Production Manager - Off-Price Accessories

About Us

American Exchange Group is an industry leader in fashion accessory products and brand management. By facilitating distribution to major retailers internationally for their globally recognized brands, custom private label brands, and exclusive licensed brands—including footwear, tech wearables, watches, jewelry, handbags, fashion accessories, home, and beauty—American Exchange Group raises the bar by disrupting the status quo with value and quality, while staying at the forefront of trends.

Joining American Exchange Group means being part of a dynamic and diverse team where your contributions drive real impact—and where there’s always room to grow. 

Visit our website at www.axnygroup.com

This role is Mon - Thurs at our NYC Headquarters, Friday remote

Position Summary

The Production Manager will oversee the end-to-end production process for fashion accessories, from initial style setup and order placement through sample approvals, bulk production, packaging, and shipment.

This role will manage production across multiple accessories and packaging vendors while leading a team of four remote employees based overseas. The manager will assign work, monitor performance, maintain clear communication across time zones, and ensure that all production milestones are completed accurately and on schedule.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and experienced in accessories production, sourcing, vendor management, costing, packaging, and international manufacturing in the Off-Price world. 

Key Responsibilities

Accessories Production Management

• Manage the complete production lifecycle for fashion accessories, jewelry, and gift sets.
• Review confirmed orders, margin sheets, vendor proforma invoices, and product specifications before production orders are entered into the system.
• Verify style numbers, descriptions, quantities, vendors, first and landed costs, packaging costs, wholesale pricing, margins, brand and royalty requirements, factory-ready dates, carton dimensions, and packing requirements.
• Identify missing or conflicting information and work with Sourcing, Sales, Design, and other internal teams to resolve issues before order placement.
• Create, organize, and maintain production orders and purchase orders by accessories vendor, packaging vendor, and finished-goods configuration.

Team Management

• Directly manage a team of four remote overseas employees supporting accessories production and vendor coordination.
• Assign daily and weekly responsibilities based on production priorities, order deadlines, and vendor workload.
• Conduct regular virtual team meetings and individual check-ins across time zones.
• Review production tracking, factory follow-ups, sample updates, purchase order details, and shipment information for accuracy.
• Establish clear expectations, deadlines, escalation procedures, and accountability standards.
• Train and develop team members on company procedures, accessories terminology, packaging requirements, production systems, and customer compliance standards.
• Monitor workload and redistribute assignments when necessary to prevent production delays.
• Maintain consistent communication between the overseas team and the New York office.
• Provide management with regular updates regarding team performance, production risks, and staffing needs.

Sample Tracking and Approvals

• Manage the tracking and approval process for development, pre-production, and top-of-production samples.
• Ensure samples are reviewed against approved specifications, materials, plating, stones, colors, measurements, branding, packaging, and workmanship requirements.
• Coordinate sample comments and approvals between Design, Sourcing, Production, Quality Assurance, and vendors.
• Maintain organized records of approved samples and ensure factories produce bulk orders according to the latest approvals.
• Escalate quality, construction, appearance, or compliance issues before they affect bulk production.
• Confirm TOP samples are reviewed against the approved pre-production standard before final shipment authorization.

Vendor and Factory Management

• Maintain regular communication with overseas accessories factories, packaging suppliers, and consolidating vendors throughout the order lifecycle.
• Ensure vendors acknowledge purchase orders and provide complete proforma invoices within the required timeframe.
• Follow up on production status, component availability, plating, stones, findings, packaging, testing, sample submissions, and ready dates.
• Monitor vendor performance related to quality, accuracy, communication, and on-time delivery.
• Coordinate bulk accessories, packaging, retail tickets, labels, EAS tags, and other components required to complete finished goods.
• Resolve vendor issues quickly and escalate material risks to management.

Production Tracking and Reporting

• Maintain accurate daily and weekly production tracking reports.
• Review work-in-progress reports to identify possible delays, missing approvals, incomplete packaging, testing issues, or shipment risks.
• Provide cross-functional updates to Sales, Sourcing, Design, Shipping, and senior management.
• Lead or participate in weekly production and WIP meetings.
• Communicate urgent issues immediately and provide a clear resolution plan with owners and target dates.
• Prepare monthly reports covering active orders, delayed inventory, delivery risks, and outstanding production issues.

Packaging and Customer Compliance

• Coordinate accessories packaging requirements, including cards, boxes, pouches, inserts, labels, hangtags, stickers, warranties, and retail tickets.
• Confirm packaging costs, suppliers, dimensions, and production timelines are included in the order setup.
• Ensure finished products meet brand, retailer, licensing, testing, labeling, and packing requirements.
• Work with Sales to obtain official customer purchase orders, retail ticket information, and packing instructions before final assembly or shipment.
• Review carton dimensions, case packs, inner packs, master packs, labeling, and customer-specific packing requirements before shipment.

Shipping Coordination

• Request and review packing lists before the factory-ready date.
• Coordinate with Shipping and Logistics to initiate bookings and confirm loading or handover dates.
• Ensure shipment details are correctly entered into the internal production system.
• Monitor FOB and domestic shipments through handoff and delivery.
• Confirm required documentation, routing instructions, packing information, and forwarder requirements are completed on time.
• Follow up with factories, consolidators, and logistics partners until the production handoff is fully completed.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of experience in jewelry or fashion accessories production, sourcing, product development, or a related field.
• Previous experience managing direct reports, preferably including employees working remotely or overseas.
• Strong knowledge of fashion accessories production, including base metals, brass, zinc alloy, stainless steel, stones, plating, findings, closures, assembly, and packaging.
• Experience working directly with overseas factories, particularly factories located in China.
• Strong understanding of purchase orders, proforma invoices, cost sheets, margin sheets, production calendars, WIP reports, packing lists, and shipment documentation.
• Ability to review detailed product, costing, packaging, and order information with a high degree of accuracy.
• Strong leadership, delegation, follow-up, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple retailers, brands, factories, and delivery schedules simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Teams, and production or ERP systems.
• Experience with A2000 or a comparable apparel and accessories production system is preferred.
• Ability to work outside standard New York business hours when necessary to communicate with overseas employees and vendors.

Key Performance Indicators

• On-time production and shipment performance
• Accuracy of production orders and purchase orders
• Sample approval turnaround time
• Reduction in production errors and preventable delays
• Vendor responsiveness and compliance
• Accuracy of WIP and management reporting
• Packaging and customer compliance
• Timely escalation and resolution of production risks
• Productivity and accuracy of the four-person overseas team
• Clear communication between overseas operations and the New York office

What We Offer

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness Benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and supplemental insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company match
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays
• Half Day Fridays with shortened hours during both Summer and Winter seasons
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Tax-free commuter benefits
• Exclusive employee merchandise discounts

Salary: The anticipated base salary is $85k-$90k annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, internal equity, and location.

This position description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills or working conditions associated with this position. While this description is intended to accurately reflect the position's activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary. The compensation package is dependent on a number of factors, including, for example, experience, education, market data, and business needs.