Customization Manager

RHOBACK INC • Charlottesville, VA

3d • $80,000 - $105,000

About The Position

Rhoback is seeking an experienced Customization Manager to lead and scale its growing customization business across an expanding portfolio of licensed, wholesale, and branded custom programs. This role owns the full decoration workflow end-to-end — from initial concept approvals and artwork spec creation through production routing, vendor coordination, and delivery — ensuring every customized product meets Rhoback's brand, quality, and speed standards regardless of channel or partner. The Customization Manager will determine the right production path for every order, routing quick-turn and small-batch jobs through our 3PL partner, and providing the product development and production teams support with embroidery and decoration needs that are on product coming directly from an overseas factory as needed, while managing the distinct approval requirements each channel demands. You'll directly manage the Embroidery Specialist, serve as the internal hub between Sales, Design, Product Development, and Operations, and build the systems and SOPs to support Rhoback's ambitions in custom decorated apparel as the business continues to grow.

Requirements

• 5–8+ years in custom apparel production, decorated goods, or embellishment operations — ideally in golf, licensed apparel (collegiate, professional sports), or premium wholesale.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-channel customization programs with external licensor approval requirements (NCAA, NFL/MLB, PGA Tour, or equivalent).
• Experience managing both 3PL and direct factory relationships, with production routing decisions based on order size, decoration type, speed, and cost.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of NetSuite (ERP): SKU/item record creation, BOM setup and coloring, PO processing, and inventory tracking; familiarity with other product-adjacent systems (PLM, line sheet tools, vendor portals) is a plus.
• Deep knowledge of embroidery production processes — digitization, file formats (.DST, .EMB, .AI), thread color matching, quality standards — and familiarity with other embellishment methods (screen print, heat transfer, patches).
• Prior people management experience; proven ability to develop and lead a small, high-performing team.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage a high-volume, deadline-driven workflow across multiple channels and vendors simultaneously.
• Experience building and maintaining decoration catalogs and managing DIPs or equivalent artwork spec packages.
• Strong communicator: able to translate technical production details for Sales, Design, and executive audiences; experience building SOPs and production systems from the ground up.
• Understanding of the golf retail market (green grass, off-course, collegiate, PGA properties) is a meaningful plus.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with project management or order management tools preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Apparel Production, Operations, or a related field — or equivalent work experience.
• 5–8+ years of relevant experience in decorated apparel, custom embellishment, or licensed merchandise operations.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with other product-adjacent systems (PLM, line sheet tools, vendor portals) is a plus.
• Understanding of the golf retail market (green grass, off-course, collegiate, PGA properties) is a meaningful plus.
• Experience with project management or order management tools preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end decoration workflow across all active customization programs — ensuring consistent process, clear ownership, and quality standards regardless of channel, partner, or decoration type.
• Receive artwork, decoration specs, and technical direction from Design and internal stakeholders; manage the end-to-end submission process to external partners and licensors for required approvals, tracking all revision cycles through final sign-off.
• Partner with Sales and Design to develop decoration concepts for each program; manage revision rounds and produce assortment decks, line sheets, and spec packages tailored to each partner's requirements.
• Determine production routing for all orders — directing quick-turn and small-batch jobs to our 3PL partner, and partnering with the product development and production teams on embroidery and decoration needs for products coming directly from an overseas factory as needed.
• Own day-to-day vendor relationships with 3PL and factory partners, as well as decoration vendors; negotiate pricing, turnaround times, and capacity commitments; set and enforce quality standards across all production channels.
• Manage decoration spec files, DIPs (Decoration Identification Packages), and artwork assets across all programs; maintain an organized, current decoration catalog for all active and approved decorations.
• Directly manage the Embroidery Specialist; serve as the escalation point for Sales, Design, Product Development, and Operations on all customization questions, timelines, and issues.
• Build and own scalable SOPs for every stage of customization — concept development, approval workflows, decoration spec creation, production routing, QC, and shipping — and track key metrics (on-time delivery, defect rate, cost per unit, approval cycle time) across all programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level