Sewing Workroom Supervisor

Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne

J&M Sewing Service is a family business with a long-standing reputation for high-quality specialist sewing, textiles, embroidery, bespoke commissions and church furnishings. We are proud to be a Royal Warrant holder to King Charles III, and the quality of our work is extremely important to us. We are now looking for an experienced Sewing Workroom Supervisor to join our team and help lead the day-to-day running of our busy workroom.

About the Role:

This is a hands-on supervisory role for someone who knows sewing and production inside out and is confident managing a team. You will be responsible for organising the workroom, allocating work, keeping production moving and making sure every finished piece meets the high standards expected by J&M Sewing. Most importantly, we are looking for someone with a strong personality and the confidence to manage and lead a team.

You will need to be approachable and supportive, but also willing to set expectations, challenge poor standards and have difficult conversations when needed. You will also need exceptional attention to detail. With a wide range of products and variations to remember, a good memory and strong organisational skills are essential. Take responsibility for the day-to-day running, organisation and smooth operation of the sewing workroom.

Plan and allocate work across the team based on individual skills, workload, priorities and deadlines. Make sure the team clearly understands what is required and monitor progress throughout the day. Manage changing priorities and ensure work moves efficiently through cutting, sewing, finishing and quality checking. Identify production issues, delays or mistakes early and take action to prevent deadlines being affected.

Lead and manage the workroom team, setting clear expectations around quality, productivity, attendance and timekeeping. Support new and existing employees through training, guidance and constructive feedback, identifying where further support is needed. Be confident addressing day-to-day issues and managing difficult conversations where required. Carry out quality checks throughout production and before finished work leaves the workroom, ensuring measurements, cutting, stitching, construction and finishing meet the required standard.

Identify work that does not meet the required standard and make sure it is corrected properly, while helping to reduce mistakes, rework and material waste. Be hands-on and step into production when required, including cutting, machine sewing, hand sewing and finishing. Use your practical knowledge to identify and resolve sewing, cutting and construction problems and help the team improve their techniques.

Make sure fabrics and materials are handled and stored correctly, with cutting planned carefully to minimise waste. Ensure machinery, tools and equipment are used correctly and any faults, damage or concerns are reported promptly. Maintain a workroom that is organised, tidy and safe, promoting good working practices across the team. Work closely with Operations to understand orders, priorities, capacity and deadlines, and raise concerns where additional support or resources may be needed.

Keep Senior Management updated on workload, capacity, delays, production issues or other concerns affecting the workroom. Strong practical sewing and cutting experience

Experience with machine sewing and hand sewing Experience in quality control and checking finished work A very high, almost obsessive, attention to detail Previous experience supervising or managing a team The confidence and personality to lead a team and maintain standards A good memory and the ability to understand and remember different products, specifications and variations Good knowledge of fabrics, patterns, measurements and garment/textile construction Good organisation and the ability to manage changing priorities and deadlines A practical, hands-on approach and the confidence to solve problems Comfortable using technology and happy to learn new systems and software

Desirable Experience Experience working with ceremonial wear would be highly desirable, particularly experience within military clothing or bespoke tailoring. This is not essential but would be a great advantage. This is an opportunity to join an established family business where the quality of the work really matters. You will play an important part in keeping the workroom organised, supporting the team and making sure the high standards J&M Sewing is known for…