Operations Coordinator

Position OverviewWe are seeking a hands-on Operations Coordinator to manage the flow of materials and production for our leather goods and accessories line. This role is critical in bridging the gap between design and finished product. You will be responsible for sourcing high-quality hides and hardware, managing tannery lead times, and ensuring our cut-and-sew floor has exactly what it needs to meet production schedules.The ideal candidate understands that working with leather is an art and a science—requiring keen attention to yield, grading, and material variance.Key Responsibilities1. Material Sourcing & ProcurementRaw Material Purchasing: Manage the end-to-end purchasing for leather hides, textiles (linings, canvas), and hardware (zippers, rivets, buckles, snaps).Vendor Management: Negotiate pricing and minimum order quantities (MOQs) with tanneries, textile mills, and hardware suppliers.Sourcing New Materials: Actively research new vendors for specialty leathers (e.g., veg-tan, chrome-tan) or custom hardware finishes; request swatches and validate quality against design standards.Lead Time Management: Closely monitor tannery lead times (domestic and international) to ensure materials arrive in time for seasonal production runs.2. Production Planning & SchedulingProduction Calendar: Maintain the master schedule for the cutting and sewing floor, prioritizing runs based on material availability and order deadlines.BOM Accuracy: Assist in updating Bills of Materials (BOMs) and Tech Packs to ensure the correct hardware and leather inputs are listed for every SKU.Outsourced production: If applicable, coordinate the transfer of cut pieces or raw materials to external sewing contractors and track their return.3. Variance & Yield Analysis (Post-Production)Yield Review: Analyze leather utilization rates after cutting; investigate high waste percentages to determine if the issue was material quality (e.g., excessive scarring/branding on hides) or cutting ---------- ventory Reconciliation: Adjust inventory counts based on actual consumption vs. projected usage, accounting for natural material variance.Scrap Management: Determine the best use or disposal method for leather scrap and off-cuts.4. Logistics & FreightInbound Logistics: Coordinate the transport of heavy inputs (pallets of leather, rolls of canvas) via LTL/FTL; ensure proper handling instructions are communicated to prevent damage to delicate hides during transit.Outbound Distribution: Schedule freight pickups for finished bulk orders to wholesale accounts or distribution centers.Customs & Imports: Manage HTS codes and documentation for imported leathers or hardware to prevent customs delays.Qualifications & SkillsIndustry Experience: 2+ years in manufacturing, preferably in fashion, accessories, or furniture (cut & sew).Material Knowledge: Familiarity with leather grading, units of measure (square footage vs. linear yards), and hardware finishes is highly desired.Production Logic: Understanding of the cut-and-sew workflow (Die Cutting $\rightarrow$ Skiving $\rightarrow$ Splitting $\rightarrow$ Sewing $\rightarrow$ Finishing).Financial Acumen: Ability to calculate Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) considering fluctuating material costs and variable leather yields.Technical Skills:Proficiency in Excel (Pivot Tables for inventory tracking).Experience with apparel/manufacturing ERPs (e.g., BlueCherry, RLM, Zedonk, NetSuite) is a plus.