Plant Quality Specialist

varsitybrands; Brookfield (MO); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Varsity Spirit, Brookfield, MO, is seeking a Plant Quality Specialist to protect product quality and brand standards by conducting inspections of incoming fabrics and manufactured goods.

You will work with sourcing and quality teams, track defect trends, and coordinate third-party inspections to ensure compliance with specifications and regulatory requirements.

The role requires attention to detail, strong communication, and comfort working onsite with manufacturing teams.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in quality control or plant operations.
• Experience inspecting apparel or textiles preferred.
• Familiarity with AQL standards a plus.

Responsibilities

• Perform quality control inspections of fabrics, trims, and apparel.
• Inspect products for defects in construction, materials, labeling, and packaging.
• Document findings and determine disposition of goods.
• Track quality metrics and report trends.

Skills

Quality inspection methods

AQL sampling procedures

Product specifications interpretation

Analytical problem-solving

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Excel

Education

2+ years quality control experience

Tools

Excel and quality reporting tools

Job description

VARSITY SPIRIT, A VARSITY BRANDS COMPANY - THE DRIVING FORCE IN SPIRIT ACROSS CHEER, DANCE, BAND AND YEARBOOK For over 50 years, Varsity Spirit has been the leading global source for all things spirit, including cheerleading, dance team, performing arts and yearbook. Focused on safety, entertainment and traditional school leadership, Varsity Spirit's 5,000+ employees are dedicated to celebrating school spirit. A leader in apparel innovation, educational camps, clinics, competitions, and yearbook, Varsity Spirit impacts more than a million athletes each year.

OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFETY

At Varsity Spirit, the safety and wellbeing of the young people we serve is of the utmost importance. Since our inception 50 years ago, we have been - and remain - steadfastly committed to doing our part to create a safe and positive environment for our participants' physical, emotional, and social development, and promoting an environment free from abuse and misconduct. Varsity has a zero tolerance for abuse in its programs, events, and associated business activities. Varsity is committed to reporting all suspicions, allegations, and incidents of abuse in full accordance with local laws and reporting requirements. Learn more at Our Commitment to Safety - Varsity.com .

WORK TYPE

On Site

WORK LOCATION

108 Stanbury Industrial Drive, Brookfield, MO Please note: This position does not offer relocation assistance. Candidates must be able to work from the designated location without company-sponsored relocation

WORK HOURS

M-F, 7:30am - 4:30pm

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

The Plant Quality Specialist is responsible for protecting product quality and brand standards by managing quality inspections and product investigations within the plant. This role supports the company's quality assurance program by inspecting incoming merchandise and manufactured goods to ensure products meet established specifications and regulatory requirements. This position plays a critical role in preventing defective merchandise from entering inventory or shipping to customers, ensuring compliance with company quality standards, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives across the supply chain.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

• Perform quality control inspections of incoming fabrics, trims, and other materials using established inspection protocols and AQL sampling methodologies; perform quality control inspections of uniforms and apparel during and at the conclusion of manufacturing.
• Inspect products for defects related to construction, materials, labeling, packaging, color consistency, and overall workmanship.
• Verify SKU accuracy, quantities, and product specifications during receiving inspections.
• Document inspection findings, classify defects, and determine disposition of goods (release, hold, rework, or reject).
• Ensure timely inspection and clearance of goods to support efficient operations.
• Identify recurring quality issues and communicate findings to sourcing and quality teams.
• Provide feedback to suppliers and internal teams to drive continuous quality improvement.
• Track vendor and internal quality trends and elevate concerns related to performance.
• Coordinate and schedule pre-shipment or in-process inspections at manufacturing facilities through approved third-party inspection service providers.
• Ensure inspection requests are submitted according to production timelines.
• Maintain accurate inspection records and quality documentation.
• Track and report quality metrics including defect rates and inspection outcomes.
• Verify that incoming products comply with labeling, packaging, and regulatory requirements.
• Instill quality standards among team to promote ongoing expectation of best-in-class quality

QUALIFICATIONS KNOWLEGE/SKILLS/ABILITES

• Strong understanding of quality inspection methods and defect identification
• Knowledge of AQL sampling procedures
• Ability to interpret product specifications, tech packs, and quality standards
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work cross-functionally with operations and quality teams
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and quality reporting tools

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• 2+ years of experience in quality control, product inspection, or plant operations.
• Experience inspecting apparel, textiles, or consumer goods strongly preferred.
• Experience working with AQL inspection standards preferred.
• Experience coordinating with third-party inspection agencies is a plus.
• Experience influencing cross functional stakeholders and external brand partners at a senior level.

Physical Demands and/or Work Environment

The physical demands