Senior Production Planner
About The Position
The Zumiez Product and Brand Services (PBS) team is looking for a Senior Production Planner to support and manage our sourcing and production workflow. This role is responsible for driving product from concept through delivery, managing multiple priorities, and maintaining accurate information across workstreams. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail‑oriented, and able to communicate effectively with vendors and internal partners. This person takes ownership of their categories, proactively solves problems, and supports the development of their team members. The PBS Sourcing and Production team supports over 30 brands across men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, and snow/skate hardgoods, including owned and licensed brands. Zumiez is a leading specialty retailer of apparel, footwear, accessories, and hardgoods for young men and women who express their individuality through fashion, music, art, and action sports culture. Headquartered in Lynnwood, Washington, Zumiez operates over 700 stores across North America, Europe, and Australia under the names Zumiez, Blue Tomato, and Fast Times. At Zumiez, creativity shows up in how we work, what we wear, and how we move—sometimes literally on a skateboard down the hallway. It’s a place where individuality is encouraged, ideas are shared openly, and people are trusted to take ownership of their work. If that sounds like your kind of environment, we’d love to meet you.
Requirements
- Work in Microsoft Office programs including Excel
- Analyze tech pack details to determine appropriate costs
- Lead cost negotiations and collaborate with Design, Development, and the supply base to meet IMU% goals
- Apply critical thinking to solve problems and identify solutions
- Take initiative and effectively prioritize workload across multiple priorities
- Manage and maintain multiple calendars with internal and external partners
- Motivate, guide, and support a team of direct reports
- Learn through hands‑on experience and real‑world problem‑solving
- A college degree preferably with course work in textiles and sourcing/production
- At least 5+ years of apparel production related experience is required
- At least 2+ years of managing direct reports
- Apparel costing and negotiation experience required
- High attention to detail with strong organizational skills
- Ability to work effectively in a global, multicultural environment
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to effectively manage time and prioritize tasks
- Demonstrated initiative with the ability to identify priorities independently
- Ability to work in a dynamic, multi‑tasking, team‑oriented environment
- Ability to quickly adapt and reprioritize in response to changing needs and priorities
- Ability and willingness to work hard in a fast-paced, multi-tasking, team-oriented environment
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Programs such as Word, Outlook, and advanced Excel skills
- Ability to reprioritize quickly and efficiently to rapidly changing needs and situations
- High attention to detail
- Exceptional written/verbal communication skills
- Demonstrated organizational skills
- Good time management skills
- Ability to work in a multicultural environment
- Ability to problem solve through critical thinking
- Ability to take initiative and prioritize workload
- Ability to learn by doing rather than reading a manual or formal training
Nice To Haves
- Travel domestically and/or internationally up to 4 weeks per year
Responsibilities
- Manage costing and production for assigned product categories, while guiding your team to do the same
- Monitor time & action calendars (TAC) to ensure key milestones and delivery dates are met
- Cost product and partner with Design, Development, and the supply base to meet IMU% goals
- Issue and maintain purchase orders
- Determine product placement in alignment with sourcing strategy goals
- Communicate with vendors and internal partners to resolve production issues and ensure quality and on-time delivery
- Identify product development issues and proactively drive solutions with cross-functional partners
- Lead, coach, and support direct reports
- Support resolution of vendor claims and issues
- Assist on projects as needed
- Travel domestically and/or internationally up to 3 weeks per year as needed
- Embrace and foster the Zumiez Culture and Brand
- Manage the costing and production for any product categories assigned
- Monitor and enforce time & action calendar (TAC) to ensure dates are met
- Manage the negotiation of product cost and work with design, development, supply base to meet IMU% goals
- Handles PO adjustment requests from buyers for any categories assigned
- Determine and assign product placement to be in line with sourcing strategy goals
- Oversee communication and PO placement for re-orders for any categories assigned
- Communicate directly with vendors and internal partners regarding all production related issues to ensure quality and on time delivery
- Handles product development issues and proactively communicate with applicable parties to find solutions
- Attend and participate in weekly production and product development meetings
- Resolves vendor claims and issues in a timely manner while building positive business relationships
- Support and manage to multiple calendars with internal and external partners
- Lead and manage a team of 1-4 Production Planners, Associates and/or Assistants
Benefits
- Health, vision, and dental insurance
- Basic life insurance and supplemental voluntary life insurance
- 401(k) plan
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Paid parental leave
- Vacation
- Employee Assistance Program
- Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Zumiez merchandise discount
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
