Trim Manager

Overview:

The Trim Manager owns trim development for assigned product categories (which may include RTW Tailoring, VBJ Jeans Cut & Sew, and VBJ Denim) and supports the execution of production trim purchasing and order management. The role manages the end-to-end trim lifecycle—from seasonal concept launch, supplier development, costing, sampling, testing, and approval through purchase order placement, shipment tracking, receipt reconciliation, and production issue resolution.

This position maintains day-to-day supplier relationships, negotiates costs and lead times, monitors calendar milestones, and collaborates with Design, Product Development, Production, factories, and other cross-functional partners to deliver quality trims on time and within cost targets. Strategic, cross-category, and high-impact decisions are escalated to the Senior Manager.

• Own seasonal trim development for assigned categories, launching brand concepts with suppliers and managing development through bulk approval and production handoff.
• Manage day-to-day supplier relationships, including cost, lead time, MOQ, tooling, capacity, quality, and performance follow-up; upscale strategic or material commercial decisions to the Senior Trim Manager.
• Manage molds and tooling, prototypes, SMS samples, lab dips, testing, pre-production approvals, revisions, and final bulk approval across overlapping seasons.
• Issue and track trim, label, and packaging purchase orders, including blanket production orders, ensuring pricing, quantities, lead times, and delivery dates align with the production calendar and company needs.
• Track domestic and overseas trim shipments, proactively follow up on open orders, update WIP reports, communicate delivery status, and elevate risks with chase and recovery plans.
• Communicate incoming domestic shipments to cross-functional teams and factories; reconcile received quantities against purchase orders and packing lists and resolve discrepancies with suppliers and vendors.
• Validate supplier shipping and customs documentation for accuracy and communicate compliance requirements and requests for certifications or vendor records.
• Receive, review, and approve bulk production trims to ensure alignment with brand quality standards, specifications, packaging, labeling, testing, and care requirements.
• Partner with design and product development on trim direction, feasibility, cost engineering, supplier options, and timely availability of pre-production trims for sampling.
• Identify and resolve trim quality, compliance, receiving, and production issues, including plating deviations, strength or testing failures, application challenges, defects, and documentation concerns.
• Review and validate BOMs, Trim Detail Sheets, care-related test results, and other development and production records to ensure complete and accurate trim information.
• Maintain seasonal trim WIP reports, cost and order records, shipment documentation, trim libraries, sample boards, and trim kits for meetings, presentations, audits, and special projects.
• Conduct regular inventory audits and seasonal clean-ups with domestic factories to support inventory accuracy and component accessibility.
• Support sourcing strategy initiatives led by the Senior Trim Manager, including supplier evaluations, new supplier onboarding, dual sourcing, tariff and country-of-origin strategy, and process improvement.
• Contribute to SOPs and process documentation and provide clear, timely communication across design, product development, production, factories, and suppliers.

• 5-7 years of trim, raw materials, product development, or production experience in apparel, with independent category, supplier, or order-management responsibility.
• Experience…