Senior Specialist, Hardware Development (Accessories)

Explore the possibilities across our global house of brands.

Defined by inclusivity rather than exclusivity, Tapestry embraces the exploration of individuality and invests in helping you grow personally and professionally. Every individual in our global house has the opportunity to make an impact, learn and be part of our growing and unique story.

At Tapestry, we have the freedom to express ourselves and run with our best ideas across Coach and Kate Spade New York. We share a profound belief in both our individual and collective potential, and know that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.

Reports to:      Senior Manager, Materials Sourcing

Location:         Ho Chi Minh Vietnam

Primary Purpose

Provide technical and development support for Hardware Development, managing the process from initial development through production readiness. Partner with the Design team, Product Development, Engineering, Service Providers, cross-functional teams, and suppliers to engineer commercially viable, quality-assured hardware while ensuring development, testing, costing, and sample delivery meet seasonal timelines.

The role also supports supplier capability development, manufacturing best practices, innovation, and the transition of new or technically challenging hardware concepts into bulk production.

The successful individual will leverage their proficiency in Hardware Sourcing and Development to

• Manage on-time hardware development in alignment with seasonal PDT requirements and key calendar milestones. 
• Support Design development trips and coordinate development, modifications, and technical follow-up with suppliers. 
• Evaluate specifications, artwork, construction, materials, finishes, functionality, and manufacturing feasibility before and during development. 
• Conduct engineering evaluations of final finished goods samples to identify any required hardware modifications or improvements. 
• Partner with internal and external teams to engineer production-ready hardware and resolve development or production-related technical issues. 
• Establish appropriate functional standards, test methods, and acceptance criteria for new, specific functions, or technically challenging hardware. 
• Drive required hardware testing and ensured results are reviewed and approved before production. 
• Track development samples and drive on-time sample delivery against seasonal milestones. 
• Obtain all required price quotations and ensure they are entered into the system within the established timeline. 
• Conduct regular RMS visits to monitor ongoing development, manufacturing execution, technical risks, and production readiness. 
• Develop and implement best practices for RMS manufacturing and SP processing to improve consistency, quality, and manufacturability. 
• Monitor specific functional items and new concepts from development through bulk order to support successful commercialization. 
• Drive process and product quality improvements at suppliers, identifying risks early and coordinating timely corrective action. 
• Explore innovation opportunities involving new materials, finishes, processes, automation, sustainability, and manufacturing technologies

The accomplished individual will possess

·       Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Product Development, Materials, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience. 

·       Relevant experience in hardware, accessories, components, or product development within a manufacturing or sourcing environment

·       Working knowledge of metal manufacturing, casting, stamping, machining, plating, finishing, assembly, and related special processes

·       Ability to read and evaluate technical specifications, engineering drawings, artwork, test reports, and finished-goods samples

·       Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple developments and seasonal deadlines

·       Effective communication, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration skills

·       Ability and willingness to travel regularly to suppliers and manufacturing locations

Our Competencies for All Employees
Courage: Doesn’t hold back anything that needs to be said; provides current, direct, complete, and “actionable” positive and corrective feedback to others; lets people know where they stand; faces up to people problems on any person or situation (not including direct reports) quickly and directly; is not afraid to take negative action when necessary.
Creativity: Comes up with a lot of new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.
Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
Dealing with Ambiguity: Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn’t upset when things are up in the air; doesn’t have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.
Drive for Results: Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.
Learning on the Fly: Learns quickly when facing new problems; a relentless and versatile learner; open to change; analyzes both successes and failures for clues to improvement; experiments and will try anything to find solutions; enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks; quickly grasps the essence and the underlying structure of anything.
 
Our Competencies for All People Managers
Strategic Agility: Sees ahead clearly; can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulately paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.
Developing Direct Reports and Others: Provides challenging and stretching tasks and assignments; holds frequent development discussions; is aware of each person's career goals; constructs compelling development plans and executes them; pushes people to accept developmental moves; will take on those who need help and further development; cooperates with the developmental system in the organization; is a people builder.
Building Effective Teams: Blends people into teams when needed; creates strong morale and spirit in their team; shares wins and successes; fosters open dialogue; lets people finish and be responsible for their work; defines success in terms of the whole team; creates a feeling of belonging in the team.    

Tapestry is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and we pride ourselves on hiring and developing the best people. All employment decisions (including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, transfer, training, discipline and termination) are based on the applicant's or employee's qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under the consideration. These decisions are made without regard to age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic characteristics, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage, citizenship, disability, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or any other legally-recognized protected basis prohibited by applicable law.
Visit Tapestry, Inc.