Production Manager:

Company: Zlaata India

Department: Production

Industry: Fashion

Job Location: Chennai, India

Reports To: Head of Brand / Brand Manager

Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Role:

We are looking for an experienced Production Manager to oversee the end-to-end garment production process and ensure that products are manufactured according to approved quality standards, production plans, specifications, cost targets, and delivery timelines. The role will be responsible for planning and monitoring production activities, coordinating with internal teams and external vendors, managing production capacity and manpower, resolving production challenges, and ensuring the timely availability of finished garments for the retail business. The ideal candidate should have strong knowledge of garment manufacturing, production planning, apparel construction, quality control, vendor management, and team management.

Key Responsibilities

1. Production Planning & Management

● Plan and manage daily, weekly, and monthly garment production requirements based on business and delivery requirements.

● Prepare production schedules and ensure timely execution of production plans.

● Monitor production progress against planned quantities and timelines.

● Allocate production activities based on capacity, manpower, machinery, and vendor availability.

● Ensure production targets are achieved without compromising quality.

● Identify production bottlenecks and take timely corrective action.

● Ensure smooth flow of garments from sampling to bulk production and final dispatch.

2. Garment Production & Process Monitoring

● Oversee the complete garment manufacturing process, including:

○ Fabric receipt and inspection

○ Cutting

○ Stitching

○ Embroidery/printing, where applicable

○ Finishing

○ Pressing

○ Quality inspection

○ Packing

○ Dispatch

● Monitor production at each stage to ensure adherence to approved specifications.

● Ensure production is carried out according to approved samples, size charts, tech packs, and production requirements.

● Monitor production efficiency and identify opportunities to improve processes.

● Ensure proper coordination between different production stages to avoid delays.

3. Production Target & Delivery Management

● Take ownership of production targets and delivery commitments.

● Track daily production output against planned quantities.

● Identify delays at an early stage and develop recovery plans.

● Coordinate with relevant teams to ensure production deadlines are met.

● Maintain production timelines for new collections, repeat orders, seasonal products, and retail requirements.

● Escalate critical production delays to management with a clear action plan.

4. Manpower & Team Management

● Manage and supervise production teams, supervisors, operators, workers, and support staff.

● Allocate manpower according to production requirements and workload.

● Monitor employee productivity and production efficiency.

● Identify manpower shortages and coordinate for timely deployment of additional resources.

● Conduct regular reviews with production supervisors and team members.

● Train and guide team members on production processes, productivity, safety, and quality expectations.

● Build a performance-driven and accountable production team.

5. Production Quality Coordination

● Work closely with the QA/QC team to ensure production meets approved quality standards.





● Ensure quality issues identified during production are addressed immediately.

● Coordinate with QA/QC teams on inline, midline, and final inspections.

● Monitor recurring production defects and take preventive measures.

● Ensure rework and rejection levels are minimized.

● Implement corrective actions related to production processes.

● Ensure production teams follow approved quality standards and specifications.

6. Fabric, Trims & Material Coordination

● Coordinate with Stores, Sourcing, Merchandising, and Procurement teams regarding the availability of fabrics, trims, labels, accessories, and other production materials.

● Ensure required materials are available before production starts.

● Monitor material consumption and minimize wastage.

● Identify material shortages or quality issues that may affect production timelines.

● Coordinate with relevant teams to resolve material-related production delays.

● Ensure proper handling and storage of production materials.

7. Vendor & Supplier Management

● Manage and coordinate with external garment manufacturers and production vendors.

● Allocate production orders based on vendor capacity, capability, quality, and delivery performance.

● Communicate production specifications, quantities, quality expectations, and delivery timelines to vendors.

● Monitor vendor production progress regularly.

● Conduct vendor performance reviews based on quality, delivery, capacity, productivity, and responsiveness.

● Identify underperforming vendors and implement improvement plans.

● Develop and maintain strong working relationships with key production partners.

8. Production Cost & Efficiency

● Monitor production costs and ensure manufacturing activities remain within approved budgets.

● Identify opportunities to reduce production costs without compromising product quality.

● Monitor fabric and material wastage.

● Improve manpower utilization and production efficiency.

● Analyse production productivity and identify areas for cost and time optimization.

● Support management in evaluating production capacity, vendor costing, and manufacturing feasibility.

9. Production Reporting & Documentation

● Maintain accurate production records and documentation.

● Prepare and monitor:

○ Daily production reports

○ Production planning sheets

○ Production achievement reports

○ Pending production reports

○ Vendor production reports

○ Manpower productivity reports

○ Rework and rejection reports

○ Material consumption reports

○ Production delay reports

● Provide regular production updates to management.

● Highlight production risks, delays, capacity constraints, and quality concerns.

● Maintain production MIS and performance dashboards where required.

10. Cross-Functional Coordination

● Coordinate closely with Design, Merchandising, Sourcing, QA/QC, Warehouse, Procurement, Finance, and Management.

● Work with Merchandising teams to understand order requirements and delivery timelines.





● Coordinate with Design and Technical teams regarding construction and production feasibility.

● Work with QA/QC teams to resolve quality concerns.

● Coordinate with Warehouse and Logistics teams to ensure timely movement and dispatch of finished goods.

● Ensure clear communication between all teams involved in the production cycle.

11. Production Process Improvement

● Identify production inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and recurring operational issues.

● Develop and implement process improvement initiatives.

● Improve production planning, workflow, manpower utilization, and productivity.

● Introduce systems and processes to improve production tracking and visibility.

● Reduce production lead time, rework, wastage, and delays.

● Continuously improve production processes in line with business growth and retail requirements.

12. Compliance, Safety & Workplace Standards

● Ensure production activities are carried out in accordance with company policies and workplace safety standards.

● Ensure production teams follow appropriate safety procedures.

● Monitor housekeeping and workplace discipline within production areas.

● Ensure machinery and equipment are used appropriately and safely.

● Escalate any major safety, compliance, or operational risks to management immediately.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The performance of the Production Manager will be measured through:

● Achievement of planned production targets

● On-time production and delivery percentage

● Production efficiency and productivity

● Reduction in production delays and bottlenecks

● Reduction in rework and rejection percentage

● Reduction in material and fabric wastage

● Production cost adherence

● Manpower productivity and utilization

● Vendor production performance

● Quality compliance across production stages

● Effective resolution of production issues

● Accuracy and timeliness of production reports

● Reduction in production lead time

● Successful implementation of process improvement initiatives

Required Qualifications

● Bachelor's degree / Diploma in Apparel, Garment Technology, Textile Technology, Fashion Technology, Production Management, or a related field.

● 6–10 years of experience in garment production, apparel manufacturing, fashion, or retail production.

● Strong hands-on experience in garment manufacturing and production management.

● Good knowledge of garment construction and production processes.

● Experience managing production teams and external manufacturing vendors.

● Strong knowledge of production planning and capacity management.

● Experience in handling bulk garment production from sampling to final dispatch.

● Strong understanding of garment quality requirements.

● Good knowledge of production costing, material utilization, and wastage control.

● Strong reporting and analytical skills.

● Good knowledge of MS Excel and production tracking systems.

Preferred Skills

● Garment production planning

● Apparel manufacturing

● Production scheduling

● Capacity planning

● Vendor management

● Manpower management

● Garment construction

● Fabric and trims knowledge

● Production quality management

● Cost and wastage control

● Production MIS and reporting

● Root Cause Analysis

● Process improvement

● Team leadership

● Cross-functional coordination

● Robust negotiation and communication skills Ideal Candidate Profile.

📌 Production Manager (Chennai)
🏢 RethinkPassion
📍 Chennai