Soft As A Grape, Inc. Embroidery Department Manager Job Description About Soft As A Grape Soft As A Grape is an award-winning apparel company headquartered in Wareham, Massachusetts. For over 54 years, we have designed, manufactured, and sold high-quality resort apparel. We operate 14 retail stores throughout Cape Cod, Plymouth, Martha's Vineyard, Newport, RI, Point Judith, RI, Portsmouth, NH, and Portland, ME. We are also an official Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball licensee with a nationwide wholesale business serving retailers across the United States. Position Summary Soft As A Grape is seeking an experienced, hands-on Embroidery Department Manager to lead our embroidery operation. This leadership position oversees production scheduling, employee supervision, workflow, quality control, equipment maintenance, inventory, and continuous improvement. This is a working management position that leads by example on the production floor. Department Leadership

• Lead, supervise, coach, and develop embroidery operators.
• Create daily work assignments and production schedules.
• Conduct training, cross-training, coaching, and performance evaluations.
• Assist with hiring recommendations and staffing decisions.
• Promote accountability, professionalism, and teamwork. Production Management
• Plan and prioritize daily production to meet customer deadlines.
• Coordinate daily with the Director of Purchasing & Scheduling.
• Monitor workflow, productivity, and machine utilization.
• Identify and resolve production bottlenecks.
• Communicate production status and department capacity to leadership. Quality Assurance
• Ensure all embroidery meets Soft As A Grape quality standards.
• Verify logo placement, stitch quality, thread colors, and garment appearance.
• Perform quality inspections and implement corrective actions. Equipment & Production
• Program Barudan commercial embroidery machines and verify design files.
• Thread, hoop, set up, and operate embroidery machines as required.
• Perform preventative maintenance including oiling and cleaning.
• Coordinate repairs with vendors when necessary.
• Inspect, package, and verify completed orders. Inventory & Safety
• Maintain inventory of thread, backing, needles, bobbins, hoops, and supplies.
• Maintain a clean, safe, organized department.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and OSHA safety standards. Department Performance
• Track productivity, machine utilization, downtime, quality, rework, and on-time delivery.
• Continuously improve department efficiency and production processes. Qualifications
• Minimum 5 years of commercial embroidery production experience.
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory or management experience.
• Experience with Barudan multi-head embroidery machines strongly preferred.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Computer proficiency with Microsoft Office and embroidery production software.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 pounds. Success in This Role
• Deliver customer orders on time.
• Maintain exceptional embroidery quality.
• Develop a productive, motivated embroidery team.
• Minimize downtime and improve department efficiency.
• Lead by example and foster continuous improvement. Schedule & Compensation Full-Time Monday-Friday Overtime as needed Competitive salary based on experience, qualifications, and leadership ability. Benefits
• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Simple IRA
• Paid Vacation
• Paid Sick Time
• Employee Discount at all Soft As A Grape retail locations
• Stable, year-round employment Leadership Philosophy At Soft As A Grape, our managers are expected to lead from the front.

The Embroidery Department Manager is an active member of the production team who works alongside employees, coaches through example, continuously improves processes, and takes ownership of the department's performance.

Pay:

$25.00 - $30.00 per hour Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee discount Health insurance On-the-job training Paid time off

Experience:

commercial embroidery production: 2 years (Preferred) management : 2 years (Preferred)

Work Location:

In person