Director of Sewing Operations- Direct Hire

Express Employment Professionals - Cincinnati East; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

Express Employment Professionals - Cincinnati East is seeking a Director of Sewing Operations to lead three facilities in Kansas City, MO. You will supervise sewing production, quality control, and safety programs while driving efficiency and compliant operations.

The role requires strategic leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and hands-on oversight of schedules, budgets, and team development, including support for visually impaired employees.

Qualifications

• Extremely organized and detail-oriented; manages multiple facilities.
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Proactive leadership with safety, quality and productivity focus.
• Ability to work with diverse teams, including visually impaired employees.
• Comfort with basic computer use and data reporting.
• Willingness to travel between sites and perform overtime as needed.

Responsibilities

• Direct multi-facility sewing operations across three facilities.
• Oversee production scheduling, quality control, and on-time delivery.
• Manage budgets and oversee equipment maintenance and material flow.
• Ensure ISO 9001:2015 compliance across all sites and processes.
• Lead recruitment, training, and performance reviews for sewing teams.
• Collaborate with HR to provide accommodations for visually impaired staff.

Skills

Organizational skills

Leadership

Communication

Safety & quality focus

Diversity & inclusion

Math & mechanical skills

Adaptability

Physical stamina

Travel & overtime

Job description

Director of Sewing Operations - Direct Hire

Location: Kansas City, MO 64132

Pay: $20-$35 depending on experience

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Director of Sewing Operations to lead and optimize our manufacturing processes within the sewing division. In this pivotal role, you will oversee the entire sewing production lifecycle, ensuring efficiency, quality, and continuous improvement across all operations. Your leadership will drive manufacturing excellence, foster cross-functional collaboration, and implement innovative solutions to meet organizational goals. This role offers an exciting opportunity to shape the future of our sewing operations through effective management, process innovation, and team development.

The Director of Sewing Operations leads sewing production and quality control across three facilities in two cities. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on operational oversight, ensuring compliance with ISO 9001:2015 standards, organizational policies, and client requirements. The Director manages production scheduling, supervises diverse teams (including sighted and visually impaired employees), oversees departmental budgets, and maintains a strong commitment to safety, quality, and efficiency across multiple locations.

Essential Functions:

• Multi-facility production oversight and leadership of daily sewing operations across three facilities, including scheduling, morning rallies, and internal meetings.
• Ensure all production orders are completed accurately, on time, and to the highest quality standards.
• Oversee large-scale and small-batch sewing production, including design development, pattern making, grading, and markers.
• Monitor raw material availability and request approvals for additional supplies as needed.
• Direct equipment maintenance, fabric inventory, and production efficiency testing across all sites.
• Manage government-military sewing projects (DLA, NIB) and ensure compliance with delivery requirements.
• Quality Control establish and enforce commitment to quality as the highest departmental priority across all facilities.
• Supervise Quality Control Specialists and oversee inspection, testing, and measurement of materials and finished products.
• Recommend and implement adjustments to sewing processes to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Ensure compliance with ISO 9001:2015 quality control standards.
• Recruit, train, evaluate, and motivate sewing team members in collaboration with HR.
• Conduct performance reviews, disciplinary measures, and promotions as appropriate.
• Work closely with Rehabilitation Services to provide accommodations and devices for visually impaired employees.
• Monitor staff productivity, strengths, and training needs, ensuring safety and ergonomic requirements are met.
• Submit timely reports on employee performance and departmental issues.

Administrative & Strategic Duties:

• Attend weekly leadership and organizational meetings.
• Assist with departmental budget development and management.
• Submit accurate and timely reports to DLA, NIB, and internal management.
• Represent the organization at internal and external events.
• Teach annual specialty public classes related to sewing production preparation.
• Perform additional supervisory, machine operation, assembly, warehousing, and inventory tasks as needed.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements:

• Extremely organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects across multiple facilities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (email, in-person, and written reports).
• Positive, approachable, and solution-oriented leadership style.
• Commitment to safety, quality, cost efficiency, and productivity metrics.
• Ability to work with diverse teams, including sighted and visually impaired employees.
• Basic computer proficiency. Good math and mechanical skills.
• Adaptable, open to learning advanced sewing techniques, and aligned with the organization's mission.
• Standing, walking, and lifting up to 60 pounds.
• Occasional overtime as required to meet production deadlines. Active presence across three facilities in two cities, with regular travel between sites. Participation in leadership meetings and production floor oversight.

Why Work with Express?

This is a Direct Hire position, meaning you are hired directly by our client—not through a temporary assignment.