Job Title: Director of Production, Footwear
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Vice-President Production & Sourcing, the Director of Production will lead key strategic initiatives to deliver high quality products on time. This role oversees the entire production process, including capacity planning, cost negotiations, achieving GM targets, production order submits, on-time delivery and other tasks as requested.
The Director will lead the Production team in our NYO and work closely with cross-functional counterparts locally as well as our China-based team and Far East suppliers. A successful candidate will ensure that Speed and Service are top priorities to help grow the capabilities of our current processes, systems, and calendars to meet the needs of continuous operational improvement for Ground Up International partners in China and future OEMs.
About Ground Up:
Ground Up is a premier footwear manufacturer retaining an integrated portfolio of licensed and owned brands and has grown to be a leading supplier. The company’s unique capability to design and translate fashion trends offers a fresh perspective on licensed footwear.Ground Up was created with the vision of fulfilling the need for fun, innovative products for the true brand enthusiast. As our product entered the market, we found consumers wanting to express themselves and their fandom in new, creative ways. Consumers connect with us through our brand partnerships, giving them brands they love with a brand they now trust. Ground Up has become a recognizable brand for the whole family that stands for elevated fashion and fun.
We aspire to have our teams embody our core values of:
- Service
- People
- Teamwork
- Opportunity
- Results
- Innovation
- Trust
Key Responsibilities:
Team Leadership
- Lead the Production team through proactive and consistent communication
- Report on prioritization, execution and escalation of teams’ progress against KPI’s and initiatives
- Provide feedback to drive accountability, effectiveness, and development of direct reports
- Build, manage and foster a team that strives for excellence, maintains a ‘solutions minded’ mindset and is hungry for growth
Production Planning and Execution
- Lead the NY-based Production team in daily communication with GUI China office, Suppliers, Design / Product Development, Sales, and Operations
- Drive a robust, detailed product costing process across all footwear categories
- Lead team in all supplier cost negotiations to achieve target margin / trade channel goals
- Oversee production order process, from p.o. submit to departure date, ensuring an on-time delivery of goods.
- Develop and maintain high-level relationships with suppliers and manufacturers, striving for continuous improvement and problem solving.
Quality
- Identify and mitigate potential risks in the production process
- Working with NYO Vice-President of Production and DGO Director of Production, implement and enforce quality control/testing standards in accordance with GUI standards
- Develop contingency plans to address unforeseen challenges in the supply chain
- Ensure that production processes are scalable to accommodate new product lines
- Foster an awareness of the competitive landscape and our product positioning within it
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Product Design, PD, Sales and Operations Teams to ensure all deliverables are met to deliver product on time
- Collaborate with Design and Product Development teams for seamless introduction of new products
- Understand cross functional business needs and deliverables to keep all teams informed of deliveries and/or changes
You Are
- Able to present and skillfully negotiate to gain the support and commitment of others
- Able to demonstrate enthusiasm and inspire as a change agent with a passion for results
- Able to influence decision making up, down, and across the organization
- Excited to manage data sets, to synthesize insights, recommend actions, and develop presentations to facilitate communication with stakeholders
- Comfortable navigating a fast-paced environment with limited direction
- A leader by example, coaching team members by sharing knowledge and experiences and acting as a role model
- Able to effectively balance priorities and manage multiple time-sensitive projects at once
Qualifications
- BA / BS degree; in related field
- Minimum 10 years in footwear production, sourcing and/or product development
- Strong technical understanding of footwear constructions, lasts, materials, components, and the latest production techniques and applications
- Advanced understanding of PLM/ERP system functionality
- Experience making meaningful contributions to strategic and operational decisions
- A commitment to identifying department patterns/trends and building optimal department policies and processes
- Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills
- Confidence reporting to the Executive team, Production and Design leadership, and other stakeholders on the progress of ongoing programs and operational KPI’s
- Ability to travel internationally 3-4x per year
Ground Up International is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.