Director, In Region Technical Development
Description & Requirements
who we are
lululemon is an innovative performance apparel company for yoga, running, training, and other athletic pursuits. Setting the bar in technical fabrics and functional design, we create transformational products and experiences that support people in moving, growing, connecting, and being well. We owe our success to our innovative product, emphasis on stores, commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we make in every community we're in. As a company, we focus on creating positive change to build a healthier, thriving future. In particular, that includes creating an equitable, inclusive and growth-focused environment for our people.
about this team
The In-Region Technical Development team executes product development across Asia, translating product intent into high-quality, scalable products while accelerating speed-to-market and strengthening vendor capabilities.
The Director, In-Region Technical Development provides leadership to APAC Product Creation and In-Geo Technical Development teams and partners closely with the Global Technical Development team to drive cross-regional collaboration, alignment, and execution excellence.
a day in the life
In-Geo Development Leadership:
- Own the strategy and execution of in-geo Product and Technical Development, ensuring alignment with seasonal commercialization timelines, product creation milestones, and global standards.
- Lead APAC finished goods commercialization, translating product intent into manufacturable solutions that balance performance, cost, sustainability, and speed while enabling first-time-right execution.
- Serve as the key in-geo decision maker and partner to global Product Development leaders, advancing regional capabilities, accelerating new style development, and ensuring readiness for on-time commercialization.
- Partner with Product Development leaders across Women's, Men's, and Accessories to advance in-geo product creation capabilities and accelerate new style development.
Vendor Capability & Performance:
- Build and execute vendor capability and network strategies, including identifying and onboarding new vendor partners to support multi-source development, expand capacity, strengthen technical expertise, and enhance regional product creation capabilities.
- Drive vendor performance and manufacturing excellence through continuous improvement initiatives, robust process controls, and strategic partnerships that improve quality, consistency, scalability, and commercialization outcomes
Quality & Production Partnership:
- Partner with Quality to embed testing protocols, risk assessment, and preventative controls from lab through pilot to bulk close the loop on failure modes (e.g., crocking, pilling, seam slippage, delamination).
- Provide heightened oversight and final sample approval support for high-risk styles to ensure technical readiness and successful commercialization outcomes.
Technical/Product Development:
- Lead in-region Technical Development (TD) and Product Development (PD) execution, overseeing prototype-to-pilot builds and establishing scalable production standards and SOPs.
- Drive pre-production sample readiness and vendor execution, ensuring efficient sample development and successful commercialization.
- Mitigate technical risks and leverage regional vendor expertise to accelerate development, enhance quality, and improve commercialization outcomes.
Ways of Working & Governance:
- Lead the in-region product creation operating model, establishing governance, KPIs, decision-making processes, and cross-functional alignment across Design, Product Development, Quality, Production, Sourcing, and Planning.
- Drive operational excellence through data integrity, documentation standards, and the evolution of future operating models, roles, and ways of working to enhance speed, quality, efficiency, and regional capabilities.=
People Leadership:
- Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing, inclusive team across multiple locations, building technical expertise, vendor-facing capabilities, and a strong succession pipeline.
- Foster strong partnerships across regional and global stakeholders, driving collaboration, transparent communication, and alignment to enable continuous improvement and product creation excellence.
qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Textile/Materials Science, Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Business Management, or a related field advanced degree preferred.
- 12-15+ years of experience in product commercialization, Technical Development, Product Development, Quality, and/or related technical functions within apparel, textiles, or related consumer products.
- Deep in-geo experience in Asia working with factories and vendors fluency in vendor engagement and cross-cultural collaboration.
- Strong technical expertise in apparel construction, garment engineering, manufacturing processes, product commercialization, and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles.
- Experience leading Technical Development, Product Development, Quality, and/or Industrial Engineering teams within a complex global organization.
- Proven track record of leading multidisciplinary teams and scaling vendor capabilities to deliver quality, speed, and cost outcomes.
- Experience partnering with Quality and Production functions adept at root cause analysis, lab-to-bulk translation, and preventative quality management.
- Demonstrated ability to influence across functions and organizational levels, with exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.
- Proven ability to build trusted partnerships with global teams, regional stakeholders, and strategic vendor partners.
- Proficiency in PLM and commercialization tools familiarity with QMS/ERP systems strong data and KPI orientation.
must haves
- Acknowledges the presence of choice in every moment and takes personal responsibility for their life.
- Possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and continuously innovates to achieve great results.
- Communicates with honesty and kindness, and creates the space for others to do the same.
- Leads with courage, knowing the possibility of greatness is bigger than the fear of failure.
- Fosters connection by putting people first and building trusting relationships.
- Integrates fun and joy as a way of being and working, aka doesn't take themselves too seriously.
additional notes
Authorization to work in Hong Kong SAR is required for this role.
beyond the paycheck (benefits & perks)
At lululemon, we care for and invest in the whole person - body, mind, spirit. Our total rewards program is designed to support you in achieving your goals and focus on the things you love. In addition to competitive base pay and a team-based bonus program, we also offer paid time off, generous employee discounts, fitness/yoga classes, parenthood top up program and personal and professional development programs.
Note: availability of these benefits and perks may be subject to your location & employment type and may have certain eligibility requirements. The Company reserves the right to alter these benefits and perks in whole or in part at any time without advance notice.
work arrangement
In-person collaboration and/or office-based work is necessary or important for the role. Work is mainly performed onsite, 4-5 days per week depending on role requirements.
In-person collaboration and/or office-based work is necessary or important for the role. Work is mainly performed onsite, 4-5 days per week depending on role requirements.
learn more about what it's like working for lululemon in our Asia-Pacific markets:
#LI-GT1 #LI-Onsite
