Quality Assurance Manager

Chubbies Shorts; United States; On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Chubbies is seeking a detail-oriented Quality Assurance Manager to own and evolve quality systems across the full product lifecycle—from initial testing and factory audits through production, packing, and returns. You will lead the eCommerce QA program with our vendor base and ensure product quality for retail and wholesale channels.

You will collaborate with Sourcing, Technical Design, and testing partners to ensure every product meets quality, safety, and brand standards across online and

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in Quality Assurance, ideally within apparel, softlines, or consumer products.
• 3-4 years of experience in a manufacturing environment, with direct exposure to factory operations and production processes.
• Strong, hands-on experience with garment testing methodologies and standards.
• Deep understanding of garment quality construction, materials, and common defect categories.
• Experience with compliance standards and protocols, including children's product safety testing.
• Experience working with third-party testing labs (e.g., SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek) strongly preferred.
• Prior experience supporting both eCommerce and retail/wholesale quality programs is a plus.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Comfortable managing multiple vendors, factories, and timelines simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Quality Reporting & Factory Audits: Conduct weekly vendor meetings to review in-process quality reports and ensure adherence to AQL 1.5.
• Garment Testing & Safety Compliance: Collaborate to execute testing protocols; ensure compliance with safety regulations and brand standards.
• Retail & Wholesale QA: Support QA efforts for products distributed through retail and wholesale channels; align with eComm standards.
• Returns Management: Establish processes with return vendor and analyze return trends to drive improvements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as the primary QA liaison between Sourcing, Technical Design, vendors, and testing labs; report metrics to leadership.

Skills

QA leadership

Garment testing

Manufacturing experience

Compliance knowledge

Labs partnerships

Omnichannel QA

Attention to detail

Vendor management

Job description

Solo Brands is made up of 4 distinctive brands: Solo Stove, Chubbies, ORU Kayak, and ISLE. Our company is built around enhancing and creating experiences that form memories and connections to people, places, and the natural world. We offer creative and emotional lifestyle products that help our customers create memories. Solo Brands is about Designing Good, Doing Good, and Being Good so it can Create Good, one good moment at a time. Good moments. Good memories. Good products. So you can create a good life.

About the Role

Chubbies is seeking a detail-oriented and experienced Quality Assurance Manager to own and evolve our quality systems across the full product lifecycle — from initial testing and factory audits through production, packing, and returns. This role manages our established eCommerce QA program with the Chubbies vendor base, while also playing a key role in ensuring product quality and compliance across retail and wholesale channels. You'll work cross-functionally with Sourcing, Technical Design, and third-party testing partners to ensure every product that reaches our customers — online or in-store — meets Chubbies' quality, safety, and brand standards.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Reporting & Factory Audits

• Conduct weekly virtual meetings with vendors to review in-process quality reports and ensure adherence to the AQL 1.5 requirement
• Conduct monthly virtual audit meetings at specified factories on targeted POs, with particular emphasis on:
• Key programs and strategic style categories
• New silhouettes entering production for the first time
• New fabrications and material blends
• Large fashion programs with high volume or visibility
• Track and trend quality data across vendors and factories to identify recurring issues and drive corrective action plans
• Maintain clear documentation and reporting cadence so quality performance is visible to Sourcing, Technical Design, and leadership

Garment Testing & Safety Compliance

• Partner closely with Sourcing and Technical Design to execute garment testing protocols across all product categories
• Conduct kids' safety testing prior to production to ensure compliance with applicable safety regulations and standards
• Ensure all garments meet Chubbies' internal quality benchmarks as well as external safety and regulatory requirements
• Establish and update testing protocols for new products, materials, and constructions as the product line evolves
• Partner with SGS (or other accredited testing labs) to define appropriate testing requirements, scope test plans, and interpret results
• Stay current on testing standards, safety regulations, and industry best practices, updating internal protocols as needed
• Partner with the vendor base to ensure packing compliance, including labeling, folding, poly-bagging, and carton specifications
• Conduct QA checks on packed goods prior to shipment to confirm compliance with brand and retail partner requirements
• Serve as a key point of contact for vendors on quality-related questions, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives

Retail & Wholesale QA

• Support quality assurance efforts for products distributed through retail and wholesale channels, ensuring consistency with eComm quality standards
• Partner with retail/wholesale account teams to understand and comply with any retailer-specific quality, labeling, or packaging requirements (e.g., chargebacks avoidance, routing guide compliance)
• Monitor and address quality issues surfaced through retail partner feedback, store-level returns, or wholesale account complaints
• Help ensure a consistent customer experience and brand quality standard across all sales channels, direct-to-consumer, wholesale, Amazon, retail.

Returns Management

• Establish implement and monito processes in partnership with the third-party return vendor or 3PL facility.
• Review return reasons and trends to identify quick action response to all fit issues and create action plans that can be feed back into sourcing and design decisions
• Partner with Customer Experience teams as needed to identify trends that can be quickly resolved to maintain high level customer satisfaction.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as the primary quality liaison between Sourcing, Technical Design, vendors, and testing labs
• Provide metrics against establish objectives to leadership on quality performance, risks, and improvement initiatives
• Support new product launches by ensuring quality and testing milestones are met on schedule

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in Quality Assurance, ideally within apparel, softlines, or consumer products
• 3-4 years of experience in a manufacturing environment, with direct exposure to factory operations and production processes
• Strong, hands-on experience with garment testing methodologies and standards
• Deep understanding of garment quality construction, materials, and common defect categories
• Experience with compliance standards and protocols, including children's product safety testing
• Experience working with third-party testing labs (e.g., SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek) strongly preferred
• Prior experience supporting both eCommerce and retail/wholesale quality programs is a plus
• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• Comfortable managing multiple vendors, factories, and timelines simultaneously

Key Attributes

• Strong communicator, comfortable leading virtual meetings with international vendors and factories
• Analytical mindset with the ability to identify trends and root causes from quality data
• Proactive problem-solver who can balance speed-to-market with quality standards
• Collaborative and cross-functional, able to build strong working relationships with Sourcing, Technical Design, and vendor partners
• Passion for product quality and the customer experience, aligned with the Chubbies brand voice and culture