Production Manager

The Jilly Box is a purpose-led quarterly lifestyle subscription box and eCommerce platform. We are B Corp certified and one of Canada's 2026 Top Small and Medium Employers. Our mission is to create opportunities for women-owned and equity-deserving small businesses to grow and thrive, and for women and families to experience joy through products that matter.

We are seeking an experienced, values-driven Production Manager to join our Procurement team in a new role. This is an exciting opportunity to build and own our production function. You'll be the primary point of contact for our vendor partners across end-to-end production and the owner of bulk production quality, helping us raise the quality and consistency of every product we deliver to our customers.

The Opportunity

As our first dedicated Production Manager, you'll shape how we work with vendors from pre-production through to delivery. No two days are the same. You might lead vendor calls and negotiate landed costs in the morning, then troubleshoot a production issue, review QC reports or build a new vendor scorecard in the afternoon. You'll have the chance to put structure, standards and continuous improvement in place across our seasonal box assortment, add-ons and custom Market products.

Your Team & Who You'll Report To

You'll join a collaborative Procurement team that includes our VP of Procurement & Merchandising, Merchant Manager, Buying Manager, Technical Development Specialist and Office & Product Coordinator. You'll report to our VP, Procurement & Merchandising, and work closely with our Operations, Marketing and Creative teams.

Key Responsibilities

Vendor Management

• Lead day-to-day communication with vendor partners on quality, production and compliance, including vendor meetings and negotiating landed costs based on materials and cut/make
• Evaluate new vendor partners to ensure their production capabilities align with our values and quality standards
• Partner closely with the Merchant Manager to understand assortment intent and vendor capabilities
• Build and maintain strong, respected relationships with a values-led vendor base

Pre-Production & Production Oversight

• Oversee the creation of clear specification sheets and the approval of pre-production (PP) and TOP samples
• Manage production timing through ongoing vendor communication, making sure products are approvable by contract deadlines
• Monitor production runs for quality and timing, and escalate issues to the VP, Procurement & Merchandising as needed
• Partner with Logistics and Operations on delivery timelines and risk mitigation

Quality Assurance & Control

• Develop and implement industry-standard testing protocols and QC inspection processes
• Communicate and monitor product quality standards across all categories and with external vendors
• Own the recommendation and vendor communication to rectify QC issues, in partnership with our Technical Development Specialist
• Analyze returns, defects and customer feedback to find root causes and corrective actions

Manufacturing Management

• Oversee production workback schedules and present the seasonal workback calendar for approval
• Oversee the sample process, making sure samples arrive on schedule and resolving issues with vendors
• Implement, receive and evaluate vendor QC reports before products ship from factories
• Troubleshoot production issues and drive resolution in real time

Continuous Improvement

• Create and implement standardized workback schedules, development charts and vendor communication templates
• Build and oversee a vendor scorecard to support fact-based decisions
• Track and report on KPIs (defect rates, returns, vendor performance) and improve them year over year
• Optimize the development process and workback calendar to reduce avoidable quality costs and late deliveries

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead and develop our Technical Development Specialist
• Work closely with the Merchant Manager and Technical Development Specialist to align on product intent and execution, giving input on materials, construction and manufacturability

Ideal Candidate

• 5 to 8 years of experience in production, product development or sourcing, ideally in consumer products, home goods, apparel or retail
• Proven experience managing vendor relationships end to end, including overseas and domestic vendors, landed costing and negotiation
• Strong knowledge of quality assurance, testing protocols and production processes
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple products, vendors and deadlines across seasonal timelines
• A natural problem solver who stays calm and solution-focused when production issues arise
• Experience leading or mentoring others
• Passionate about values-led, sustainable sourcing and supporting women-owned and equity-deserving businesses
• Experience with Monday.com and an inventory management system is an asset

Compensation & Location

• Position: Permanent, full-time
• Preferred start date: January 2027
• Compensation: $82,000 – $92,000 annually, depending on experience
• Location: Okanagan-based; hybrid, with in-person time required for warehouse QC, fittings and studio shoots

We offer an inclusive benefits package that includes extended health and dental coverage, a flex Health/Lifestyle Spending Account, $1,000 mental health coverage, a Professional Development Benefit, a group RRSP with employer matching after 2 years of service, and gifted quarterly Jilly Boxes.

The Recruitment Process

• Initial screening with Kristy Calvert, Director, People & Culture
• First interview with Caroline Shaikewitz, VP, Procurement & Merchandising
• Case exercise
• Final interview with Julia Freeman, CEO
• Reference checks
• Background check

Anticipated start date: January 2027, depending on the needs of the candidate.

Pay: $82,000.00-$92,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company events
• Dental care
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Relocation assistance
• RRSP match
• Store discount
• Tuition reimbursement
• Work from home

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Kelowna, BC

Temporary Technical Development Specialist

The Jilly Box is a purpose-led quarterly lifestyle subscription box and eCommerce platform. We are B Corp certified and one of Canada's 2026 Top Small and Medium Employers. Our mission is to create opportunities for women-owned and equity-deserving small businesses to grow and thrive, and for women and families to experience joy through products that matter.

