PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTION MANAGER

Miimi & Jiinda

Part-time | Flexible / Remote with Australian availability

Salary: A$105,000–A$120,000 + super (FTE), pro rata for part-time hours

ABOUT MIIMI & JIINDA

Miimi & Jiinda is an Indigenous Australian fashion and art house founded by Gumbaynggirr artist and designer Melissa Greenwood.

As the brand enters its next stage of growth across Australia and international markets, we are seeking an experienced Product Development & Production Manager to take end-to-end ownership of our Product Development and Production function.

This is a high-ownership role with significant autonomy. We are looking for someone with the experience and judgement to establish the right systems, maintain clear visibility and proactively drive Product and Production forward - from approved design concept through development, sampling, costing and approval to bulk production.

Some systems and processes will already be in place, but you must be capable of independently assessing whether they are working effectively and confident refining, rebuilding or replacing them where required.

THE ROLE

You will own the day-to-day Product Development and Production function across our Australian and international supplier network.

You will maintain a single source of truth across every style in development and production, giving the business clear visibility of status, outstanding requirements, approvals, risks, ownership, next actions and deadlines.

You will have the autonomy and accountability to proactively drive the function, using your experience and judgement to determine priorities, progress work and identify where leadership input or approval is required.

SYSTEMS, PROCESS & WORKFLOW ARCHITECTURE

You will inherit existing Product and Production systems, trackers and workflows, but these should not be treated as fixed. You will be expected to understand how the entire Product and Production architecture connects, assess whether it provides the visibility, control and efficiency the business needs, and continuously improve it as the brand evolves.

This includes the ability to:

audit existing Production systems, trackers, workflows and documentation;

identify duplication, gaps, inefficiencies and unnecessary manual processes;

determine whether information is being captured in the right place and at the right time;

recognise when an existing system is no longer working effectively;

design and implement improved solutions where required;

build new trackers, workflows, templates or processes where required;

simplify systems wherever possible without losing critical information;

ensure systems connect logically and create a reliable single source of truth;

establish clear ownership, deadlines, approval points and escalation pathways; and regularly review and improve the Product and Production architecture as the brand grows.

We are looking for someone with the experience, judgement and technical capability to assess what is working, recognise where improvements are needed, and confidently evolve the Product and Production architecture as the business grows.

The goal is to operate a Product and Production function that is efficient, scalable, transparent and dependable.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Product Development & Technical Documentation

Own the development process from approved design concept through to production-ready product, including seasonal style/SKU management, patternmaking, sampling, fittings and approvals.

Ensure every product has a complete, accurate and current tech pack that serves as the definitive Production source of truth, incorporating specifications,



construction and fit amendments, fabrics, trims/hardware, artwork and print placement, BOMs, approved patterns/colourways, sample approvals and final Production requirements.

Review garment construction, measurements, workmanship and technical execution, working directly with makers, patternmakers and factories to resolve issues and ensure styles are genuinely production-ready before bulk orders are placed.

Critical Path Ownership

Build, maintain and actively manage the master Product and Production critical path, covering:

Design → Tech Pack → Pattern → Fabric/Trim → Sample → Fit → Revision → Approval → Costing → PO → Bulk Production → QC → Freight → Delivery

Establish realistic deadlines, track milestones and dependencies, proactively follow up suppliers, identify bottlenecks and risks early, and implement recovery plans where timelines move off track.

Provide leadership with early visibility of risks that could materially impact launch, wholesale or delivery timelines, together with recommended actions where appropriate.

Supplier, Factory & Materials Management

Own communication and follow-through with Australian and offshore suppliers, factories, makers and patternmakers across sampling, quotations and negotiations, MOQs, fabrics/trims, capacity, lead times, approvals, production schedules, quality, freight and delivery.

Maintain strong supplier relationships while holding partners accountable to agreed quality, cost and timing, and identify potential material shortages or delays early enough for corrective action.

