lululemon Senior Director, Raw Materials Innovation - Materials & Technology

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.

At lululemon, we set audacious goals, nurture big growth, and engineer products that help our guests feel and perform their best. Leadership is more than a role or title here - it is a way of being. We are all leaders, committed to growth, results, and creating a future that would not exist without us.

We are looking for people who unite diverse perspectives, challenge what is possible, and bring bold ideas to life with courage, curiosity, creativity, and care.

about this team

The Raw Materials Innovation team shapes, surprises, and engineers delight into the future guest experience through advanced innovation principles, material science, manufacturing knowledge, and deep supply‑chain partnership.

We go beyond traditional research and development. We innovate early in the value chain - across monomer, fiber, yarn, fabric, textile construction, machinery, manufacturing process, and commercialization pathways - to create materials and experiences our guests may not yet know they want.

We create new materials that did not exist. We enable new manufacturing techniques. We engineer new sensations, performance benefits, and functionality into our materials. We lead the industry in bringing sustainable solves to the materials that we use. Our work spans short-, mid-, and long-term horizons by defining the state of the art, leading research, building insight, generating unique points of view, creating prototypes, proving principles, protecting intellectual property, and taking innovation all the way to commercialization.

about this role

We are looking for a visionary innovation leader, technical expert, and organizational builder to shape the future of Raw Materials Innovation at lululemon.

This role is accountable for establishing lululemon's long-term Raw Materials Innovation strategy, advancing next-generation materials and manufacturing technologies, and building the organizational capabilities that will sustain our leadership in performance apparel for years to come.

As the senior leader for Raw Materials Innovation, you will oversee a multi-horizon innovation portfolio spanning near‑term commercialization opportunities, mid‑term material platform developments, and long‑term breakthrough technologies. You will guide how we explore emerging technologies, invest in innovation capabilities, develop strategic partnerships, and create differentiated materials and manufacturing solutions that deliver meaningful guest benefits.

This role will also lead the creation and evolution of a world‑class Raw Materials Prototype Innovation Lab, accelerating experimentation, learning, prototyping, testing, and commercialization readiness across the innovation ecosystem.

Success requires a unique blend of strategic thinking, technical expertise, business acumen, and people leadership. You understand how fiber, yarn, fabric structure, machine parameters, manufacturing processes, and supply chain capabilities come together to create differentiated product experiences. You are equally comfortable working through complex technical challenges, influencing executive decision‑making, and building high‑performing teams.

You will collaborate with global suppliers, mills, machinery manufacturers, technology companies, research institutions, startups, and cross‑functional partners to identify future opportunities, shape innovation roadmaps, and translate emerging technologies into scalable business impact.

a day in the life

Every day in this role is dynamic, technical, creative, and deeply connected to the future of the business.

You may begin your day by connecting with a machinery manufacturer in Europe, a technology company in Japan, a supplier partner in Taiwan, or a research institute working on a new fiber, yarn, textile construction, or manufacturing process.

You move from there into the lab, where you are reviewing trials, checking equipment performance, challenging assumptions, and working with your team to understand why a material behaved in an unexpected way. You look at the data, touch the material, test the prototype, ask better questions, and push for the next iteration.

Later, you partner with Product Innovation, Design, Raw Materials Development, Sourcing, Quality, Legal, and Commercialization teams to translate a breakthrough into something that can scale. You may help define an IP strategy, evaluate a trade‑off between performance and cost, or pressure‑test whether an emerging material platform can realistically move from bench to pilot to commercial production.

In the afternoon, you may be in a technical review with a machinery manufacturer, exploring how to modify a sampling machine to create a new textile structure, improve productivity, reduce waste, or unlock a new material sensation.

