Ethos Brands - Director of Sourcing & Production

Ethos Brands; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

Ethos Brands is seeking a seasoned Director of Sourcing & Production to lead global sourcing, manufacturing, and production operations across its apparel brands. You will define strategy, manage vendor relationships, and own costing to deliver high-quality products on schedule.

The role requires 10–15+ years in apparel sourcing and a proven leadership track, with hands-on experience across factories, mills, and international supply chains to drive margin, reliability, and brand integrity.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of apparel sourcing, production, or global supply chain experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing sourcing or manufacturing teams.
• Extensive experience with international factories, mills, and suppliers.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Apparel Manufacturing, or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead global sourcing strategy and vendor management across brands.
• Oversee end-to-end production, costing, and delivery to distribution centers.
• Ensure quality, compliance, and social/ethical standards across suppliers.
• Partner with design, merchandising, planning, and logistics to meet cost and timing goals.
• Drive margin improvement and operational efficiency.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Vendor negotiation

Cross-functional leadership

Cost optimization

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Apparel Manufacturing, or a related field

Tools

PLM

ERP

Production tracking

Job description

Ethos Brands is seeking an experienced Director of Sourcing & Production to lead global sourcing, manufacturing, and production operations across its apparel businesses.

This role is responsible for developing and executing the sourcing and production strategy for all brands, ensuring products are manufactured to the highest standards of quality, cost, and delivery. The Director will oversee the end-to-end production process, from sourcing and vendor selection through costing, production execution, quality assurance, and final delivery to the distribution center.

As the central leader of the sourcing and production organization, this individual will build and manage strategic relationships with global factories, mills, and suppliers while driving operational efficiency, margin improvement, and supply chain reliability. The role requires a strong understanding of apparel manufacturing, global sourcing markets, product construction, and the ability to balance the distinct brand identities, product needs, and business objectives of the brands.

The Director will work closely with Design, Merchandising, Product Development, Planning, Sales, Finance, and Logistics to ensure the business delivers the right product, at the right cost, and on time.

Salary Range: $140,000 - $155,000

Key Responsibilities

Global Sourcing Strategy & Vendor Management

• Develop and execute a global sourcing strategy that supports the growth, product mix, and business objectives of all brands.
• Build, maintain, and continuously evaluate a competitive network of international factories, mills, suppliers, and sourcing partners.
• Identify new sourcing opportunities, manufacturing capabilities, and geographic diversification to improve cost, quality, capacity, lead times, and supply chain flexibility.
• Establish factory allocation strategies based on product category, construction, technical requirements, order volume, cost, and delivery needs.
• Negotiate pricing, minimums, capacity, payment terms, and production commitments with global vendors.
• Develop long-term strategic vendor partnerships while maintaining accountability for cost competitiveness, quality, service, and delivery performance.
• Evaluate vendor capabilities and performance through regular business reviews, factory assessments, and performance scorecards.
• Lead vendor onboarding and ensure manufacturing partners meet company, brand, and applicable compliance requirements.

Production Management & Execution

• Oversee the complete production lifecycle from development handoff and purchase order placement through bulk production, shipment, and final delivery.
• Establish and manage seasonal production calendars, time-and-action schedules, and critical milestones to ensure on‑time delivery.
• Monitor production progress across all categories and proactively identify risks related to materials, capacity, approvals, manufacturing, and shipment.
• Ensure production teams maintain accurate and timely communication with factories and internal departments.
• Oversee production allocation and capacity planning across vendors to support seasonal demand and delivery requirements.
• Drive accountability for purchase order accuracy, production status, shipping documentation, and delivery execution.
• Develop contingency plans and resolve production challenges that could impact cost, quality, or delivery.
• Partner with Logistics and Operations to manage shipment schedules, freight decisions, and timely delivery to the distribution center.
• Own the costing strategy and process across all brands, ensuring product costs align with margin targets and business objectives.
• Development owns the style costing and merchandising owns the margin, but this role is responsible for overall costing strategies within the vendor matrix and seeks out new opportunities
• Lead cost negotiations with factories and suppliers, identifying opportunities to improve material costs, labor costs, manufacturing efficiencies, and overall product value.
• Partner with Design and Merchandising early in the product creation process to identify cost implications and recommend commercially viable solutions without compromising product integrity.
• Establish costing standards, cost review processes, and approval procedures to ensure accuracy and accountability.
• Analyze factory pricing, raw material costs, duties, freight, and other landed‑cost components to identify opportunities for savings.
• Monitor cost changes and production variances, communicating financial impacts and corrective actions to leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement in gross margin through strategic sourcing, vendor negotiations, product engineering, and operational efficiencies.

