Fabric Production Manager

Theory; New York (NY); On-site; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Theory Men’s Fabric Production Manager leads the seasonal fabric buy and production process, partnering with Merchandising, Design, Development, Planning, Production, and global mills to secure the right fabric at the right cost and lead time. You translate line-plan demand into executable buys, manage pricing, capacity, and PO accuracy, and proactively mitigate season risks.

This role focuses on delivering high-quality fabrics for timely garment delivery, working across multiple regions and

Qualifications

• 5+ years of fabric buying, sourcing, production, or materials planning in apparel.
• Premium menswear experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of woven and knit fabric commercialization, costing, minimums, lead times, greige strategy, dyeing, testing, inspections, shade lots, and bulk production.
• Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills; Centric and BMS experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own the seasonal fabric planning & buying calendar, aligning development approvals, projection rounds, buy meetings, PO dates, and mill deliveries.
• Translate merchandising line plans and projection rounds into fabric demand; calculate preliminary, Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, chase, and final bulk quantities.
• Reconcile projection changes, consumption updates, existing commitments, open POs, mill stock, and greige positions before recommending incremental buys, reductions, or cancellations.
• Submit seasonal and core fabric orders, including Japan-specific needs, and maintain complete and accurate purchase-order records in BMS.
• Manage mill capacity and production planning to ensure fabric availability and lead times support garment delivery targets.

Skills

Fabric buying

Sourcing

Production

Materials planning

Menswear experience

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Excel/Google Sheets

Centric

BMS

Job description

Defining the New Modern Founded by Andrew Rosen in 1997, Theory revolutionized the contemporary market with its concept of the urban uniform, a modern edit of elevated essentials. The Fast Retailing acquisition of Theory in 2004 spurred global expansion of the brand; today, Theory operates 221 freestanding stores worldwide. The launch of e-commerce in 2010 and collaborative relationships with department and specialty stores continue to position Theory as a continually expanding international omnichannel phenomenon. A leader in Fast Retailing Group's dossier, Theory balances luxury with accessibility in collections with integrity known for their precisely tailored silhouettes and exceptional fabrics.

About the role

The Theory Men's Fabric Production Manager owns the seasonal fabric buy and production process from initial planning through final commitment and bulk delivery. Partnering with Merchandising, Design, Development, Planning, Production, and global mills, this role ensures the right fabric is secured at the right cost, quantity, quality, and delivery. The Manager translates line-plan demand into executable fabric buys, manages pricing, capacity, purchase-order accuracy, approvals, delivery, and liability, and proactively identifies and resolves risk throughout the season.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Seasonal Fabric Planning & Buying

• Own and maintain the seasonal fabric buying calendar, aligning development approvals, projection rounds, buy meetings, purchase order dates, and required mill deliveries.
• Translate merchandising line plans and projection rounds into fabric demand; calculate preliminary, Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, chase, and final bulk quantities.
• Reconcile projection changes, consumption updates, existing commitments, open purchase orders, mill stock, and greige positions before recommending incremental buys, reductions, or cancellations.
• Submit seasonal and core fabric orders, including Japan-specific needs, and maintain complete and accurate purchase-order records in BMS.
• Manage mill capacity and production planning to ensure fabric availability and lead times support garment delivery targets.

Pricing, Margin & Mill Management

• Confirm mill minimums, lead times, payment and delivery terms, and production constraints; elevate risks early and propose commercially sound alternatives.
• Maintain current pricing and commercial information in Centric, BMS, and seasonal tracking tools.
• Partner on mill scorecards and use performance, quality, delivery, service, and cost results to guide sourcing and allocation decisions.
• Build strong, accountable mill relationships while protecting Theory's quality, timing, and financial requirements.

Development, Approvals & Critical Path

• Drive the approval critical path by monitoring fabric, color, lab-dip, testing, standards, and bulk-submission status against required buy dates.
• Ensure approved qualities and colors are clearly identified before commitment; communicate approval gaps and their cost or delivery impact.
• Support traceability, certification, content, and testing requirements in partnership with the appropriate technical teams.

Allocation, Delivery & Risk Management

• Recommend strategic mill and factory positioning based on purchase orders, capacity, regional demand, delivery flow, and operational risk.
• Partner with Production on shortages, overages, consumption changes, shade-lot considerations, shipment priorities, and recovery plans.
• Monitor open purchase orders and delivery flow; identify high-risk items early and drive decisions with mills and cross-functional partners.
• Manage fabric liability plans, review mill and factory claims, and pursue cancellation, reallocation, utilization, or commercial recovery options.
• Support in-season chase orders and late changes by confirming feasible quantities, cost, and delivery before commitment.

Data Integrity & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Maintain one reliable source of truth across buy charts, BMS, Centric, open-PO reports, RMS reports, and supporting seasonal trackers.
• Prepare clear buy recommendations, risk summaries, and decision points for Merchandising, Planning, Development, Production, and leadership.
• Establish disciplined handoffs, timelines, and follow-up routines across internal teams, mills, factories, and regional partners.
• Continuously improve fabric production and buying processes, calendars, reporting, and standard operating procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years of fabric buying, sourcing, production, or materials planning experience within apparel; premium menswear experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of woven and knit fabric commercialization, costing, minimums, lead times, greige strategy, dyeing, testing, inspections, shade lots, and bulk production.
• Demonstrated ability to calculate demand, analyze projections and consumption, negotiate cost, and manage inventory and liability exposure.
• Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills; experience with product-lifecycle and purchase-order systems such as Centric and BMS strongly preferred.
• Highly organized and accurate, with the ability to manage multiple seasons, deadlines, and changing priorities at once.
• Strong written and verbal communication, negotiation, judgment, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience preferred.

SUCCESS MEASURES

• Fabric commitments placed on time and aligned to approved demand.
• Achievement of target cost and margin objectives.
• On-time fabric delivery and proactive recovery of at-risk orders.
• Accurate quantities, pricing, allocation, and purchase-order data across systems.
• Reduced excess, shortages, claims, and end-of-season fabric liability.
• Strong mill performance and effective cross-functional partnership.

Salary: $100,000 - $110,000 per year*

*The offered salary or salary range is based on several factors, including, but not limited to, overall experience, relevant experience, education level, certifications, applicable skills and expertise, and location of the position.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Theory LLC does not discriminate against applicants or employees because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, disability, age, citizenship, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or because of any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.