By the end of the day, you have advanced an idea, solved a technical problem, protected a future advantage, and moved lululemon one step closer to creating materials the world has not seen before.

key responsibilities:

• Lead innovation across fiber, yarn, fabric construction, textile manufacturing, machine process development, and scalable material platforms.
• Translate guest needs, athlete insights, business opportunities, and technical constraints into material innovation platforms.
• Use deep understanding of structure‑property‑processing relationships to design materials with clear performance intent, including moisture management, stretch and recovery, breathability, thermal comfort, durability, abrasion resistance, handfeel, drape, and lightweight performance.
• Create new material concepts from early hypothesis through proof of concept, prototype, pilot, and first commercial production.
• Develop innovation roadmaps that connect short‑term product opportunities with mid‑ and long‑term technology platforms.
• Identify and solve technical problems at the source by working directly with suppliers, mills, machinery partners, and technology companies.
• Build material platforms, not only one‑off developments, so innovation can scale across multiple product lines and franchises.
• Lead platform‑level projects from idea through trialing, testing, validation, costing, commercialization, and post‑launch learning.
• Develop commercialization roadmaps that include pilot trials, risk assessments, cost targets, supply readiness, testing gates, and decision points.
• Identify and resolve scale‑up risks early, including equipment limitations, quality variation, production yield, process windows, raw material availability, cost, and capacity.
• Take accountability beyond proof of concept and support first commercial production so innovation is delivered with quality, consistency, and business impact.

Collaborate with global machinery manufacturers and technology companies

• Build and lead a global ecosystem of machinery manufacturers, technology companies, research institutions, suppliers, mills, startups, universities, laboratories, and technical experts to accelerate innovation and unlock future material capabilities.
• Influence external innovation roadmaps and strategic partnerships to advance lululemon's material and manufacturing priorities.
• Structure and lead collaborative innovation programs that create meaningful competitive advantage while appropriately protecting lululemon's intellectual property, knowledge, and strategic interests.
• Represent lululemon externally through industry forums, innovation consortiums, research collaborations, and executive‑level partner engagements.

Build and run a world-class Raw Materials Prototype Innovation & Testing Lab

• Build and evolve a world‑class Raw Materials Innovation Lab, including strategy, capability roadmap, operating model, governance, and future investment priorities.
• Ensure the lab accelerates experimentation, prototyping, technical learning, testing, and commercialization readiness.
• Establish frameworks, processes, and standards that enable scalable, repeatable, and commercially relevant innovation.
• Prioritize investments in equipment, emerging technologies, testing capabilities, and external partnerships that expand innovation capabilities.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, experimentation, scientific rigor, safety, and continuous learning.
• Maintain a robust library of innovation trials, material developments, prototypes, test results, learnings, and decision records.
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop lab technicians, interns, specialists, and external experts who can support specialized machinery and trial development.

Strengthen technical rigor, testing, and IP protection

• Establish technical validation frameworks that ensure innovation platforms are supported by rigorous testing, material characterization, manufacturing trials, and evidence‑based decision making.
• Analyze technical learnings, identify opportunities and risks, and translate insights into scalable innovation solutions.
• Ensure innovation work is documented with the rigor required to support commercialization, repeatability, and organizational learning.
• Partner with Legal and cross‑functional leaders to identify, protect, and maximize intellectual property opportunities.
• Build a culture where technical decisions balance scientific rigor, commercial pragmatism, and long‑term strategic value.

Lead people, culture, and cross‑functional partnership

• Build and lead a high‑performing innovation organization, including managers, senior technical leaders, scientists, innovators and specialized technical experts that values curiosity, hands‑on making, scientific rigor, courage, speed, humility and accountability
• Lead through organizational complexity and influence across multiple teams, functions, regions, and external partner networks
• Mentor the next generation of material innovators and create space for bold thinking grounded in strong execution.
• Create an inclusive innovation culture that attracts, develops, and retains world‑class technical talent globally
• Educate cross‑functional partners on how materials create feel, function, performance, and differentiation.
• Partner with Product Innovation, Design, Raw Materials Development, Merchandising, Sourcing, Quality, Legal, and Vendor Partners to build Raw Materials strategic roadmaps.
• Represent Raw Materials Innovation internally and externally as a thought leader in advanced textiles, manufacturing innovation, and material platforms.

