to mitigate geopolitical and logistical risks while ensuring a stable supply of high-grade fibers from the Americas and Asia.
• Set the strategic direction for vertical integration opportunities, evaluating build-vs-buy decisions for spinning, dyeing, or finishing capabilities that could enhance quality control and margin structure.
• Act as a key advisor to the executive team on fiber market trends, geopolitical risks (e.g., trade tariffs, export restrictions), climate impacts on raw material supply, and competitive intelligence—translating complex data into actionable business recommendations.
• Champion Quince's "unreal prices" mission by continuously identifying cost-leadership opportunities across the supply chain, from farm to finished yarn, without compromising ethical standards or product integrity.

Sourcing & Supplier Development

• Build and curate a best-in-class supplier ecosystem, identifying, vetting, and onboarding mills, dehairers, spinners, and dye houses that meet Quince's exacting standards for quality, capacity, sustainability, and labor practices.
• Lead supplier development programs, coaching strategic partners to improve yield, reduce defects, adopt sustainable practices, and achieve cost efficiencies that benefit both parties.
• Drive traceability and transparency across the entire fiber supply chain, from herder cooperatives and farms to finished yarn. Partner with certification bodies (GOTS, RWS, GCS, ZQ) to ensure chain-of-custody integrity.
• Make high-stakes sourcing decisions based on deep market intelligence—including auction prices, crop forecasts, currency fluctuations, and geopolitical developments—balancing short-term cost opportunities with long-term relationship value.

Quality Assurance & Technical Optimization

• Architect the quality management system for all specialty fibers, defining standards, testing protocols, and approval workflows for raw fiber, dehaired fiber, tops, yarns, and finished goods.
• Partner with the Senior Manager, Natural Fibers Quality to establish measurable quality benchmarks, including micron distribution, fiber length, tensile strength, yield, color fastness, and pilling resistance—ensuring every lot meets or exceeds luxury brand parity.
• Oversee third-party lab testing and compliance, working with the Cashmere Spec/Test Report/Compliance Auditor to validate that all materials meet international standards (ISO, OEKO-TEX, GOTS, REACH) and Quince's internal specifications.
• Lead root-cause analysis for quality failures, implementing corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) across the supply chain. Drive a culture of "quality at the source," empowering suppliers to self-detect and correct issues before production.
• Collaborate with product development and design teams to translate aesthetic and tactile visions into technical specifications—micron targets, twist levels, finishing treatments—that are manufacturable at scale and cost.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as the central point of communication for all fiber-related matters, providing technical expertise and clear direction to design, product development, and production teams.
• Communicate daily with domestic and overseas mills, dye houses, and suppliers to give precise, actionable feedback on fiber quality, color accuracy, availability and production timelines.
• Translate design and merchandising visions into clear, manufacturable technical briefs for suppliers, ensuring that product aesthetics and performance meet Quince's brand standards.
• Lead blind panels with design, merchandising, and customer focus groups to validate luxury fiber perception and color accuracy before commercialization.

Requirements

Required

• Degree in Textile Science, Fiber Engineering, Material Science, Supply Chain Management, Color Chemistry, or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in specialty fiber sourcing, yarn production, quality management, or coloration for apparel, accessories, or home textiles.
• Deep technical knowledge of natural fibers (cashmere, merino, yak, alpaca, cotton), spinning processes (woolen, worsted)
• Proven leadership experience managing cross-functional teams in a fast-paced retail or manufacturing environment, with a track record of mentoring and developing talent.
• Strong cost analysis skills: cost-per-kilogram modeling, yield optimization, landed cost analysis, and budget management.
• Experience building and maintaining quality standards, and supplier compliance programs, including SKU rationalization and shade consolidation.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred

• Experience with sustainable fibers
• Knowledge of supply chain traceability including blockchain or digital tracking systems.
• Familiarity with PLM systems and quality database management.
• Background in luxury goods (apparel, home and accessories) with an eye for premium aesthetics, handfeel, and trend forecasting.