RETAIL PRE-PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Global Merchandising Services; West Hollywood (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Global Merchandising Services Inc. in West Hollywood, CA is seeking a Retail Pre-Production Coordinator to manage sampling workflows, track styles, and coordinate with vendors and internal teams to secure timely approvals.

A strong organizer with Excel mastery and clear communication is essential; duties include maintaining sample trackers, managing PO requests, scheduling, problem solving with factories, and ensuring deadlines are met in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Strong multitasking and prioritization in fast-paced environments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication with internal and external teams.
• Design awareness including color, proportion, balance and Pantone experience is a plus.
• Self-management, leadership, and stress management skills are valued.
• Proven ability to manage timelines and multiple projects simultaneously.
• Familiarity with Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator and Microsoft/Google suites.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with production, sales and brand teams to ensure samples are produced correctly and on time.
• Create and maintain item set ups and assign style numbers upon requests.
• Coordinate PO requests and collect art links/SEP files, pushing internal priorities.
• Manage sample inventory and track progress against deadlines.
• Work with manufacturers to resolve sample-related issues and provide revisions.
• Update trackers and communicate decisions with vendors and internal teams.
• Share artwork/files with vendors and obtain approvals from brand/licensors.
• Ship samples to retailers and coordinate sample tracking end-to-end.
• Identify production risks and propose actionable solutions.
• Brainstorm process improvements to improve order ingestion efficiencies.

Skills

Multitasking

Communication skills

Self-management

Leadership

Critical thinking

Time management

Organizational skills

Ability to work under pressure

Color/design sense

Vendor coordination

Team player

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s Degree (Preferred) or equivalent

Tools

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Suite

Google Suite

Job description

JOB SUMMARY:

The Retail Pre-Production Coordinator is an integral part of Global Merchandises’ supply chain. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in organization, multi-tasking, self-management, and strong communication skills. This role is to ensure that Global can efficiently track & monitor all styles in sampling while setting manageable priorities with our vendors & internal team to push for timely approvals.

Exceptional critical thinking with the ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple projects with overlapping deadlines is essential for this role. A substantial working knowledge of Microsoft Excel is necessary. The ability to take instruction is paramount, along with the timely management of a varied workload, with pressing deadlines and priorities.

This individual must be highly efficient, dedicated to the task at hand and must be able to communicate effectively, have the tenacity to problem-solve and work as a team player. This individual submits samples to our licensors for alignment and approval.

This is a critical part of our licensed merchandise process and must be handled quickly and effectively to ensure targets are met. The Pre-Production Coordinator is responsible for all new development that goes into sampling. Pre-Production Coordinator must keep track of and communicate any foreseeable production challenges to respective teams and offer solutions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Work closely with Production Manager, along with sales & creative, to ensure all samples are executed correctly & in a timely fashion.
• Create & maintain all item set ups when sales team requests new items to assign style numbers.
• Handle Purchase Order Form (POF) requests from sales team & coordinate with creative team to collect art links/SEP files. Push and set priorities internally with creative team for art links/SEP files. Information needs to be organized in the creative tracker & sample tracker.
• Manage sample inventory, tracking product & hitting deadlines.
• Working with manufacturers/vendors to resolve issues during the sample process.
• Provide feedback and continued liaison for required revisions/re-samples with vendors, keeping sales managers & production team updated throughout process.
• Maintain & update sample tracker WIP to keep all sampling organized and follow up with vendors in a timely fashion. Manages workflow, prioritizing consistent follow through with factories on proto and pre-production sampling.
• Set sampling priorities with vendors based on PO’s and desired deliveries.
• Send out weekly WIPS to vendors to push for all updates on sample ETA’s (Estimated time of Arrival) and DDD’s (Drop Dead Date – for approval).
• Share art links/SEP files with allocated vendor after creative distributes to team.
• Collect all sample images from vendors and send off for brand manager/licensor approval upon receipt (time sensitive) after creative signs off.
• Communicate approval comments and corrections to internal and external channels; trackers, factories/vendors, and partners as applicable.
• Coordinate all sample tracking from vendors and ship physical samples to retailers.
• Review sample requests and identify any sampling/production concerns and provide possible solutions. Communicate necessary information to respective teams.
• Brainstorm new processes that promote efficiencies with order ingestion.
• Handle ad-hoc duties as they arise & assist with other projects as needed.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• Bachelor’s Degree (Preferred) or equivalent work experience
• Must have the ability to multi-task and prioritize in a fast-paced, time-pressured environment.
• Outstanding verbal & written communications skills and able to liaise internally with various teams such as production/sales/brand mgmt. and externally with manufacturers/vendors/customers.
• Trained eye for the elements of design: ie. color, proportion, and balance as well as aesthetic detail. Pantone color experience is a plus.
• Ability to self-manage/work independently, demonstrable leadership and stress management skills.
• Multitask, highly motivated, positive, and strong work and team ethics. Critical thinking with the ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple projects with overlapping deadlines.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills, along with the ability to prioritize and possess a sense of urgency when appropriate.
• Basic knowledge of license apparel a plus.
• Demonstrable experience in a similar role.
• Experience working in timeline driven environments.
• Knowledge and experience using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator programs.
• Experience in Screen Printing & Embroidery (Preferred)
• Experience in Microsoft Suite & Google Suite

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to sit, stand, and move around the office environment for extended periods.
• Ability to use a computer keyboard and mouse up to 80% of the workday.
• Ability to reach with hands and arms to access files, equipment, and workstations.
• Visual acuity with precise color perception and differentiation is essential for:
• Reviewing design files and pitch deck materials
• Analyzing product samples and color variations
• Ensuring color accuracy across design, production, and retail presentations
• Ability to clearly distinguish between subtle color variations and nuanced design elements
• Ability to view and assess visual materials on digital screens and printed materials
• Ability to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds (for sample management and occasional inventory handling)
• Ability to communicate effectively in person and via phone/video conferencing
• Manual dexterity to operate office equipment, including computers, phones, scanners, and presentation tools

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Job duties and responsibilities may be added to, modified, or changed at any time with or without notice at the discretion of management.

Global Merchandising Services Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against based on disability. EOE/AA M/F/D/V.