We are seeking a detail-oriented, hands-on Technical Development Specialist to cover a maternity leave on our Procurement team (20 months). This is a great opportunity to own quality control and product commercialization for a values-led brand, working with a curated mix of in-box, add-on and custom Market products from women-owned and equity-deserving businesses.

The Opportunity

As our Technical Development Specialist, you'll make sure every product meets our high standards for quality and regulatory requirements. You'll own quality control from TOP samples through to bulk production, create spec sheets, lead in-person fittings and size specifications, and be the voice of Procurement at studio shoots. One day you might be testing products and building spec sheets; the next, you might be at the warehouse completing on-site QC checks or on set making sure products are shown as intended.

Your Team & Who You'll Report To

You'll join a collaborative Procurement team that includes our VP of Procurement & Merchandising, Production Manager, Merchant Manager, Buying Manager and Office & Product Coordinator. You'll report to our Production Manager and work closely with our Graphic Design, Marketing, Creative and Operations teams.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Development

• Create clear, industry-standard spec sheets for all products and packaging
• Responsible for product testing, making sure all products meet our standards individually and as part of an in-box assortment
• Oversee size specifications for all sized items, making sure they're inclusive and appropriately graded
• Oversee all in-person fittings, capture measurement specifications and give feedback to vendors
• Provide accurate size charts to our Graphic Designer and keep vendor and Jilly Box size charts consistent
• Receive and evaluate TOP samples and give approval before shipment
• Make sure packaging is secure and well thought out to match our values, reduce waste and protect the product, and work with Graphic Design to meet packaging deadlines
• Create the seasonal sample schedule and maintain product and supplier boards in Monday.com
• Maintain procurement workback schedules and give a seasonal recommendation to the Production Manager
• Support Operations with in-person Seasonal Box Fittings

Pre-Production & Production Coordination

• Prepare all products for Product Calls and approvals
• Attend and capture detailed notes in seasonal Initial Product Reviews
• Make sure proper certifications and testing documents are requested and catalogued by season and product
• Gather marketing requirements through supplier surveys, confirming supplier values and product details

Quality Assurance & Control

• Own on-site QC checks and recommendations to rectify bulk production issues
• Give the warehouse partner QC samples, supplier QC guidelines and QC reference documents in time for bulk receiving
• Proactively communicate potential QC issues to the warehouse partner
• Maintain vendor information through vendor surveys and the vendor scorecard

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with the Merchandise Manager and Production Manager to align on product intent and execution, giving input on materials and construction
• Share seasonal product details with Marketing at seasonal kick-off
• Create the seasonal line plan in Canva
• Be the voice of Procurement at studio shoots: own model and product specs, make sure samples are in-house and ready, and confirm product end-use is shown properly

Ideal Candidate

• 2 to 4 years of experience in product development, technical design, quality control or production, ideally in consumer products, home goods, apparel or retail
• Strong knowledge of spec sheets, sizing, grading and fit
• Experience with product testing and quality control processes
• Highly detail-oriented and organized, able to manage multiple products and deadlines across seasonal timelines
• A confident communicator who works well across teams and with external partners
• A quick learner who can step in and get up to speed quickly
• Passionate about values-led products and sustainable, low-waste packaging
• Experience with Monday.com and Canva is an asset
• Comfortable with in-person, hands-on work, including warehouse QC, fittings and studio shoots

Term, Compensation & Location

• Term: 20 months (temporary maternity leave coverage)
• Start date: January 2027, to allow time to learn the role before the leave begins
• Compensation: $62,000 – $72,000 annually, depending on experience
• Location: Okanagan-based; hybrid, with in-person time required for one day per week at the office, warehouse QC, fittings and studio shoots

We offer an inclusive benefits package that includes extended health and dental coverage, a flex Health/Lifestyle Spending Account, $1,000 mental health coverage, a Professional Development Benefit, and gifted quarterly Jilly Boxes.

The Recruitment Process

• Initial screening with Kristy Calvert, Director, People & Culture
• First interview with Julien Kearns, Merchant Manager & Taylor DuMont, Technical Development Specialist
• Final interview with Caroline Shaikewitz, VP, Procurement & Merchandising
• Reference checks
• Background check

Anticipated start date: January 2027, depending on the needs of the candidate.

We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, age, disability, marital status, national origin or gender identity. We celebrate an inclusive work environment and welcome members of all backgrounds and perspectives to apply. We are committed to building a transparent environment where everyone feels heard, welcomed and included. We are committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and will provide accommodations to meet your needs in every part of the hiring process. Accessibility-related requests can be made to kristy@jillianharris.com.

Pay: $62,000.00-$72,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company events
• Dental care
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Relocation assistance
• Store discount
• Tuition reimbursement
• Work from home

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Kelowna, BC