Job Title: Quality Assurance (QA) Manager – Garment & Hand Embroidery
Department: Quality Assurance
Location: Mumbai / Bhiwandi
Reports To: Head of Operations
Employment Type: Full-Time
Job Summary:
The QA Manager – Garment & Hand Embroidery is responsible for ensuring end-to-end product quality across garment production and hand embroidery processes. This includes setting up quality systems, managing QA teams, monitoring in-line and final quality, and working closely with production and design teams to maintain high-quality standards, especially for detailed and artisanal embroidery work.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Quality Strategy & Systems:
- Develop and implement quality control systems for garment and hand embroidery production.
- Establish quality SOPs, inspection guidelines, and defect classification systems.
- Ensure adherence to buyer quality standards and internal benchmarks.
2. Team Management & Training:
- Lead and manage the QA/QC team across different production areas (cutting, sewing, embroidery, finishing).
- Train quality checkers, embroidery supervisors, and production staff on quality parameters and inspection techniques.
- Build a quality-focused culture across all teams.
3. Process Inspection & Monitoring:
- Oversee in-line, end-line, and final quality inspections for garments and embroidery.
- Monitor embroidery work (hand, aari, zardozi, etc.) to ensure uniformity, neatness, and placement accuracy.
- Validate workmanship, measurements, fabric quality, and finishing before shipments.
4. Defect & Root Cause Analysis:
- Identify recurring defects and perform root cause analysis in both embroidery and garment production.
- Collaborate with production, sampling, and merchandising teams to implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Maintain quality dashboards and defect reports for continuous improvement.
5. Buyer Coordination & Approvals:
- Liaise with buyers, auditors, and third-party inspectors during quality evaluations.
- Review pre-production samples, embroidery swatches, and top-of-production (TOP) samples.
- Ensure compliance with buyer quality expectations and audit protocols.
6. Documentation & Reporting:
- Maintain proper quality records including inspection reports, inline checklists, and AQL reports.
- Track rejection rates, rework status, and corrective actions taken.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in any field (Textile/Apparel preferred, but not mandatory).
- 5–10 years of experience in quality assurance in the garment industry, with a strong background in hand embroidery quality control.
- In-depth knowledge of garment construction, embroidery techniques, and inspection procedures.
- Experience handling domestic and international buyer requirements.
Key Skills & Competencies:
- Strong leadership and team management skills
- Deep understanding of hand embroidery workmanship and quality parameters
- Familiarity with AQL inspection standards and garment QA processes
- Excellent communication and coordination across departments
- Problem-solving, root cause analysis, and attention to detail
- Proficient in MS Excel, quality reporting, and audit documentation
Work Settings:
- Factory/floor-based role with regular movement between embroidery, stitching, and finishing sections
- Requires hands-on inspection of delicate embroidery and detailed garments
- May involve extended hours during shipment periods or buyer visits
About Chanakya:
Chanakya is a textile and embroidery house with a four-decade history of highlighting the pluralistic beauty, diversity, and the perpetuation of savoir-faire, at the intersection of art, craft and couture. Chanakya houses a remarkable lineage of 13th generation master-artisans, offering clients exceptional surface ornamentation that embodies a fusion of their distinctive style and the inherent talent of our artisans. With a profound appreciation for tradition and a flair for innovation, Chanakya stitches stories and motifs into textiles, transforming each garment into a living testament of India’s rich handcraftsmanship.