what success looks like

• A robust multi‑year innovation portfolio consistently delivers both near‑term business impact and long‑term strategic differentiation.
• Raw Materials Innovation is recognized as a strategic capability that influences enterprise decision‑making and future product strategy.
• The Raw Materials Innovation Lab becomes a trusted engine for faster learning, better prototypes, and stronger commercialization decisions.
• lululemon creates material platforms that are differentiated, scalable, and difficult for competitors to replicate.
• Innovation moves faster from idea to proof of concept and from proof of concept to first commercial production.
• New materials deliver clear guest‑perceivable benefits in feel, function, performance, durability, or comfort.
• Partnerships with machinery manufacturers, technology companies, mills, labs, and research institutions create meaningful technical advantage.
• Material innovations are supported by strong data, clear testing, well‑managed risk, and appropriate IP protection.
• lululemon is recognized externally as a leader in advanced materials and manufacturing innovation.

qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD preferred in Textile Engineering, Materials Science, Fiber Science, Textile Manufacturing, Polymer Science, Mechanical/Textile Process Engineering, Manufacturing Science, or a related technical field.
• 10-15+ years of experience in textiles, materials innovation, textile manufacturing, fiber/yarn/fabric engineering, advanced materials development, or manufacturing process innovation.
• 7-10+ years of experience leading teams, technical programs, innovation portfolios, lab capabilities, pilot facilities, or manufacturing innovation functions.
• Deep technical expertise in fiber, yarn, and fabric engineering, textile machinery, manufacturing processes, material testing, and commercialization, with hands‑on experience in textile production and scaling innovations from laboratory through pilot and commercial manufacturing.
• Experience building or running an innovation lab, pilot facility, technical center, R&D capability, or manufacturing innovation function.
• Strong understanding of material performance, including moisture management, stretch and recovery, breathability, thermal comfort, durability, abrasion resistance, comfort, handfeel, and appearance retention.
• Experience creating, evaluating, or protecting intellectual property in partnership with internal and external legal teams.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify failure modes, and make clear technical recommendations.
• Strong business and strategic acumen, with demonstrated success influencing executive stakeholders, driving cross‑functional alignment, and translating technical innovation into commercial growth and competitive advantage.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex material and manufacturing concepts to scientific and non‑scientific audiences.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage complex, multi‑year, cross‑functional innovation programs.
• Experience collaborating with global suppliers, mills, machinery manufacturers, technology partners, research institutions, startups, and external laboratories; willingness to travel internationally to support these partnerships and production activities.

you are the right person if

• You are a hands‑on material innovator who loves turning scientific curiosity into real products.
• You understand that breakthrough materials come from the relationship between structure, processing, performance, and scale.
• You are equally energized by the lab, the mill floor, the machine builder, the guest insight, and the commercial opportunity.
• You can dream boldly, but you always ask: Can it scale? Can it perform? Can we protect it? Can we make it responsibly? Can the guest feel the difference?
• You are comfortable with ambiguity and skilled at turning uncertainty into structured experiments.
• You know how to balance performance, cost, manufacturability, durability, and risk.
• You are a connector who can bring together suppliers, scientists, machinery makers, technology companies, designers, and business leaders around a shared vision.
• You are an entrepreneurial scientist, a builder of teams, and a maker of possibilities.

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.

additional notes

Immigration support is potentially available for this role

compensation and benefits package

lululemon's compensation offerings are grounded in a pay-for-performance philosophy that recognizes exceptional individual and team performance. The typical hiring range for this position is from $225,800 - $296,300 CAD annually ; the base pay offered is based on market location and may vary depending on job‑related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity. As part of our total rewards offering, permanent employees in this position may be eligible for our competitive annual bonus program and equity offerings, subject to program eligibility requirements.

At lululemon, investing in our people is a top priority. We believe that when life works, work works. We strive to be the place where inclusive leaders come to develop and enable all to be well. Recognizing our teams for their performance and dedication, other components of our total rewards offerings include support of career development, wellbeing, and personal growth:

• Extended health and dental benefits, and mental health plans
• Paid time off
• Savings and retirement plan matching
• Generous employee discount
• Fitness & yoga classes
• Parenthood top‑up
• Extensive catalog of development course offerings
• People networks, mentorship programs, and leadership series (to name a few)

Note: The incentive programs, benefits, and perks have certain eligibility requirements. The Company reserves the right to alter these incentive programs, benefits, and perks in whole or in part at any time without advance notice.

workplace arrangement

• Hybrid: 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.