Partner with the Product Development (PD) and Technical Manager to support Pre-Production Sample approval, ensuring product integrity.
Conduct risk assessments and evaluate end product tests to provide necessary technical support or escalate issues when product aesthetics may be affected.
Participate in meetings (e.g., DCT, Pilot Meetings) with business partners to ensure proactive risk assessment and mitigation.
Production Stage:
Support technical execution during the production stage and troubleshoot any technical issues that arise.
Quality Assurance Stage:
Implement a globally aligned process to validate that vendors and factories operate efficiently, safely, and ethically, producing high-quality products.
Provide a proactive and strategic approach to Quality Assurance, ensuring standardized focus across divisions and countries of production, while meeting brand standards and tolerances in mass production.
Evaluate factories to ensure capability in product production, understanding production machinery adjustments and functionality to ensure correct usage.
Identify pitfalls in factory layout, manufacturing processes, and quality management, liaising with vendors/factories to enhance product quality and daily productivity.
Communicate with business partners when specialized machinery is needed for mass production, identified during the prototype and cost engineering processes.
Escalate technical issues to business partners to ensure proactive resolution without compromising quality or impacting delivery dates.
Oversee ongoing production line findings, articulating insights and recommendations to cross-functional teams, DGO, and vendors.
Maintain knowledge of competitor benchmarking and industry standards to facilitate improvements and protect the brand.
Collaborate with management and team members to identify training needs, developing or modifying training programs for the internal team, and supporting VQP/VQA training and certification processes.
Actively coach and mentor vendor QA teams to ensure strong business relationships and adherence to the code of conduct.
Work with the QA team to communicate and validate quality requirements, QA policies, and procedures to new factories, ensuring compliance with company standards.
Requirements:
At least 10 years of experience in footwear manufacturing operations, quality assurance, and product development.
Substantial knowledge of testing protocols, product integrity, production cycle timelines, raw materials, product construction, and quality assurance processes for luxury, bridge, and moderate brands in footwear and accessories.
Familiarity with production processes and best practices.
Experience working with vendors in Asia.
Background with high-end brands is desirable.
Ability to communicate effectively across multicultural environments and varying experience levels, both internally and externally.
Strong influencing skills that inspire trust and confidence, earning respect from peers and executives.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
A strong reputation for professional integrity, seasoned business judgment, and objectivity.
