Apparel Operations Manager

CHELSEA PIERS LP•New York, NY

1d•$70,000 - $90,000

About The Position

Chelsea Piers is seeking an experienced Apparel Operations Manager to lead and modernize our apparel and merchandise function. This is a contract-to-hire engagement — we want someone who will hit the ground running, keep day-to-day operations intact, and in parallel, conduct a serious operational assessment of how we work, what is broken, and what we should do differently. This role owns everything from employee uniforms and competitive team outfitting to retail, new member gifts, and spirit-wear across all Chelsea Piers locations. You will also be a central player in the onboarding of a new enterprise apparel partnership — a major transition that requires experienced hands. Marketing owns design support. You own operations, vendor relationships, and execution. 90-Day Priorities Stabilize Take full ownership of active vendor relationships (Soccer Post, BSN, 3PL ShipDudes, and incoming partner) Ensure no gaps in uniform delivery, inventory replenishment, or new member gift fulfillment Get up to speed on all open orders, pending deadlines, and in-flight projects Assess Conduct a structured operational review across Fitness, Competitive Teams, and Sports Venues Identify gaps in process, inventory management, vendor performance, and reporting Evaluate the current time and resource allocation across business units Deliver a written assessment with specific, prioritized recommendations by day 60 Execute on the Partnership Transition Lead the onboarding of Chelsea Piers' new enterprise apparel partner Manage transition timelines, contract alignment, and rollout across all business units Ensure continuity — no disruption to programming, employee outfitting, or competitive uniforms during the transition

Requirements

3+ years in apparel or operations
Demonstrated experience managing multi-vendor relationships and complex ordering cycles
Strong project management skills
Experienced with inventory management and reporting
Excellent communicator (written + verbal)
Proficient in Microsoft Office, and Claude AI
Comfortable operating independently with limited oversight

Nice To Haves

Preferred experience in sports
Bachelor’s degree

Responsibilities

Vendor & Partner Management Own all vendor relationships across apparel, uniform, retail, and fulfillment (3PL)
Ensure Chelsea Piers is maximizing partnership terms, promotional allocations, and service levels
Manage the day-to-day operational relationship with the incoming enterprise apparel partner
Hold vendors accountable to timelines, quality standards, and contractual commitments
Employee & Program Uniforms Manage the full employee outfitting cycle (ordering, inventory, replenishment, and style consistency across locations)
Coordinate competitive team ordering with sport directors
Maintain uniform stock levels across venues and ensure on-time delivery for all programming windows
Work with marketing on design direction for new uniform items (marketing executes; you direct)
Chelsea Piers Fitness — Retail & New Member Gifts Manage new member gift inventory and 3PL fulfillment relationship
Provide monthly inventory and replenishment reports to leadership
Support the development of a retail program in partnership with the CPF Marketing Director
Establish and maintain policies for in-club retail sales and tracking
Spirit-Wear Manage the Chelsea Piers spirit-wear store through Soccer Post
Rotate offerings seasonally and ensure product mix stays relevant
Coordinate with marketing and IT on traffic-driving and promotion
Operations & Reporting Build and maintain inventory tracking systems across all merchandise categories
Provide monthly reporting on retail sales, uniform inventory, and gift item levels
Develop and document standard operating procedures for the function
Proactively surface issues, flag risks, and recommend solutions