Production Manager
Contemporary Fashion Brand
Now Hiring in Melbourne
The Brand |
This Australian contemporary fashion brand has quickly established itself as one of the country’s most exciting emerging names, building a highly engaged community and distinctive aesthetic that has resonated both locally and internationally.
With a strong digital presence, growing retail footprint and ambitious plans for continued expansion, the business is entering an exciting next phase. As the brand continues to scale, we are now searching for an experienced Production Manager to join its Melbourne-based team and take genuine ownership of the production function.
The Role |
This is a hands-on, commercially focused Production Manager role with full ownership of the critical path, overseeing the journey from design handover through sampling, fit approval, bulk production and final delivery.
More than simply tracking dates, you will understand the dependencies across the production calendar - anticipating where delays may have a downstream impact, proactively re-sequencing priorities and working with internal teams and suppliers to keep product on track.
You will be equally confident in the factory as you are working cross-functionally with Design, Merchandise and Technical teams, bringing the technical knowledge and commercial judgement required to make informed production decisions.
You will:
Take full ownership and accountability for the critical path, proactively managing all handover points from development through to delivery
Anticipate production risks and understand where delays may cascade across the calendar, implementing solutions before they impact delivery
Manage end-to-end production across multiple categories and offshore manufacturing partners
Build strong, commercially focused relationships with factories and suppliers, driving accountability across cost, capacity, quality and delivery
Negotiate product costs, lead times and production terms to support margin objectives
Assess, onboard and develop new manufacturing partners, including sourcing best-in-class suppliers to support the future needs of the brand
Manage and continually assess supplier performance, capability and capacity across the supplier base
Work closely with Design and Technical teams across garment construction, fit, pattern making, grading and tech packs to resolve issues directly and protect product integrity
Oversee sampling, pre-production approvals and bulk production, ensuring product is production-ready before orders progress
Maintain accurate product costings and identify opportunities to improve initial margin across categories
Manage production schedules and budgets, closely monitoring ex-factory and delivery timelines
Partner with freight and logistics providers across air and sea shipments to achieve efficient and cost-effective delivery
Communicate production risks, changes and solutions clearly across the wider business
Identify opportunities to improve production workflows, supplier performance and operational efficiencies
Mentor and support team members across production, logistics and supplier management
The Skillset |
We are looking for an accomplished fashion production professional who combines technical production expertise with commercial judgement and exceptional critical path management.
You will ideally bring:
6+ years’ experience across fashion production, ideally within contemporary, premium or designer womenswear
Demonstrated ownership of complex production critical paths — with the ability to anticipate risk rather than simply report delays
Extensive offshore production and factory management experience
Experience manufacturing across markets outside of China will be highly regarded, although is not essential
Proven ability to negotiate with factories across cost, capacity, quality and lead times
Experience sourcing, assessing and onboarding new manufacturing partners
Strong technical understanding of garment construction, pattern making, grading, fit and tech packs
The confidence to work directly between Design, Technical/QA and factories to solve production issues
Strong commercial understanding of product costing, margin and production efficiencies
Experience managing sampling, pre-production approvals and bulk production
Strong ERP and/or PLM systems capability alongside excellent Excel skills
A proactive, highly organised approach with exceptional attention to detail
The ability to remain calm, decisive and solutions-focused within a fast-moving environment
The Offer |
You will be someone who naturally looks ahead — spotting potential production challenges early, understanding their broader impact and taking action to keep product moving.
This is an exciting opportunity to join an ambitious Australian fashion business at a defining stage of growth and have genuine influence across its production strategy, supplier network, margins and operational capability.
There is an excellent salary offering reflective of a hands-on seasoned production profile, wardrobe allowance, and work from home flexibility – this is a rare opportunity to work with the brand of the moment!
Apply with Ange |
If this sounds like you, reach out to Ange for a confidential chat.
ange@thetalentmill.com.au
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.