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Establish and oversee quality standards and production controls across all product categories.
• Ensure products meet brand specifications, construction standards, fit requirements, testing protocols, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Partner with Design, Technical Design, and Product Development to ensure product specifications and construction requirements are clearly communicated to manufacturing partners.
• Oversee quality processes throughout development and bulk production, including testing, inspections, approvals, and corrective actions.
• Ensure factories and suppliers meet applicable social, environmental, safety, and ethical sourcing standards.
• Identify recurring quality issues and implement root‑cause analysis and corrective action plans.
• Ensure all products meet applicable brand licensing, labeling, packaging, and approval requirements.

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Serve as the primary sourcing and production partner to the leadership teams.
• Work closely with Design, Merchandising, Product Development, Planning, Sales, Finance, and Logistics to align product strategy, costing, production timelines, and delivery expectations.
• Provide early visibility into sourcing, costing, quality, and production risks that could impact seasonal business plans.
• Establish clear communication processes and accountability across internal teams and international manufacturing partners.
• Identify opportunities to leverage shared sourcing resources, vendor relationships, and operational efficiencies.
• Provide leadership with regular reporting on production status, cost performance, delivery, quality, and vendor performance.

Team Leadership & Operational Excellence

• Lead, develop, and manage the sourcing and production team, establishing clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations.
• Build a culture of accountability, proactive problem solving, collaboration, and operational discipline.
• Develop scalable processes, systems, and reporting tools to improve visibility and efficiency across both brands.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators, including on‑time delivery, cost variance, quality performance, vendor performance, and production lead times.
• Continuously evaluate workflows and identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve speed to market, and strengthen execution.
• Develop team capabilities and succession planning to support the long‑term needs of the business.

Qualifications & Experience

• 10–15+ years of progressive experience in apparel sourcing, production, manufacturing, or global supply chain management.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing sourcing, production, or manufacturing teams.
• Extensive experience working with international apparel factories, mills, suppliers, and sourcing offices.
• Strong understanding of global apparel manufacturing, including cut‑and‑sew, knits, wovens, performance apparel, boardshorts, swimwear, and outerwear
• Deep knowledge of garment construction, fabrics, trims, manufacturing processes, costing, and quality standards.
• Proven experience developing global sourcing strategies and managing factory allocation across multiple countries.
• Demonstrated success negotiating costs, improving margins, managing production calendars, and achieving on‑time delivery targets.
• Strong understanding of apparel product development and the relationship between design decisions, construction, costing, and manufacturing execution.
• Experience managing multiple brands, product categories, or business units preferred.
• Knowledge of international trade, import regulations, duties, tariffs, and customs requirements.
• Familiarity with responsible sourcing, factory compliance, quality testing, and supply chain risk management.
• Experience with PLM, ERP, production tracking, and reporting systems.
• Strong analytical, financial, negotiation, communication, and problem‑solving skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Apparel Manufacturing, or a related field preferred.

Leadership Profile

The ideal candidate is a strategic and hands‑on leader who understands both the creative and commercial sides of the apparel business. They can build strong global vendor partnerships, negotiate effectively, solve complex production challenges, and lead teams through demanding seasonal calendars.

This individual must be equally comfortable developing a long‑term sourcing strategy and getting into the details of a costing issue, factory delay, or quality concern. They bring a solutions‑oriented mindset, strong financial discipline, and the ability to create operational consistency across two distinct global apparel brands.

Success in this role will be measured by improved product margins, competitive and reliable sourcing, consistent product quality, stronger vendor performance, reduced production risk, and on‑time delivery across The Brands