Director Production Development

PARTOW; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

PARTOW is seeking a Production & Development Director to lead the full production lifecycle, from development through final delivery, ensuring flawless execution in New York City. The role blends strategic leadership with hands-on management of suppliers, quality, budgets, and schedules to uphold the brand’s luxury craftsmanship while driving growth.

Working closely with the Founder, you will shape processes, partnerships, and production infrastructure to support PARTOW’s expansion, maintaining

Qualifications

• 8+ years of luxury or high‑end ready‑to‑wear production experience.
• College degree, or equivalent professional work experience required.
• Advanced analytical, business development, and negotiation skills.
• Excellent problem‑solving and solution‑oriented mindset.
• Strong mathematical skills.
• Ability to travel internationally as needed, including Italy.
• ERP systems, Excel, costing and production management tools experience.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Production Oversight: manage development through bulk manufacturing with quality control.
• Technical development & fit coordination with Design to meet prototype feasibility.
• Collaborate with patternmaking to ensure production readiness and fit.
• Costing, budgeting, and vendor negotiations to optimize cost and quality.
• Plan and manage seasonal production calendars and milestones.
• Manage orders, sample tracking, and ensure accuracy of style data.
• Maintain rigorous quality control throughout sampling and production.

Skills

Analytical skills

Negotiation

Problem solving

Communication

Project management

ERP systems

Excel

Education

College degree

Tools

ERP systems

Excel

Costing tools

Job description

Job Description

Production & Development Director

Profile

• Reports to Founder
• Location (On-Site): New York City

Role Overview

The Production & Development Director oversees the entire production lifecycle, from product development through to final delivery, ensuring flawless execution, uncompromising quality, and timely delivery to global wholesale partners. This role is critical in bridging the creative vision with operational realities, maintaining luxury standards while optimizing costs and efficiency. In a hands‑on environment, the Production Director is both strategic and operational, actively managing suppliers, quality, budgets, and production schedules to deliver excellence at every stage.

This is a highly visible leadership role within a founder‑led company entering a significant period of growth. Working closely with the Founder, the Production & Development Director will help shape and build the processes, partnerships, and production infrastructure needed to support PARTOW’s continued growth while maintaining the craftsmanship and integrity that define the brand.

Success Profile

The Production Director is a strategic and hands‑on leader who bridges creative vision with operational excellence. They bring a deep understanding of luxury ready‑to‑wear craftsmanship, from fabrics and construction to finishing, ensuring each collection reflects the brand’s uncompromising quality standards.

They have demonstrated experience managing production through periods of growth and increasing complexity, with the ability to build strong vendor relationships, establish effective processes, and deliver against critical milestones.

With a proven ability to manage complex production cycles across multiple categories, they excel at maintaining timelines, negotiating with suppliers, and optimizing costs without sacrificing integrity or design intent. They work closely with Design, Development, Merchandising, and Sales to translate creative concepts into commercially successful, beautifully executed products. They are detail‑oriented, solutions‑oriented, and calm under pressure, with strong financial acumen and a proactive approach to continuous improvement.

Above all, they bring sound judgment, ownership, resourcefulness, and a genuine passion for exceptional craftsmanship. They understand that in a growing, founder‑led company, the ability to identify challenges, take ownership, and build practical solutions is as important as managing the production calendar.

Key Responsibilities

• End-to-End Production Oversight Manage all aspects of product development and production, including fabric sourcing, pattern making, grading/marking, sample making, fittings, and bulk manufacturing, ensuring the highest standards of craftsmanship and quality control.
• Technical Development & Fit Oversee pattern development, participate in fittings, and collaborate with Design to ensure prototypes meet both creative intent and production feasibility.
• Collaboration with Patternmaking Partner closely with the Head of Patternmaking to ensure patterns are production-ready, technically sound, and aligned with the design vision. Work together through fittings, corrections, and final adjustments to guarantee precise fit, balanced proportions, and consistent garment execution across sizes.
• Costing & Budget Management Create and maintain detailed costing sheets, including yardage, trims, and material quantities, for purchasing and margin analysis. Negotiate pricing with factories and vendors, identifying opportunities for cost savings without compromising design integrity or quality. Source, evaluate, and manage sewing contractors, cutting services, trim suppliers, and pattern makers. Allocate product styles across factories according to capability, capacity, and quality standards. Experience managing domestic and international production is required; familiarity with Italian manufacturing is highly valued.
• Production Planning & Scheduling Develop and manage the seasonal production calendar, scheduling all key milestones to ensure on‑time delivery. Plan and organize workflow to maximize efficiency and meet sales and delivery deadlines.
• Order & Sample Management Review and verify sales orders for production entry, ensuring style numbers, colors, sizes, and descriptions are accurate. Assist with product order entry, track sample status throughout production, and maintain a clear overview of all pieces in progress.
• Quality Control & Assurance Establish and maintain rigorous quality control processes throughout sampling and production to ensure proper garment construction, fit, and finishing. Conduct and approve all PPS and TOP samples.
• Collaboration with Sales & Design Partner closely with the Sales team to fulfill client requests, manage quality concerns, and ensure production aligns with wholesale expectations. Work with Design to translate creative concepts into technically sound, commercially viable garments.
• Inventory & Material Management Oversee raw material inventory and procurement, ensuring timely availability of fabrics and trims. Maintain accurate records of materials and consumption.
• Growth & Scalability Help build and strengthen the production infrastructure required to support PARTOW’s next stage of growth. Identify opportunities to improve processes, systems, vendor relationships, production visibility, and workflow as the business scales.
• Process Improvement & Efficiency Continuously review production processes to identify opportunities for optimization, cost control, and operational improvement.
• Sustainability & Compliance Ensure production partners adhere to ethical and environmental standards and explore sourcing opportunities in line with brand values.
• Leadership & Reporting Manage the production budget, provide regular updates to senior leadership, and ensure alignment with financial and operational goals. Work closely with the Founder to provide visibility into production status, costs, risks, and opportunities. Perform any additional duties as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer or Creative Director.

Position Requirements

Experience: 8+ years of experience in luxury or high‑end ready‑to‑wear production, including hands‑on management of development, sourcing, and manufacturing.

• College degree, or equivalent professional work experience required
• Advanced analytical, business development, and negotiation skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and solution based
• Strong mathematical skills
• Strong ability to be persistent and take initiative and ownership of projects
• Agility and ability to react quickly with strong sense of urgency
• Able to develop effective working internal relationships
• Robust analytical skills
• Excellent communication: Confident, engaging verbal and written communication skills and presentation skills
• Versed in the use of ERP systems
• Strong project management and multi‑tasking skills with critical attention to detail
• Expertise: Deep knowledge of garment construction, fabric sourcing, and finishing techniques relevant to luxury apparel.
• Technical Skills: Strong proficiency in ERP systems, Excel, Costing and production management tools.
• Communication: Excellent cross‑functional collaboration skills with teams.
• Organized, proactive, detail‑oriented, and calm under pressure; strong commercial acumen and passion for craftsmanship.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally as needed, including travel to Italy to visit production partners and support development and production.