Quality Assurance Associate

Style Nine To Five; Toronto; On-site; CAD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Kotn is seeking a Quality Assurance Associate to uphold Kotn's standards from cut to pack across our vendor network in Toronto and beyond. The role focuses on in-line QC, testing compliance, product safety, and ensuring only compliant products are shipped.

Responsibilities include monitoring daily quality records, leading line walks with production and QA teams, driving root-cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement to raise Right First Time rates across multi-factory

Qualifications

• Fresh Graduate.
• Technical expertise in woven and knit garments preferred.
• Experience implementing and improving QA/QC systems across multi-factory environments.
• Strong knowledge of product safety testing, compliance, factory audits, and GMP standards.
• Ability to analyze root causes, implement corrective action, and sustainably reduce rework.
• Demonstrated success in improving Right First Time rates
• Excellent communication skills and ability to partner cross-functionally with production, technical design, and vendor teams.
• Ability to travel to production sites and support multiple vendor locations.

Responsibilities

• Quality Oversight – ensure only products meeting Kotn standards are approved for shipment.
• Review daily quality records and elevate critical issues with relevant teams.
• Oversee in-line QC and ensure adherence to Kotn workmanship standards.
• Conduct line walks and collaborate with production & QA teams to resolve issues.
• Maintain availability of signed-off standards, technical references and mock-ups.
• Factory Performance & Compliance – monitor factory QC processes and ensure alignment with Kotn requirements.
• Lead safety risk analysis and communicate tolerance variances to TD team; ensure audits are conducted.
• Support factories through root-cause analysis & corrective actions.
• Continuous Improvement & Reporting – improve RFT rate and reduce rejection rates.
• Set QC targets and track results daily with factory teams.
• Provide feedback on quality performance and improvement areas.
• Drive corrective action plans and ensure sustainable closure.
• Maintain timely & accurate reporting.
• Identify risks, product changes & conditions that impact capability.

Skills

QA/QC systems

Root cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Product safety testing

GMP standards

Multi-factory environments

Travel willingness

Education

Fresh Graduate

Job description

At Kotn, we are reimagining how our everyday items are made and purchased, beginning with your wardrobe and setting a new standard for social impact and traceability. Founded in February 2015, Kotn has been featured in over 80 publications, such as New York Times, GQ, Vogue, Elle, and The Wall St. Journal. Kotn was founded in Toronto by three best friends who were fed up with compromising quality, design, sustainability, brand experience, and price.Kotn is built on the belief that thoughtful design and responsible supply chains can drive positive impact. Our production partners are at the heart of our brand, and quality is central to every product we make. We are looking for a Quality Assurance Associate who will ensure Kotn’s standards are consistently upheld from cut to pack across all vendors, and who will partner closely with our factory teams to elevate performance, reduce rework, and drive continuous improvement.

The Quality Assurance Associate will serve as the primary point of accountability for factory quality, testing compliance, product safety, and in-line control to ensure only products that meet Kotn standards are shipped.

Quality Oversight – 40%

• Ensure only products that meet Kotn standards are approved for shipment
• Review daily quality records and elevate critical issues with relevant teams
• Oversee in-line QC and ensure adherence to Kotn workmanship standards
• Conduct line walks and collaborate with production & QA teams to resolve issues
• Maintain availability of signed-off standards, technical references and mock-ups

Factory Performance & Compliance – 35%

• Monitor factory QC processes for alignment with Kotn requirements
• Partner with factories to complete required testing & product safety checks
• Lead safety risk analysis and communicate tolerance variances to TD team
• Ensure required audits are conducted and compliant with Kotn procedures
• Support factories through root-cause analysis & corrective actions

Continuous Improvement & Reporting – 25%

• Improve RFT rate and reduce rejection rates
• Set QC targets and track results daily with factory teams
• Provide feedback on quality performance and improvement areas
• Drive corrective action plans and ensure sustainable closure
• Maintain timely & accurate reporting
• Identify risks, product changes & conditions that impact capability

Requirements:

• Fresh Graduate.
• Technical expertise in woven and knit garments preferred.
• Experience implementing and improving QA/QC systems across multi-factory environments.
• Strong knowledge of product safety testing, compliance, factory audits, and GMP standards.
• Ability to analyze root causes, implement corrective action, and sustainably reduce rework.
• Demonstrated success in improving Right First Time rates
• Excellent communication skills and ability to partner cross-functionally with production, technical design, and vendor teams.
• Ability to travel to production sites and support multiple vendor locations.