What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sewing Factory Supervisor position at Zaman International?
Sewing Factory Supervisor
Job Description
Overview
Zaman International, Hope for Humanity is a 501 C(3) charitable organization that serves as a pre-eminent relief organization. Headquartered in Southeast Michigan, our team is dedicated to facilitating change and advancing the lives of women and children living in poverty by enabling them to meet essential needs common to all humankind. The mission of our Workforce Development Program is to empower women to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by providing skills and experiences needed to obtain and retain employment. Zaman accomplishes this through adult literacy, sewing and culinary training, and onsite employment opportunities. We seek a passionate Industrial Sewing Factory Supervisor to facilitate the manufacturing of apparel in our newly established state of the art Sewing Workshop.
Job Description
The primary role of the Industrial Sewing Factory Supervisor is to provide direction, instruction and guidance to the sewing production team. This position will be in charge of overseeing a group of sewing machine operators as well as communicating with contract partners to efficiently complete orders in a timely and efficient manner with highest regard to quality. A detail oriented person who can oversee all the daily production for a new start up sewing operation. This is a hands-on, in-person, working-supervisor job, not a desk job.
Responsibilities
Production Leadership: Act as Lead Sewer, overseeing all production aspects, maintaining workflow, and supervising a small group of sewing machine operators to ensure production goals are met.
Scheduling & Tracking: Review daily/weekly production orders to create efficient manufacturing schedules and develop methods for tracking incoming orders and delivery timelines.
Client & Internal Communication: Coordinate directly with customers and team members to communicate priorities, deadlines, and weekly production/scheduling updates.
Logistics & Inventory: Manage raw materials and inventory control; collaborate with the warehouse team to coordinate transportation and schedule pickup/delivery requirements.
Quality & Technical Execution: Perform rigorous quality control inspections, sew samples and first articles, and conduct minor sewing machine maintenance and troubleshooting.
Training & Instruction: Provide training and mentorship to operators, assist the Lead Industrial Sewing Instructor, and prepare apprentices to meet Department of Labor Industrial Sewing Apprenticeship competencies.
Risk Management: Keep management proactively informed of any operational risks, challenges, or issues.
Qualifications
Experience: Minimum five years of professional experience in the sewing industry, with prior supervisory experience in a manufacturing environment preferred.
Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in a sewn trades field (e.g., Fashion Design, Tailoring, or Apparel Product Development).
Technical Skills: Proficient in reading and executing technical packages (Tech Packs) and highly experienced in sample making.
Equipment Knowledge: Mechanically inclined with familiarity across a broad range of industrial sewing machines and the ability to troubleshoot and perform minor repairs.
Software Proficiency: Fully computer literate, with proficiency in Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Drive) and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) to manage production data and schedules.
Physical Requirements: Capable of lifting and moving fabric rolls throughout the production area.
Core Competencies: Detail-oriented, quality-minded, and capable of working independently with minimal supervision.
Additional Qualifications
Communication & Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills; ability to work collaboratively within a team and stay motivated independently.
Organization & Time Management: Strong organizational and multitasking abilities, with a proven track record of prioritizing tasks and working effectively under pressure in time-sensitive situations.
Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Highly detail-oriented, innovative problem solver who is adaptable to change and flexible with evolving daily production requirements.
Work Ethic & Attitude: Energetic, hard-working, and possesses a positive attitude with a strong willingness for continued professional learning.
Community & Cultural Awareness: Passion for working with culturally diverse and low-income populations; ability to act with awareness and sensitivity toward cultural and ethnic differences. Experience working with community-based organizations is a plus.