Costing & Commercial Awareness

Maintain accurate Product costing across fabric consumption, CMT/make cost, trims, sampling, freight/landed costs, supplier quotations, MOQs and production quantities.

Understand target margins and wholesale considerations, flag commercially unviable styles early and work with the team and suppliers to identify viable alternatives.

Quality Control

Establish and maintain clear quality standards across sampling and bulk production, including workmanship and measurement tolerances, fabric/colour and print approvals, construction/finishing, Production approvals and pre-shipment checks.

Quality issues should be documented, investigated and managed through to resolution.

Production Reporting

Maintain a simple but comprehensive Production dashboard giving leadership an immediate view of:

STYLE | SAMPLE/FIT | TECH PACK | COST/MARGIN | SUPPLIER | PRODUCTION | DELIVERY | RISK | NEXT ACTION | OWNER | DEADLINE

Lead a structured weekly Production review covering progress, deadlines, supplier issues, costing/margin concerns, quality, decisions required and critical risks.

Reporting should drive action and accountability, not simply record what has happened.

OWNERSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY

This is fundamental to the role.

We are looking for someone who naturally thinks:

“This is my function. I know where everything stands, I know what needs to happen next, and I will make sure it happens.”

You will be expected to:

work autonomously;

establish systems where systems are missing;

improve inefficient processes;

follow through without repeated prompting;

close loops and document decisions;

communicate clearly and anticipate problems;





present solutions rather than simply identify problems;

escalate important decisions promptly; and maintain continuity if you are unavailable.

You will take proactive ownership of the Product Development and Production function, maintaining clear visibility, driving follow-through and resolving operational issues within your remit. Leadership should be engaged at the appropriate decision points, with clear context and recommendations where input or approval is required.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

We are looking for someone with substantial hands-on experience in fashion Product Development and garment Production within premium, designer or luxury apparel environments.

Ideally, you will have:

5+ years' relevant Product Development or Production experience, with demonstrated ownership of collections from development through bulk production;

experience working with premium, designer or luxury apparel, where fabrication, fit, construction, finishing and product quality are critical to the end product;

strong technical garment, fit, construction, pattern and tech-pack/specification knowledge;

experience managing Australian and offshore factories, suppliers, fabrics and trims;

strong costing, margin, MOQ and commercial awareness;

proven critical-path and Production management capability;

demonstrated experience independently assessing, establishing and improving Product/Production systems and workflows - including determining what should be retained, simplified, improved or rebuilt;

strong Excel/Google Sheets or Production-tracking capability, attention to detail and supplier communication.

Experience with silk, tailoring, natural fibres, small production runs and international wholesale would be highly regarded.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

Within the first 30-60 days, we expect the successful candidate to have:

Assessed the existing Product/Production function, identifying material gaps and validating, refining or rebuilding the master critical path, Product/style matrix and supporting systems where required.

Audited active styles and technical documentation, bringing tech packs, fit/specification information and sample/approval tracking towards production-ready standard.

Established reliable operational visibility across suppliers, materials, MOQs, lead times, costings, margins and QC requirements.

Identified current Production risks and established clear action plans, ownership and escalation pathways.

Established a disciplined Production reporting rhythm that gives leadership clear and timely visibility.

Demonstrated the ability to independently own, operate and continuously improve the Product Development and Production function.

THE PERSON

You are calm, exceptionally organised and highly accountable, with a natural ability to maintain oversight across multiple moving parts while keeping priorities clear.

You are proactive and forward-looking - maintaining visibility across product status and critical deadlines, anticipating risks and ensuring significant Product information is accurately documented and accessible.

You combine attention to detail with strong judgement and follow-through, creating structure around the development process without adding unnecessary complexity.

When challenges arise, you investigate the root cause, assess the available options and bring forward a considered recommendation, escalating where leadership input or approval is genuinely required.

We are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys bringing structure, discipline and clarity to the creative process, while protecting the quality and integrity of the Miimi & Jiinda product.

📌 Product developer & production Manager Fashion (Australia)
🏢 Miimi u0026 Jiinda
📍 Australia