Apparel Merchandiser

Donovan Apparels; Greater Noida, Gautam Buddha Nagar; On-site; INR 300,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

Donovan Apparels is seeking an Apparel Merchandiser to manage end-to-end product development and order execution, from buyer brief to sampling, costing, production follow-up and shipment.

You will coordinate with factories, QA/QC and logistics, maintain development and costing files, and monitor timelines, ensuring adherence to quality and buyer requirements. Experience in garment merchandising is preferred.

Qualifications

• Graduate in Fashion / Apparel / Textile / Merchandising with relevant merchandising experience
• Strong knowledge of garment costing, TNA management and production planning
• Experience with men’s western wear, woven shirts, trousers, denim or plus-size apparel

Responsibilities

• Study buyer tech packs, specifications, sketches and product requirements.
• Coordinate development of samples with factories.
• Prepare and maintain style-wise development files.
• Follow up on proto, fit, size set, PP and shipment samples.
• Track sample comments and ensure corrections are incorporated.
• Coordinate with pattern, CAD and technical teams.
• Ensure approved specifications are communicated to the factory.
• Prepare garment costing based on fabric consumption, fabric price, trims and accessories, washing/processing, CMT, packing, freight and other costs.
• Obtain quotations from suppliers and factories.
• Negotiate prices where required.
• Maintain style-wise costing sheets.
• Ensure approved cost is followed during production.
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization without compromising quality.
• Develop and source fabrics according to approved specifications.
• Follow up fabric booking, lab dips, strike-offs and approvals.
• Coordinate fabric testing where required.
• Track fabric production and delivery.
• Develop and approve trims and accessories.
• Follow up buttons, zippers, labels, threads, elastics, packaging materials, hangtags, polybags, cartons.
• Receive and review purchase orders/order sheets.
• Check style number, quantity, size ratio, colour, delivery date, price, packing requirements, special instructions.
• Prepare order execution timelines.
• Maintain Order TNA calendar.
• Monitor milestones and escalate delays.
• Coordinate with factories for production planning.
• Monitor fabric and trims availability before cutting.
• Follow up cutting, printing/embroidery, sewing, washing, finishing, packing.
• Monitor production progress against planned quantities.
• Conduct factory visits and communicate corrective actions.
• Ensure production follows approved sample and tech pack.
• Coordinate with QA/QC for quality, ensure inline and final inspections.
• Monitor AQL inspection status and buyer quality requirements.
• Coordinate shipment follow-up and packing requirements.
• Maintain shipment status reports.

Skills

Garment construction

Apparel manufacturing

Fabric knowledge

Trims & accessories

Measurement & grading

Garment costing

TNA management

Production planning

Quality control

AQL understanding

Excel / Google Sheets

ERP/MIS knowledge

Education

Graduate in Fashion / Apparel / Textile / Merchandising

B.Des / B.F.Tech / NIFT / Textile Technology preferred

Graduate with relevant apparel merchandising experience

Job description

1. JOB PURPOSE

The Apparel Merchandiser is responsible for managing the complete product development and order execution process from receiving the buyer/brand requirement through sampling, costing, production follow-up, quality coordination, and final shipment.

2. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Product Development

• Study buyer tech packs, specifications, sketches and product requirements.
• Understand style details, construction, measurements, fabric and trims.
• Coordinate development of samples with factories.
• Prepare and maintain style-wise development files.
• Follow up on proto, fit, size set, PP and shipment samples.
• Track sample comments and ensure corrections are incorporated.
• Coordinate with pattern, CAD and technical teams.
• Ensure approved specifications are communicated to the factory.

B. Costing & Commercial

• Prepare garment costing based on:
• Fabric consumption
• Fabric price
• Trims and accessories
• Washing/processing
• Embroidery/printing
• CMT
• Packing
• Freight and other applicable costs
• Obtain quotations from suppliers and factories.
• Negotiate prices where required.
• Maintain style-wise costing sheets.
• Ensure approved cost is followed during production.
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization without compromising quality.

C. Fabric & Trim Follow-Up

• Develop and source fabrics according to approved specifications.
• Follow up fabric booking, lab dips, strike-offs and approvals.
• Coordinate fabric testing where required.
• Track fabric production and delivery.
• Develop and approve trims and accessories.
• Follow up:
• Buttons
• Zippers
• Labels
• Threads
• Elastics
• Packaging materials
• Hangtags
• Polybags
• Cartons

D. Order Management

• Receive and review purchase orders/order sheets.
• Check:
• Style number
• Quantity
• Size ratio
• Colour
• Delivery date
• Price
• Packing requirements
• Special instructions
• Prepare order execution timelines.
• Maintain Order TNA (Time & Action) calendar.
• Monitor every critical milestone.
• Escalate delays immediately.

