Director of Garment Decoration

*****This is an onsite position in Chesterfield, MI **** Relocation assistance provided.

The Director of Garment Decoration provides strategic and operational leadership for Stahls’ Fulfill Engine 1, including embroidery, direct-to-film (DTF), direct-to-garment (DTG), UV DTF, heat transfer, and laser cutting/engraving. This role is accountable for building a best-in-class operation that delivers on growth, innovation, quality, and profitability.

The Director will oversee production performance, workforce development, technology investments, and alignment with commercial objectives, ensuring the decoration business scales effectively to meet customer demands and market expansion goals.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the strategic plan for the garment decoration division, aligned with organizational growth objectives.
• Define long-term capacity and technology roadmap (equipment, staffing, automation, facility expansion).
• Partner with executive leadership to support diversification into new markets and product categories.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee all decoration operations across embroidery, DTF, DTG, UV DTF, heat transfer, and laser.
• Establish and monitor KPIs for throughput, quality, efficiency, and cost control.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to increase scalability, reduce cycle times, and minimize waste.
• Drive accountability through structured performance reviews, reporting, and data-driven decision making.

Financial & Commercial Accountability

• Manage departmental budgets, labor planning, and capital expenditures.
• Provide P&L input, focusing on margin improvement, cost recovery, and operational leverage.
• Collaborate with Sales to align production capacity with revenue growth and customer commitments.

Team & Culture Development

• Lead and develop a management structure of managers, team leaders, and operators across multiple shifts.
• Build a high-performance culture rooted in accountability, engagement, and continuous learning.
• Partner with HR on recruitment, retention, and career pathing to support workforce scaling.

Innovation & Market Leadership

• Stay ahead of industry trends, technologies, and best practices in garment decoration.
• Evaluate and introduce new processes, techniques, and materials to strengthen VCF’s competitive edge.
• Represent the decoration division in trade shows, vendor partnerships, and customer-facing demonstrations.

Compliance & Safety

• Ensure strict adherence to safety standards, OSHA compliance, and company policies.
• Drive a safety-first culture with proactive training, audits, and risk mitigation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations, Business, or related field (preferred).
• 7–10 years of progressive leadership experience in garment decoration required.
• Demonstrated success leading operations of 30 employees in a fast-paced, multi-technology environment.
• Financial acumen with experience managing budgets and contributing to P&L performance.
• Proven track record in scaling operations, implementing automation, and driving continuous improvement.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and strategic problem-solving skills.