Systems-Driven Luxury Production Lead

Okapi; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Okapi in Cape Town, a South African luxury brand, is seeking a highly organised Production Manager to own end-to-end production from development support through sourcing, costing, manufacturing, QA, and delivery.

You will coordinate with Creative Director and external suppliers, manage calendars, BOMs in Business Central, and ensure on-time, on-budget, high-quality outcomes while upholding sustainability.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in production management, ideally in leather goods, fashion, or luxury accessories.
• Deeply systems-oriented with strong calendar and documentation practices.
• Experience managing multiple external suppliers and overlapping timelines in a fast-paced environment.
• Commercially astute with negotiation and costing skills; ERP experience advantageous.
• Exceptional attention to detail and ownership of quality.
• Clear, proactive communicator bridging creative and operational teams.
• Passionate about craftsmanship, sustainability, and African luxury.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage production planning and calendars; set lead times and resolve bottlenecks.
• Source, onboard, and manage 3rd-party manufacturers and suppliers; maintain vendor database.
• Advise on feasibility, lead times, material availability, and costing with the Creative Director.
• Own BOMs, product costing, and SKU setup in Business Central; manage purchasing to invoice reconciliation.
• Define and uphold quality standards; conduct QC checks and manage supplier corrective actions.
• Oversee raw materials stock and coordinate material movements and stocktakes.
• Establish best-practice production systems and documentation; share updates with sales, e-commerce, and stock control.

Skills

Production management

Systems orientation

Vendor management

ERP skills

Negotiation

Quality control

Communication

Sustainability

Tools

Business Central

ERP systems

Job description

Okapi in Cape Town, a South African luxury brand, is seeking a highly organised Production Manager to own end-to-end production from development support through sourcing, costing, manufacturing, QA, and delivery.

You will coordinate with Creative Director and external suppliers, manage calendars, BOMs in Business Central, and ensure on-time, on-budget, high-quality outcomes while upholding sustainability.