Fabric Production Manager
Now Hiring | Leading Custom-made Garment Supplier | Melbourne
The Brand |
Our client is an Australian superior quality fabric and custom- made garment supplier with a strong focus on school wear, sportswear and corporate wear. They are a fast growing business managing some of the largest suppliers to schools nationwide with a collaborative and cohesive team working across four local and overseas locations, with a focus on quality, efficiency, competitive pricing and impeccable customer service standards.
The Role |
The Fabric Production Manager is responsible for the end-to-end planning, ordering, movement, and availability of fabric across the supply chain-ensuring production teams have the right fabric, at the right time, to specification, with accurate costs and clear visibility. This role is hands-on - includes operational coordination work such as booking freight, chasing freight forwarders and overseas stakeholders, supporting quarterly stock valuation activities, and maintaining costing inputs in the master system. Over time, the role will also contribute to improving process discipline and system visibility.
Manage day-to-day fabric procurement requirements in line with production needs.
Coordinate fabric sampling and ordering as requested by production/apparel managers.
Place fabric orders accurately (specification, colour, quantity, lead time, MOQ) and track progress to delivery.
Maintain relationships with existing suppliers; assist with evaluating and onboarding new suppliers where required.
Support negotiations on price, MOQ, lead time, and terms in conjunction with offshore teams and local management. Coordinate fabric requirements against production schedules to ensure availability supports committed delivery dates.
Identify risks early (lead times, MOQ constraints, supplier delays) and escalate with proposed options.
Work closely with production stakeholders to align fabric and garment timelines.
Coordinate with offshore teams and suppliers to ensure fabrics meet specification prior to garment production (e.g., colour match, quality/hand-feel, weight, colourfastness, shrinkage).
Support resolution of quality issues with suppliers (replacement, credits, corrective actions) and maintain visibility of recurring issues.
Book freight and manage shipping arrangements with freight forwarders, including container planning, shipment scheduling, and documentation follow-up.
Manage customs documentation and import process coordination (working with forwarders/brokers as applicable).
Monitor shipment timelines, container bookings, and tracking to ensure on-time delivery.
Proactively chase freight forwarders and offshore stakeholders to resolve missing paperwork, delays, and exceptions.
Escalate risks such as port delays and supply chain disruptions with clear options (air/sea trade-offs, split shipments, revised ETAs).
The Skillset |
Experience in apparel/textile supply chain, procurement, production coordination, or similar operations roles.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple moving parts, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
Comfortable with hands-on admin and follow-up (booking freight, chasing, documentation control, data entry).
Strong Excel capability; high data accuracy and reconciliation discipline.
Strong communication skills with external partners and offshore teams.
A high-accountability working style: documents work, escalates early, closes loops.
International freight and import coordination (forwarders, customs docs, sea/air shipments).
Familiarity with fabric types and basic performance requirements relevant to apparel.
Exposure to workflow tools (Airtable, ERP/MRP, production tracking systems).
The Offer |
Strong salary offering.
Successful, stable family business that is incredibly established.
Parking onsite – Mount Waverley offices.
The Talent Mill Recruitment division is a bespoke consultancy and talent acquisition specialist within the fashion, lifestyle and retail industries. With more than 10 years specialist expertise with luxury, lifestyle & fashion brands globally we discover, recognize, and connect inspiring individuals to the most desirable brands as a trusted support to founder-led start-ups, SME’s and multinational corporations within the fashion & retail industry.
Recruitment – but make it ethical not transactional. Quality over quantity – always. Truly consultative and delivered at pace. We hold a genuine passion and expertise for the industries we support, and offer a unique and modern recruitment proposition – one where we develop long term, meaningful connections, add value and deliver an unforgettable service.