Global Costing Director - Apparel and Footwear

This is a hybrid role based out of our HQ office near Portland, Oregon. The expectation is for employees to be in-office 3 days or more per week, depending on business need. This in-office expectation is subject to change at business discretion.

The Global Costing Director – Apparel & Footwear is responsible for executing the most profitable and competitive global costing strategy, across both Apparel and Footwear. Develops and implements policies, processes, and procedures designed to facilitate the best strategic and seasonal costing that allows the optimum price/value equation.

HOW YOU’LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

• Develops and implements a costing strategy in concert with leadership that supports global merchandising, brand needs, and operational goals that result in increased profitability, aligned with margin and growth directives, and ensures fair and fact-based costing with key manufacturing partners.
• Recommends product or sourcing changes as needed to achieve stated goals and objectives.
• Promotes internal and external productive working relationships.
• Leads the HQ and Asia costing functions across Columbia Brand Apparel and Footwear, SOREL, and partners with prAna, and Mountain Hardwear.
• Develops, implements, and executes on strategic costing initiatives as well as seasonal costing negotiations to achieve competitive FOBs and meet or exceed gross margin goals while maintaining a consumer value proposition.
• Provides strategic guidance related to departmental structure and personnel to meet current and future operational goals.
• Actively participates in the preparation and adherence to annual budgets. Coordinates closely with merchandising and finance team on season pre-line planning, GM & FOB targets, pre-cost analysis, and in-season execution of styles to meet company financial targets.
• Works in concert with leadership to drive end-to-end thinking that allows efficient manufacturing without compromising on quality and performance.
• Manages costing while ensuring timely delivery. Handles a high degree of complexity in dealing with new and sometimes unique work situations.
• Responsibilities include strategic planning, goal setting, and accountability for the execution of plans to deliver results. Decisions and direction are made within general company policy constraints, understanding errors in judgments can adversely affect company image, cause loss of revenues and/or profits.

YOU ARE

• Requires strong leadership, influencing, and interpersonal skills to navigate costing teams through complex situations and objectives to enable the seasonal introduction of new product to the market on-time and to cost.
• Possess excellent analysis and problem-solving skills. Requires ability to troubleshoot, make difficult decisions independently, operate autonomously, manage multiple deadlines, and work effectively under pressure. Proven ability to manage and/or influence people, teams and projects.

People Management Expectations:

• Translates company strategy into functional and team goals, monitors progress, removes barriers, and identifies and allocates resources.
• Acts as a change catalyst to meet evolving business needs. This may include organizational, financial, and labor/cost management.
• Creates a high-performance culture by setting clear performance objectives, providing ongoing feedback, and developing talent to build new skills and capabilities.
• Drives team engagement and promotes an inclusive work environment using effective communication, team building, and collaboration practices.
• Maintains efficient operations in compliance with regulations, policies, and safety standards.

YOU HAVE

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree, or applicable certification or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years in costing, sourcing, or production type work experience in progressively responsible positions
• Experience managing high level individual contributors and subordinate managers/sr. managers.
• Demonstrated Leadership across costing. This position is responsible for managing a group of professional multi-cultural employees across geographical regions and multiple countries.
• Possess thorough knowledge of apparel and footwear business processes and functions including a strong understanding of multi-brand sourcing & costing strategies. Requires working knowledge of Planning, Materials, Development, and Manufacturing operations, including supporting information systems to maximize synergy between all departments.

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This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company.