Denim Development Manager – Lahore, Pakistan

Ariat International; Lahore; On-site; PKR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Ariat International seeks an experienced Denim Development Lead based in Lahore, Pakistan. You will be Ariat's primary presence at manufacturing partners, driving development execution, production quality, fabric and finish management, and calendar discipline from proto to pre-production.

You will bridge the factory floor with Ariat's brand and commercial teams, owning the factory processes and leading cross-functional collaborations to deliver on-time, high-quality denim products.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years hands-on experience in denim product development and/or production.
• Deep expertise in denim fabric technologies, washing and finishing processes.
• Experience working directly with denim/apparel factories on the factory floor.
• Strong knowledge of global sourcing networks, mill capabilities, and cross-border production logistics.
• Experience developing and enforcing factory SOPs and quality standards.
• Familiarity with PLM systems and disciplined data management practices.
• Strong calendar and project management skills; able to handle multiple concurrent development and production streams.
• Excellent English communication (verbal and written).
• Bachelor's degree in Textile Engineering, Apparel Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration or related field.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Ariat's primary development manager at manufacturing partners; build strong relationships with factory leadership and technical teams.
• Review and confirm seasonal development calendars, capacities, and expectations with factories; track execution weekly.
• Own milestone tracking and escalate timelines at risk.
• Lead weekly conference calls with factory partners and maintain agendas/ logs.
• Collaborate with Denim Development Team on costing requests and construction/execution issues.
• Monitor development fabric orders with mills and ensure timely delivery to factory.
• Partner with Production Manager on shade band and TOP approval to protect on-time delivery.
• Lead factory process improvements and develop SOPs with the Development team for repeatable quality across seasons.

Skills

Denim product development

Factory floor experience

Project management

English communication

Sourcing networks

Education

Bachelor's degree in Textile Engineering or related field

Tools

PLM systems

Job description

This role is the engine room of Ariat's denim business. Based in Lahore, Pakistan, you will be Ariat's primary presence at our manufacturing partners - driving development execution, production quality, fabric and finish management, and calendar discipline from proto to pre-production. You will act as the expert on factory capabilities, processes, and standards, ensuring Ariat's product vision is translated faithfully into the finished product. This is a factory-first, hands-on role suited to someone who thrives in a manufacturing environment and can bridge the factory floor with Ariat's brand and commercial teams.

Responsibility:

Vendor & Calendar Management

• Serve as Ariat's primary development manager on-the-ground presence at manufacturing partners, developing deep relationships and trust with factory leadership and technical teams.
• Review and confirm seasonal development calendars, capacities, and expectations with factories; track execution against commitments weekly.
• Own milestone tracking and elevate when timelines are at risk.
• Drive weekly conference calls with factory partners; maintain meeting agendas and decision logs.
• Partner with Denim Development Team in being informed with costing requests and work through construction/execution issues with the team.
• Monitor development fabric orders placed with mills — confirm timely submission, production pull, and delivery to factory.
• Partner with the Production Manager in shade band and TOP approval process in partnership with the Factory to protect on-time delivery.
• Act as the factory processes expert; lead and support product development process improvement projects
• Develop and document factory SOPs in collaboration with the Development team to ensure repeatable, reliable product quality across season and Ariat partners in other countries.

Development Execution

• Review development submissions with factory teams to confirm that sampling, protos, and SMS meet Ariat design aesthetics and construction standards; advise HQ teams when submissions fall short.
• Confirm best product–factory allocation each season based on capabilities, capacity, and track record.
• Ensure BOMs, tech packs, and measurements are accurate and up to date after development is finalized.
• Manage the development process from kick-off through pre-production, tracking changes at each stage (mock-up through SMS) and maintaining development grids.
• Partner with Bulk Production and QA teams to resolve post-development issues arising in production.

Fabric & Finish Development

• Manage all fabric developments — counter-sourcing and new fabrics — including ordering and coordinating sample/proto yardage with mills to reach factories on time.
• Maintain deep, current knowledge of denim and non-denim mills, their capabilities, and regional supply networks.
• Manage all new and counter-sourced finish developments from design-driven targets through bulk production; track finish comments in PLM from sampling through bulk packages.
• Partner with factories to develop new washing techniques, finishes, and sustainable chemistry alternatives (e.g. PP spray alternatives).
• Lead Ariat's fabric and finish sustainability metrics: identify greener fabric options, drive more sustainable wash programs, and set factory-level plans and targets for progress.
• Maintain the wash and fabric library, fabric grid, and continuous rationalization of fabric and finish bases.

Qualification

• 7-10 years of hands-on experience in denim product development and/or production, ideally within a manufacturing facility.
• Deep expertise in denim fabric technologies, washing and finishing processes, and garment construction.
• Demonstrated experience working directly in or with denim/apparel factories — you are comfortable on the factory floor and fluent in manufacturing language and processes.
• Strong knowledge of global sourcing networks, mill capabilities, and cross-border production logistics.
• Experience developing and enforcing factory SOPs and quality standards.
• Familiarity with PLM systems and disciplined data management practices.
• Strong calendar and project management skills; able to handle multiple concurrent development and production streams.
• Excellent communication skills in English (verbal and written); able to work effectively across factory, regional, and HQ teams.
• Bachelor's degree in Textile Engineering, Apparel Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field — or equivalent practical experience.
• Optimistic, energetic, resilient, and thrives in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.