Director, Industry Engagement

Textile Exchange

Consumer Markets

New York, United States

Remote

USD$140,000 - $175,000

Ref. : ACRE-13341

Acre is thrilled to partner with Textile Exchange to identify their next Director of Industry Engagement.

About Textile Exchange

Textile Exchange is a global non-profit driving beneficial impact on climate change across the fashion and textile industry. It guides a growing community of brands, manufacturers, and farmers towards more purposeful production from the very start of the supply chain.

By 2030, its goal is to guide the industry in achieving a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions within fiber and raw material production. Its focus is holistic and interconnected, accelerating the adoption of practices that improve the state of our water, soil health, and biodiversity. For real change to happen, everyone needs a clear path to beneficial impact. That’s why Textile Exchange believes that approachable, step-by-step instruction paired with collective action can change the system to make preferred materials and fibers an accessible default, mobilizing leaders through attainable strategies, proven solutions, and a driven community.

At Textile Exchange, materials matter. To learn more, visit TextileExchange.org.

Job Summary

Textile Exchange is seeking a confident, connected, and forward-thinking Director of Industry to lead our strategic engagement with brands, retailers, and suppliers (Tiers 1–3). This is a critical leadership role focused on guiding the industry toward meaningful systems change by mobilizing key stakeholders to scale preferred production systems and enabling collective action that delivers measurable benefits for climate, nature, and people.

The Director will serve as a counterpart and close partner to our Materials Engagement team, working collaboratively to bridge insights across the value chain. They will bring forward learnings and perspectives from brands, retailers, and suppliers while ensuring that insights from producers and Tier 4 stakeholders inform engagement strategies and industry alignment, whilst identifying opportunities for collaboration.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Engagement and Partnership, the Director will shape and implement a comprehensive industry-facing engagement strategy. Building on Textile Exchange’s organizational Engagement Strategy, the Director will lead efforts to engage brands, retailers, and suppliers in committing to the Pathway to Preferred Production Systems, supporting them in reporting progress, sourcing verified materials, and taking action to improve outcomes across environmental and social dimensions.

The Director will provide strategic leadership across engagement efforts, managing a team of engagement specialists and working closely with the Activation team to deliver compelling stakeholder experiences such as events, working groups, webinars, and workshops that help organizations advance toward Textile Exchange’s goals. With a focus on team leadership, they will foster a high-performing, motivated team and ensure stakeholders are effectively supported through change.

The role also requires strong cross-functional collaboration, ensuring effective feedback loops between external stakeholders and internal departments, including Climate and Nature and the Standards System. This ensures Textile Exchange’s programs, tools, and resources remain aligned with evolving industry needs and realities.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive knowledge of the fashion, apparel, and textile industry, including the challenges and opportunities it faces in achieving beneficial climate and nature impact. They will have trusted relationships with key decision-makers, a proven ability to lead organizations through complex transformation, and a collaborative, visionary approach to stakeholder engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead the organization’s overall efforts to engage brands, retailers and suppliers (Tiers 1-3) in line with strategic objectives.
Manage and cultivate the Industry Engagement team to ensure stakeholders’ continued and increased engagement with the Pathway to Preferred Production Systems as part of Textile Exchange’s Engagement Strategy.
In collaboration with the Standards Engagement team, drive the adoption and implementation of Materials Matter Standard, overseeing the transition pathway for brands, retailers and T1-3 to this new standard.
Establish and manage systems for collecting and analyzing stakeholder feedback to drive continuous improvement, leveraging data to track performance and glean stakeholder insights.
Manage key relationships with stakeholders, working collaboratively with them to identify opportunities for deepened engagement and collective action.
Design and oversee engagement strategies to enhance stakeholder satisfaction and comprehension of Textile Exchange opportunities, spanning awareness, interest, activation, adoption, and evaluation stages.
Lead initiatives to raise awareness of how Textile Exchange Pathway to Preferred Production Systems contributes to positive climate and nature impacts.
Oversee the delivery of relevant and informed events, workshops, conference sessions and webinars, in collaboration with the Activation team.
Work across the organization to ensure stakeholders are engaged in a cohesive, organized way.
Oversee the process to identify and engage strategic organizations that will contribute to the industry’s overall progress, leveraging opportunities through Textile Exchange’s Engagement Model and driving commitment.
Contribute to the development and strategy of Textile Exchange tools and resources (in particular Annual Reporting Framework and Standards System), in collaboration with other departments, ensuring effective feedback loops are maintained and representing the perspectives of brands and retailers.
Contribute to the development of KPIs and metrics to track industry’s progress against goals and targets.
Manage budgets for the Industry Engagement team.
Travel and speak to represent Textile Exchange professionally across a wide range of stakeholders, including beginners in sustainability, C-suite executives, and sector leaders
Maintain team satisfaction and keep motivation levels high to achieve maximum results.

Minimum Qualifications

8+ years of experience in fashion, apparel, and textile sustainability, with a preference for prior engagement with the Textile Exchange network.
Deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities brands and retailers face in achieving beneficial climate and nature impacts and change management (across ESG, policy, reporting, sourcing)
Highly developed engagement, networking, and change management skills with strong communication skills.
Proven ability to achieve outcomes through collaboration and partnership across a wide range of people and departments at all levels within an organization.
Demonstrated experience in successfully designing and delivering strategic engagement plans.
Proven experience managing large teams across multiple areas of work.
Experience in delivering engaging learning and networking experiences.
Strong commitment to working collaboratively.
Strong public speaking experience.
Experience managing teams and budgets, along with strategic planning.
Must be prepared to travel as required for the role (approximately 15% of time)