E. Production Follow-Up

• Coordinate with factories for production planning.
• Monitor fabric and trims availability before cutting.
• Follow up:
• Cutting
• Printing/embroidery
• Sewing
• Washing
• Finishing
• Packing

• Monitor production progress against planned quantities.
• Conduct regular factory visits where required.
• Identify production risks and communicate corrective actions.
• Ensure production follows approved sample and tech pack.

F. Quality Coordination

• Coordinate with the QA/QC team.
• Ensure approved sample is available at factory.
• Check that production follows approved:
• Measurements
• Construction
• Fabric
• Colour
• Trims
• Finishing
• Follow up inline and final inspection reports.
• Coordinate correction of quality issues.
• Monitor AQL inspection status before shipment.
• Ensure all buyer quality requirements are followed.

G. Shipment Follow-Up

• Monitor production completion against shipment date.
• Coordinate final inspection.
• Ensure packing and carton requirements are correct.
• Coordinate with logistics/shipping team.
• Follow up shipment documents.
• Ensure shipment is dispatched within the committed timeline.

Maintain shipment status reports.

3. DAILY MERCHANDISING ACTIVITIES

The merchandiser should regularly monitor:

Activity Frequency

Buyer communication Daily

Factory follow-up Daily

TNA update Daily

Sample status Daily

Fabric status Daily

Trim status Daily

Production status Daily

Quality issues Daily/As required

Shipment status Daily

Costing As required

Management MIS Weekly/Monthly

4. KEY DOCUMENTS TO MAINTAIN

The merchandiser should maintain updated records of:

• Tech Pack
• BOM
• Costing Sheet
• Purchase Order
• Order Sheet
• TNA Calendar
• Sample Tracking Sheet
• Fabric Booking Sheet
• Trim Approval Sheet
• Lab Dip Approval
• Strike-Off Approval
• PP Sample Approval
• Size Set Approval
• Production Status Report
• Quality Reports
• Inspection Reports
• Packing Instructions
• Shipment Plan
• Shipment Documents
• Buyer Comments
• Factory Communication
• Style Master File

5. REQUIRED SKILLS

Technical Skills

• Garment construction knowledge
• Apparel manufacturing knowledge
• Fabric knowledge
• Trims and accessories knowledge
• Measurement and grading understanding
• Garment costing
• TNA management
• Production planning knowledge
• Quality control knowledge
• AQL understanding
• Excel / Google Sheets
• ERP/MIS knowledge preferred

Soft Skills

• Strong communication
• Follow-up skills
• Negotiation skills
• Problem-solving
• Time management
• Attention to detail
• Multitasking
• Team coordination
• Ability to work under deadlines

6. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS - KPI

The Apparel Merchandiser can be evaluated on:

KPI Measurement

On-time sample submission---% samples submitted on time

Sample approval efficiency---Number of approval rounds

On-time production--- % orders completed on schedule

Shipment performance-- % shipments dispatched on time

Cost adherence-- Actual vs approved costing

Fabric availability--% material available before cutting

Trim availability--% trims available before production

Quality performance--Rejection/defect percentage

Buyer response time--Average response time

TNA compliance--% milestones achieved on time

Order accuracy--Number of execution errors

Production issue resolution--Response & closure time

7. QUALIFICATION

Preferred Qualification:

• Graduate in Fashion / Apparel / Textile / Merchandising
• B.Des / B.F.Tech / NIFT / Textile Technology preferred
• Graduate with relevant apparel merchandising experience may also be considered.

8. EXPERIENCE

Junior Merchandiser: 02 years

Apparel Merchandiser: 25 years

Experience with men's western wear, woven shirts, trousers, jackets, denim or plus-size apparel is preferred depending on the product category.

9. REPORTING & COORDINATION

Internal Coordination

• Design
• Product Development
• Technical
• Sourcing
• Production
• QA/QC
• Warehouse
• Finance
• Logistics
• Management

External Coordination

• Garment Factories
• Fabric Mills
• Trim Suppliers
• Printing Units
• Embroidery Units
• Washing Units
• Inspection Agencies
• Logistics Partners