Production Manager (e-Commerce / Start-up)

Black Pen Recruitment; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic sports apparel brand in Cape Town seeks a Production Manager with a strong background in apparel production. The role involves developing production schedules, supervising a team, and ensuring quality control standards. Candidates should have at least 5 years of relevant experience and the ability to work effectively in a unionised environment. This is an exciting opportunity to join a small, ambitious team aiming for growth.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in apparel production, preferably in sports apparel.
• At least 5 years experience in clothing manufacturing industry.
• Good understanding of SA labour context, its laws, and application.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement production schedules.
• Coordinate all production activities to optimise workflow.
• Establish and enforce quality control standards.
• Supervise and provide guidance to production staff.
• Conduct performance evaluations and identify training needs.

Skills

Apparel production experience

Ability to work in a unionised environment

Strong leadership and team management

Lean manufacturing principles

Education

Relevant qualification in production or garment construction

Job description

About the job Production Manager (e-Commerce/Start-up)

Job Title: Production Manager (e-Commerce/Start-up)

Start Date: Flexible

Location: Cape Town

Job Type: On-site | This employment will be on a 12 month contract, open for renewal subject to company and employee performance

Salary: Market-Related

Requirements

• Relevant qualification in production / garment construction / clothing Manufacturing
• Proven experience in apparel production, preferably in sports apparel
• Previous experience in CMT working with large teams
• At least 5 years experience in clothing manufacturing industry
• Good understanding of SA labour context, its laws and application (able to successfully work in a unionised, wages staff environment)

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement production schedules to meet demand and delivery deadlines, addressing any issues that may arise
• Implement, oversee and drive daily, weekly and monthly production plans and targets.
• Maintain accurate production records, analyse data, and generate reports on production performance.
• Coordinate all production activities, including material procurement, manufacturing, and shipping to optimise workflow and minimise downtime
• Coordinate with the design team to ensure designs are production-friendly and cost-effective
• Establish and enforce quality control standards to ensure finished products maintain high-quality standards.
• Ensure facilities, plant & equipment are kept in good working order
• Apply critical component redundancy to minimise downtime.
• Manage inventory levels to meet customer demand while minimising excess stock. Set and maintain minimum stock levels to avoid potential downtime
• Liaise with vendors & suppliers to ensure timely delivery of materials.
• Supervise and provide guidance to all production staff.
• Foster a collaborative and positive work environment to promote teamwork and employee morale.
• Conduct performance evaluations, provide feedback, and identify training needs to support employee development and growth.
• Liaise with and foster good relationships with the associated bargaining councils and labour unions.
• Act decisively to resolve staff and other resource related issues
• Utilise lean manufacturing principles and methodologies to streamline processes and reduce all forms of waste
• Regularly review production metrics and KPIs to track performance and identify opportunities for optimization.
• Introduce culture of continuous improvement across all facets of production

About the Company

Our client is a dynamic sports apparel brand based in Cape Town, that designs and manufactures premium cycling and running kit, both custom and retail. They have ambitious plans to grow our business and are looking for an enthusiastic production manager to join their dynamic team. Being a small dynamic team the incumbent will be expected to assume a high degree of autonomy to interact directly with all facets of the business including Branding, Marketing, Sales, Customers, Product Development, Design, Production, Accounts, as well as the company Directors.

This is a very exciting opportunity to join a business that has big dreams in the pipeline.