Consultant, QA - Manager, QA

Centric Brands is a leading lifestyle brand collective specializing in designing, sourcing, marketing, and selling high-quality products across multiple segments, including women’s, men’s, and children’s apparel, accessories, entertainment, and beauty. The company thrives on innovation, creativity, and analytical thinking to seize new opportunities and drive future growth. Centric Brands values respect for individuals and the hard work required to achieve shared goals and build a successful future together.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and oversee inspection activities to ensure consistent production quality, adequate order quantities, and timely delivery. Demonstrate strong leadership, communication, transparency, and teamwork skills while providing quick and effective problem-solving and decision-making. Take full ownership of all implemented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and ensure their effective application at the factory level. Regularly report quality performance to senior management and escalate critical issues as needed. Uphold ethical standards and customer codes of conduct, including compliance, sustainability, and worker safety, while driving cost-saving initiatives.

Provide training on new techniques, SOPs, and continuous improvement initiatives such as Kaizen and Lean methodologies. Cascade Centric SOP training across all factory levels and enforce disciplinary measures for violations. Organize regular QA staff training, knowledge-sharing sessions like Defect Library reviews, and Quality Month presentations.

Conduct style-specific risk assessments during the development stage and highlight critical points before fit samples. Ensure strict adherence to SOPs in inspections, packaging, storage, and QA reporting. Prevent garment defects by identifying system, human, or machine errors, linking them to error codes, and implementing corrective solutions. Maintain all brand files, technical documents, and audit records in organized folders.

Perform technical audits and provide corrective action plans (CAP). Enforce zero tolerance on children’s product safety, including needle policies, trims, and metal detection. Monitor safety protocols for children’s products, prints, embroidery, and embellishments. Oversee product safety recordkeeping and compliance. Manage long-storage goods to prevent risks such as mold or color migration, ensuring secure storage and pre-inspection before QA review.

Coordinate and guide factory Brand Tech Managers and Non-FCQA teams to strengthen SOP adherence, reporting, and monitoring. Organize inspection bookings for upcoming weeks covering PPM, Pilot, Inline, Pre-final, and Final stages. Ensure packaging best practices are followed, including size-wise procedures, approval samples, trim boards, and process displays. Supervise CAP development and follow-up on implementation. Integrate TNA-driven quality checks into production schedules.

Serve as the primary contact with Centric and buyer QA teams to align quality expectations. Guide customer auditors, demonstrate SOP compliance, and address concerns. Maintain audit readiness for customer, third-party, and internal audits. Prepare CAPs following audit findings and share updates with top management. Ensure factories meet Centric evaluation metrics such as KPIs and SOP points.

Develop and implement product quality standards according to buyer and international norms. Review and approve all sample stages, including development, proto, fit, and pre-production. Conduct pre-production meetings to ensure clear understanding of technical and quality parameters. Verify inline and final inspections, authorizing shipment release only after compliance. Ensure completion and documentation of all testing, including lab, chemical, physical, and Restricted Substances List (RSL) tests. Review technical files such as tech packs, BOMs, and sewing instructions for accuracy.

Analyze recurring defects and maintain defect trend reports with preventive actions. Maintain KPIs for QA performance and factory evaluation. Organize organizational charts, job descriptions, and responsibilities for all QA-related roles. Implement continuous improvement programs such as Kaizen, Lean, and Root Cause Analysis (RCA).

Required Qualifications

- 10-15 years of experience in the garment industry with strong technical expertise in apparel.
- In-depth knowledge of inspection processes and requirements.
- Comprehensive understanding of garment construction, fabrication, trims, print techniques, washing technology, and children’s safety requirements.
- Familiarity with garment manufacturing processes and quality control systems in factories.
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Proficiency in written English for understanding documents and issuing reports.
- Basic computer skills with the ability to use Microsoft Office, Excel, and Outlook efficiently.

Preferred Qualifications and Additional Information

- Fluency in English and Urdu.
- Strong alignment with Centric’s core values: Innovative, Resourceful, Collaborative, and Respectful.
- Behavioral competencies including problem-solving, initiative, ownership, communication, and the ability to drive image improvement.
- Willingness to travel as required.
- Opportunity to engage with company initiatives such as Be Green, Be Giving, and Be Celebrated.

Centric Brands is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.