Director, Production (Kid's)

Centric Brands Inc.; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with employer match

Summer Fridays

Generous PTO

Merchandise discounts

Job summary

Centric Brands Inc. is seeking a Director of Production for Girls, Infant, Baby, and Toddler Apparel to lead end-to-end production from vendor selection to final delivery.

You will negotiate costs, ensure on-time deliveries, and drive profitability through cost engineering, supplier performance, and QA across global factories and categories. The role partners with Design, Merchandising, Sales, and overseas teams to deliver high-quality, brand-right products.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in apparel production, fashion merchandising, or related field
• 8–10+ years of apparel production and sourcing experience, with strong background in children’s apparel
• Deep knowledge of garment manufacturing, fabrications, trims, and print techniques
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills with global factory partners
• Proven ability to manage complex timelines, solve production issues, and deliver cost‑effective solutions

Responsibilities

• Partner with corporate resources to optimize global production and sourcing efficiencies across divisions
• Negotiate product costs with vendors to ensure margins while maintaining quality and timely delivery
• Review and approve final production buys; manage lifecycle from sampling to bulk delivery
• Resolve vendor chargebacks, compliance issues, and customs with Imports team
• Collaborate with Design, Merchandising, and Sales to align on margins and development timelines
• Oversee QA processes; enforce brand-aligned standards across factories and categories
• Lead capacity planning, regional allocation, and performance tracking by sourcing office and vendor
• Forecast demand with Planning and Sales to secure capacity and raw materials

Skills

Negotiation

Vendor management

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Excel

CAD

Mac proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Apparel Production, Fashion Merchandising, or related field

Tools

Excel

Adobe Creative Suite

CAD

Job description

About Us

Centric Brands is a leading lifestyle brand collective that designs, sources, markets and sells high quality products in multiple segments, including women’s, men’s and kid’s apparel, accessories, entertainment and beauty. Centric Brands is focused on our customers and our brands that will drive the company’s future growth. We are defined by innovation as we seize new opportunities and thrive in an environment informed by creativity and thinking that is both analytical and outside the box. Centric Brands reflects a team built on respect, for others and for the hard work it takes to achieve our goals and build our bright future together.

Production

From sourcing raw materials to manufacturing, order placement, pricing and quality control and getting the finished product where it needs to be, our production team is responsible for ensuring we keep our standards high and our business profitable at every step of the journey. If you are a focused, results -driven, tenacious and highly flexible team player, we’ll give you every opportunity to build a rewarding career with one of the world’s foremost major lifestyle brand collectives.

Specific Responsibilities Would Include

The Director of Production for Girls, Infant, Baby, and Toddler Apparel leads the end-to-end production process, from vendor selection to final delivery. This role is responsible for placing and negotiating manufacturing orders, ensuring on-time deliveries, and driving profitability through cost engineering, vendor performance, and quality assurance. This leader works cross-functionally with Design, Merchandising, Sales, and overseas partners to bring commercially viable, high-quality, and brand-right apparel to market. Our Kids division powers some of the most beloved names in children’s fashion. Join our team to lead innovative production strategies and help shape the future of kids' apparel with products that delight consumers and deliver results.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Innovation

• Partner with corporate resources to optimize global production and sourcing efficiencies across divisions.
• Conduct ongoing competitive and market research to identify innovations in fabric, construction, and production methods.
• Share relevant findings and trends with Design and Merchandising teams; maintain a centralized archive of materials, trims, and hardware.
• Evaluate and implement best practices in production technology and sourcing strategy for continuous improvement.

Operations & Results

• Lead the development and maintenance of the approved vendor matrix, including evaluation of costing, capacity, and compliance.
• Negotiate product costs with vendors to ensure margin goals are met without compromising quality or delivery.
• Review and approve all final production buys; manage full lifecycle tracking from initial sampling through bulk delivery.
• Resolve vendor chargebacks, compliance issues, and customs classification in partnership with the Imports team.
• Collaborate with Design, Merchandising, and Sales to align on margin goals, ensure feasibility of product execution, and maintain development timelines.
• Oversee QA processes; define and enforce brand-aligned production and quality standards across factories and categories.
• Drive solutions to technical challenges related to fabrication, fit, construction, or production delays.
• Manage capacity planning, regional allocation, and performance tracking by sourcing office, country, and vendor.
• Partner with Planning and Sales to forecast demand and secure production capacity and raw materials accordingly.

Customers & Relationships

• Serve as a key liaison between internal teams and external partners including factories, vendors, and global sourcing offices.
• Ensure proactive communication with Sales, Merchandising, and Operations to support fulfillment of seasonal demand and customer expectations.
• Represent the brand at global factory visits and industry trade shows to assess production capabilities and explore new sourcing opportunities.
• Lead cross-functional communication to manage production timelines, quality issues, and troubleshooting efforts.

Leadership & Team Development

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing production team; provide guidance, set expectations, and support professional development.
• Create succession plans and talent development strategies to ensure long‑term team stability and skill growth.
• Monitor and evaluate team and individual performance, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
• Foster a collaborative, solutions-oriented culture that supports operational excellence and innovation.

Our Best Fit Candidate Would Have

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Apparel Production, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field
• 8–10+ years of experience in apparel production and sourcing; strong background in children’s apparel (infant, toddler, girls) is highly preferred
• Deep knowledge of garment manufacturing including fabrications, construction, trims, and print techniques
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills, with experience overseeing global factory partners
• Proven ability to manage complex timelines, solve production issues, and deliver cost-effective solutions
• Excellent organizational, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Strong understanding of global supply chain, customs, and compliance protocols
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel), Adobe Creative Suite, and CAD; Mac proficiency preferred

In return, we provide an industry-competitive salary, along with a comprehensive benefits plan (medical, dental, vision) that includes a matching 401(k), Summer Fridays, generous PTO, merchandise discounts, excellent career development opportunities, and a work environment that reflects our industry leadership. Our social impact program, Centric Cares, focuses on volunteerism to make a difference in communities we live and work in and our D&I committee is shaping the future of diversity, equity and inclusion at Centric Brands though workshops, resources and inspiring conversation.

Salary Range: $120,000-150,000

At Centric Brands, we believe our people are our greatest asset, and we seek to structure competitive compensation offers to ensure that we are able to attract and retain the best talent. Our job postings include an annual base salary range at the time of employment. The stated base salary range represents our good faith estimate as to what candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on several factors, including the selected candidate's educational and professional experience, industry knowledge, location, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the selection process. Base salary is a part of a total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, annual bonus and other Centric Brands sponsored benefit programs.

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Centric Brands is an Equal Opportunity Employer