Merchandise Manager for Advanced Development

General Summary:

• Manages assigned staff and vendors to ensure efficient capacity planning and consistent, sustainable improvement in the sample production execution
• Responsible for the Sample Room performance and quality of the requests from the Innovation, Design and Licensing teams.

• Supports supply chain and process improvement initiatives

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

STRATEGIC:

• Finish Goods Factory Management: Collaborates with cross functional department heads to develop and maintain the capabilities to execute the apparel proto/sample process according to the established Rapid Prototyping Strategy. Establishes corrective action plan and follow up to ensure readiness for physical sample production according to our quality standards. Identify processes changes if needed and keep the Sample Development team in HQ updated.
• Supplier Performance Management: Updates vendor performance matrix and tiering data and communicates to vendors. Leads continuous improvement in sample delivery performance and logistics (shipping document accuracy, etc.). Influence vendors for making the right investment in people and machinery as per evolving needs of our business.
• Process Management: Ensures that procedures to monitor sample production process are established, understood, and consistently followed by staff and vendors; and implements changes in procedures for process improvement
• Team development: Responsible for staffing, training and performance management of sample production team. Optimizes staff effectiveness:  model company values, support skill development, balance workload and projects. Works with HR & LO Merchandise Director on succession plans and objective performance evaluations.
• Capacity planning management: Leads efficient and accurate capacity planning through close partnership with vendors, SLO Merchandising Director, HO Proto Development Manager and HO Innovation, Design and Licensing teams. Drives capacity constraint resolution.
• Production/logistics execution management:
  • Leads Sample production and procurement team and to ensure FGV capabilities to execute the sample request by said delivery date and & logistics (shipping document accuracy, etc.)
  • Drives sustainable improvement in sample execution, quality, delivery and logistics arrangement & documentation.
  • Actively collaborates with key Finished Good and Raw Material Partners, HO Proto Development Manager and HO Innovation, Design and Licensing teams. Including LO QA and Material Teams and Sample Room Production direct reports regularly to support issue prevention, resolution, and process improvement
  • Directs and monitors Sample Room Production and procurement team in ensuring data integrity and visibility on promised ex-factory date with HO Proto Development Manager
  • Monitors key Sample Production reports, and work with staff to proactively identify and address production issues.
  • Visits factories frequently with Sample Production staff to review production status and support issue prevention & resolution
  • Conducts regular business review with FGV’s and RMV’s to ensure they understand the KPI, goals and takes ownership of the sample execution and delivery/logistics performance.
• Customer Management: Establishes and maintains good working relationships with upstream & downstream partners (HO Planning team, Logistics team & factory production management team, etc.).

Competencies: Core

• Customer Focus
• Informing
• Integrity and Trust
• Interpersonal Savvy
• Time Management
• Drive for Results
• Functional Technical

Competencies: Professional

• Business Acumen
• Project/Process Management - Professional
• Problem solving
• Negotiation
• Analyzation

Competencies: Management

• Developing Direct Reports and Others - Management

• Managing Vision and Purpose - Management

• Motivating Others - Management

Reporting Line and Supervisory Responsibility:

The Sample Room Capacity and Production Manager position reports to the Regional India Merchandise Director. The role gives significant freedom to the person to set objective and progressive goals during trek conversation with the manager and work on execution strategy.

Minimum Educational/Experience Requirements:

• University/College degree in textiles, apparel, business, or equivalent.
• 10-12 years’ relevant experience in production, merchandising, development or a manufacturing environment, preferably in the garment industry or related soft goods industry.
• Work experience related to the management of people and the garment construction and costing processes.
• Knowledge of Apparel Manufacturing and its associated upstream and downstream business processes.
• Requires a well-developed ability to read, write, and speak English, in relation to topics of a highly complex or technical nature.
• Ability to lead in ambiguous situations and able to prioritize, organize, provide focus and direction to team.

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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.