Production Manager, Accessories
Thirty Years is a growing accessories brand focused on creating thoughtful, functional products with a strong point of view around design, color, materials, and everyday use. As we continue to expand our assortment, we're looking for an experienced Production Manager with a strong background in handbag manufacturing, product development, and overseas factory management.
This person will oversee production across our accessories line while working closely with our Director of Design to manage product development, sampling, and the transition into bulk manufacturing. You'll serve as the primary point of contact for our overseas factories, ensuring new products are developed efficiently and existing products maintain consistency in materials, construction, measurements, and overall quality.
We're looking for someone who really understands how bags are made — someone who can identify construction issues, troubleshoot manufacturing challenges, communicate clearly with factories, and confidently manage products from initial sampling through final production. Experience with international shipping and logistics is important, but the primary focus of this role is product development, manufacturing, and quality.
What You'll Be Doing
- Oversee production across our handbags, totes, crossbodies, backpacks, pouches, and related soft accessories.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for overseas factories, managing daily communication, development updates, and production issues.
- Partner closely with the Director of Design to coordinate product development, sampling, revisions, and approvals.
- Manage sample requests, development calendars, factory feedback, and the transition from approved samples into bulk manufacturing.
- Review development, pre-production, and production samples, identifying construction, material, measurement, and workmanship issues.
- Troubleshoot construction and manufacturing challenges directly with factory partners.
- Coordinate material, hardware, trim, and component sourcing as needed throughout development.
- Oversee bulk production, ensuring consistency across repeat orders in shape, construction, materials, color, and overall quality.
- Establish and maintain quality control standards, golden samples, production approvals, and factory inspection procedures.
- Manage factory production timelines, costing, quotations, and manufacturing negotiations.
- Maintain accurate tech packs, specifications, approved samples, and production documentation.
- Coordinate with internal operations on production completion dates, shipping schedules, and inventory arrivals.
- Help build and improve product development and production processes as the brand grows.
What You Bring
- 5+ years of professional experience in production management and/or product development within handbags, accessories, or closely related sewn soft goods.
- Strong technical understanding of handbag construction, sewing techniques, materials, hardware, trims, and manufacturing processes.
- Extensive experience communicating directly with overseas factories and managing the development-to-production process.
- Hands-on experience coordinating samples, revisions, technical feedback, and production approvals.
- Ability to identify manufacturing inconsistencies and communicate clear, actionable corrections to factories.
- Experience managing bulk production, quality control procedures, and repeat manufacturing orders.
- Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, tech packs, BOMs, and product specifications.
- Strong understanding of materials, sourcing, production costing, and manufacturing lead times.
- Working knowledge of international shipping, freight coordination, and import logistics.
- Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and follow-through.
- Proactive problem solver who can independently manage factory relationships, anticipate challenges, and take ownership of projects.
- Experience improving development and production workflows is a plus.
- Experience with nylon bags, technical accessories, or performance-oriented soft goods is a plus.
Position Details
Full-time, Los Angeles-based role.
Location: Canoga Park, CA
How to Apply
Please send your resume and a short note about your background and why you’d be a good fit for the role to applytoty@thirtyyears.com.