職務描述
COMPANY DESCRIPTION
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company's brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands.
At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Category Technical Manager serves as the category commercialization and technical expert, partnering with Design, Product Development, Merchandising, Raw Materials, and Sourcing teams to translate product concepts into scalable commercial solutions.
Leveraging deep expertise in product construction, manufacturing processes, material applications, and supplier capabilities, this role drives product industrialization and commercialization by ensuring products can be efficiently sourced, manufactured, scaled, and executed across Ralph Lauren's global supplier network.
The role acts as the critical bridge between Product Creation and Global Sourcing, enabling product innovation while balancing manufacturability, commercial viability, supply chain scalability, and consumer expectations.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Product Commercialization & Industrialization
• Lead the industrialization and commercialization of products within the assigned category.
• Evaluate product concepts, constructions, materials, and design requirements to ensure commercial readiness and scalable manufacturing execution.
• Identify technical, operational, and sourcing barriers that may impact product commercialization and partner cross-functionally to develop solutions.
• Drive alignment between product intent and manufacturing capabilities to support successful product execution at scale.
• Support the transition of products from creation into production through technical expertise and manufacturing knowledge.
• Recommend engineering and construction solutions that improve manufacturability, consistency, efficiency, and speed to market.
Category Technical Leadership
• Serve as the category technical authority for Sweater
• Provide expertise on product construction, manufacturing methods, technical innovation, and category best practices.
• Advise Design, Product Development, Merchandising, and Sourcing teams on technical feasibility and commercialization considerations.
• Deliver insights that support informed product decisions balancing design intent, product performance, cost, and scalability.
Supplier Technical Partnership
• Develop a deep understanding of supplier capabilities, manufacturing strengths, and technical competencies within the category.
• Partner with Supplier Engagement & Enablement teams to provide category-specific technical expertise that supports supplier development priorities.
• Contribute technical insights to supplier evaluations, sourcing decisions, onboarding initiatives, and expansion opportunities.
• Collaborate with manufacturing partners to identify opportunities for improved product execution and manufacturing performance.
Materials & Innovation Partnership
• Partner with Raw Materials and R&D teams to evaluate the commercial application of new materials, technologies, and manufacturing innovations.
• Assess the manufacturability, scalability, and sourcing implications of material and construction innovations.
• Provide category expertise that supports innovation initiatives and product differentiation strategies.
• Identify emerging industry trends and technologies that can enhance category competitiveness.
Category Excellence & Knowledge Leadership
• Establish and maintain category technical benchmarks, manufacturing best practices, and commercialization standards.
• Capture and share learnings related to product execution, manufacturing innovations, and sourcing opportunities.
• Promote consistency in product execution across suppliers, regions, and product classifications.
• Serve as a technical resource and educator across the broader sourcing organization.
EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE
Years of Experience: 8–12+ years of experience in Product Commercialization, Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Technical Product Management, Product Development, or Global Sourcing. Deep expertise in Outerwear, or other technically complex product categories.
Education: Graduate in Textile Engineering, Apparel Manufacturing, Materials Science, Industrial Engineering, Product Engineering, or related discipline.
Language: English: Professional / fluent written and verbal communication.
Communication Skills: Strong cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management skills; excellent presentation, facilitation, and influencing capabilities; ability to communicate technical concepts to both technical and business audiences; effective negotiation and problem-solving skills.
Professional Knowledge & Skills
• Product Commercialization Expertise: Translates product concepts into scalable commercial solutions.
• Product Industrialization & Engineering: Drives manufacturability, scalability, and production readiness.
• Deep Category Expertise: Recognized subject matter expert in Sweater construction, materials, and manufacturing.
• Business & Commercial Acumen: Balances design intent, consumer needs, cost, speed, and sourcing realities.
• Influence & Cross-Functional Leadership: Builds alignment across Product Creation and Global Sourcing without direct authority.
Core Competencies
• Product Commercialization: Ability to bridge product creation and sourcing execution, translating concepts into scalable commercial products.
• Product Industrialization: Expertise in manufacturing methods, production readiness, product engineering, and execution scalability.
• Category Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge of category-specific materials, construction methods, manufacturing processes, and market trends.
• Manufacturing & Supplier Knowledge: Strong understanding of supplier ecosystems, operational capabilities, production processes, and sourcing dynamics.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Ability to align Product Development, Design, Merchandising, Raw Materials, and Sourcing teams around practical commercialization solutions.
• Strategic Problem Solving: Balances innovation, manufacturability, speed, cost, capacity, and product performance to enable successful execution.
