What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Materials & Product Development position at Pact?
Overview
Pact is seeking a strategic, cross-functional leader to drive material innovation and product development in support of our brand’s quality, sustainability, and margin goals. This role will lead fabric sourcing and product execution from concept through shipment, building global vendor relationships, championing GOTS-compliant practices, and delivering product that meets both creative vision and commercial targets.
About Us
Have you met Earth’s Favorite™ Clothing Company?
Hi, we’re Pact (glad to meet you).
Founded in 2009, Pact is Earth’s Favorite™ Clothing Company. We make super cute and cozy clothing for women and men, plus bedding and bath. Everything at Pact is marde with Organic Cotton and we partner with Fair Trade Certified™ Factories. For more information, visit wearpact.com.
Learn more at https://wearpact.com/about.
Location / Reporting
- Location: Boulder, CO Office-based
- Reports to: Head of Production, Development, Materials & QA
- Travel: Occasional domestic & international travel may be required
Responsibilities
Material Innovation & Sourcing
- Drive sourcing and development of GOTS-compliant fabrics, trims, and components across all product categories.
- Lead the commercialization of innovative and sustainable materials aligned with long-term product strategy.
- Own and nurture vendor/mill partnerships to ensure pricing, capacity, traceability, and compliance goals are met.
- Maintain a centralized materials library and framework for scalable, repeatable development.
- Translate global material trends and insights from trade shows, mill meetings, and research into actionable strategies.
Product Development Lifecycle
- Oversee the full product development process from initial protos to final bulk approval.
- Partner with Design and Tech teams to ensure aesthetic vision aligns with executional feasibility and margin.
- Champion continuous improvement by implementing scalable tools, systems (e.g., PLM), and workflow enhancements.
- Ensure materials and final products meet cost, compliance, performance, and brand standards.
Costing & Margin Accountability
- Lead all costing phases, collaborating closely with Finance and Sourcing to drive product profitability.
- Maintain standardized cost sheets from development through production.
- Proactively identify cost/margin levers through vendor negotiation, construction refinement, and material selection.
Leadership & Cross-Functional Operations
- Manage and mentor a high-performing team, fostering collaboration and accountability.
- Act as a key voice in seasonal strategy and executional planning.
- Serve as the primary liaison between internal teams and external factory partners to ensure aligned, timely execution.
Qualifications
- 10 years in textile development, sourcing, and apparel product creation — including 3 years in a leadership role.
- Deep expertise in materials, product lifecycle management, and costing strategy.
- Strong global supplier network; experience in South Asia, India, or LATAM preferred.
- Familiarity with PLM platforms and sustainability certifications (GOTS, Oeko-Tex).
- Proven leadership and collaboration skills with cross-functional teams.
- Strong communicator and negotiator, with a bias toward action and problem-solving.
- Highly organized, analytical, and calm under pressure in fast-paced environments.
- You thrive in purpose-driven environments and care deeply about people and planet
Compensation & Benefits
- Estimated to be $130k-160k per year; annual bonus opportunity, Pact product allowance, and monthly healthy living benefit.
- Comprehensive health benefits, partially company sponsored.
- Half day Fridays year round.
Salary : $130,000 - $160,000