Job Description
Job Title: Production Manager, Apparel & Activewear
Location: Toronto, ON (Hybrid)
Reports To: Design Director
About the Role
437 is looking for a Production Manager to lead the execution of our seasonal product calendar and supply chain. This role is the backbone between Design and the global vendor base, ensuring our collections come to life on time, on quality, and within cost.
You will work closely with the Design Director to bring product from concept through to delivery, building strong vendor partnerships, sharpening our systems, and creating the kind of operational rhythm that allows great design to scale.
Responsibilities
- Lead the seasonal production calendar across all categories, partnering with internal teams to keep development and delivery in flow.
- Build and steward strong, long-term relationships with our overseas vendor partners. Quality, accountability, and clear communication sit at the heart of every partnership.
- Negotiate FOB and component costing against seasonal margin targets in collaboration with Design leadership.
- Own the master costing structure and pricing framework across categories.
- Drive day-to-day use and continuous evolution of our PLM platform.
- Manage purchase order issuance, tracking, and follow-through across the vendor base.
- Lead freight and logistics strategy across air and ocean, with thoughtful consideration of mode, timing, and seasonal mix.
- Partner with Operations on warehouse delivery and with our Wholesale team on account ship windows and compliance.
- Maintain inventory levels of all branding components (hangtags, packaging, and labels) on a nominated-supplier model.
- Visit factory partners on a structured cadence.
- Run quarterly vendor performance reviews against on-time delivery, quality, and cost.
Success Looks Like
- Collections deliver on time and within seasonal costing assumptions.
- Vendor partnerships are strong, accountable, and improving season over season.
- Costing is clear and traceable, with no surprises at landed cost.
- The production calendar holds, and the team trusts the dates.
- Wholesale partners receive product on time and in full compliance.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of apparel production management with direct overseas vendor experience.
- Demonstrated cost negotiation experience across FOB and components.
- PLM systems fluency (Centric, Backbone, Bamboo Rose, Tradebeyond, or equivalent), with experience as both administrator and a voice for continuous improvement.
- Strong costing, pricing, and purchase order management discipline.
- Wholesale compliance experience including routing guides, packaging and labeling requirements, and new account onboarding.
- Freight and logistics fluency across air, ocean, and truck.
- Vendor relationships across multiple geographies, with willingness to travel for factory visits on cadence.
- A natural systems-builder who brings structure to fast-moving work and is excited to evolve how we operate as we grow.
Why You’ll Love Working Here
- 4-day workweek year-round
- Education advancement fund to support your continued learning and growth
- Competitive benefits, with premiums covered by 437
- Exclusive 437 staff discounts and product perks
- RRSP matching program
To apply please send your resume to [email protected] by Wednesday, May 27th at 11:59PM. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED THROUGH LINKEDIN WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
