Production Lead

Our client is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Production Lead to oversee factory relationships, logistics, product quality, and fulfillment. This role ensures smooth operations from order placement to final delivery, working closely with sales, finance, and production teams. The Production Lead will play a key role in maintaining quality, efficiency, and competitive advantage in our supply chain. This position reports to the CFO with additional reporting to ownership.

Key Responsibilities

Oversee factory relationships, ensuring effective communication, performance, and compliance with company standards.

Manage freight strategies, including ocean and air freight selection, pricing agreements, tariff mitigation, and problem resolution.

Review and approve order placements for cost efficiency, factory utilization, and vendor competitiveness.

Lead case resolution for any product quality or shipping issues from factory to customer delivery.

Partner with Account Executives and the Production Coordinator to review projects, recommend techniques, and support sales strategies.

Manage product testing, safety audits, compliance documentation, and reporting systems.

Conduct production risk assessments for new items, large orders, and non-core factories.

Maintain master production documents, cost lists, and historical records to ensure accuracy and accessibility.

Research and qualify new factory partners to maintain competitiveness and innovation.

Analyze competitors and track industry activity to support strategy and sourcing decisions.

Drive process improvements by identifying and addressing delays, errors, and operational bottlenecks.

Provide back-up support to the Production Coordinator, Communications, and Shipping teams as needed.

Qualifications

3+ years of experience in production, supply chain, logistics, or related operations.

Strong understanding of international freight, customs clearance, and vendor negotiations.

Proven ability to manage factory or vendor relationships with attention to cost, quality, and timelines.

Experience with compliance documentation, safety audits, and quality control.

Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.

Excellent problem-solving, negotiation, and communication skills.

Proficiency in CRM systems and MS Office (Excel, Outlook, Word).

Experience with competitive analysis tools (e.g., Pangeeva) is a plus.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans

The Know Your Rights poster is available here:
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf

The pay transparency policy is available here:
https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/pdf/pay-transp_%20English_formattedESQA508c.pdf

For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.

AppleOne participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program.
https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf

We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.