Job description
Global Manufacturing Manager
Location: Remote, Travel to suppliers in the UK, EU, India and Vietnam. Must be a based in UK + UK work permission
Why join us?
At Swoon, we create design‑led furniture that people fall in love with — and keep for life. Since 2012, we’ve grown into one of the UK’s most distinctive online‑only furniture brands, designing every piece in‑house and spotting the next big trend before anyone else.
Our secret? A digital‑first, data‑driven approach that gets products to market fast, keeps prices fair, and delivers a better shopping experience than any store. We partner with leading retailers like John Lewis, and our growth is powered by a scalable business model that’s just getting started.
Join us now and you’ll be part of a small, ambitious team making a big impact, shaping a brand loved by customers across the UK and beyond.
What we’re looking for
We make products all over the world, and our promise to customers is simple: deliver them beautifully made, perfectly finished, and on time. Achieving that isn’t easy; it takes focus, precision, and relentless drive for improvement.
You’ll join us as our Manager Global Manufacturing, leading all production operations across the UK, Europe, and India (Jaipur & Jodhpur). You’ll manage our internal QC team of four in India, build high‑performing supplier relationships, and make sure every product leaves the factory floor on time, in full, and to the highest standards.
This role is hands-on, travel-heavy, and highly impactful, a chance to play a strategic and operational leadership role in a fast-scaling, design-led brand.
Responsibilities
You’ll be the driving force behind our global manufacturing — making sure every piece we design leaves the factory floor on time, in perfect condition, and ready to delight our customers. Here’s how you’ll make it happen:
- Lead global manufacturing: Manage all Swoon production partners across the UK, EU, Jaipur, and Jodhpur.
- Inspire & manage teams: Lead and develop our internal production and QC teams, ensuring consistent quality standards.
- Champion quality: Set the bar high, align QC processes with partners, and ensure every product meets our exacting standards.
- Be the on‑the‑ground leader: Travel to factories, solve production challenges in real time, and strengthen relationships with our makers.
- Build powerful partnerships: Lead regular supplier reviews that drive performance, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Keep us compliant: Own product compliance processes, ensuring documentation is watertight and standards are never compromised.
- Shape the future: Support our design team in developing and prototyping new products, bringing your operational insight to every stage.
- Tell the story: Report manufacturing performance, celebrate wins, and escalate challenges quickly with clear, actionable recommendations.
How to apply:
If you like what you’ve read and you’re ready to make your mark, send us your application today. We’ll also ask you:
- Why do you want to work for Swoon?
- What excites you about this role?
- Your remuneration expectations
- Your notice period
We’re looking for someone who lives and breathes manufacturing excellence — a natural leader and problem‑solver who can roll up their sleeves and get things done. To thrive here, you’ll need:
- 8+ years’ manufacturing management experience — ideally in furniture or consumer goods.
- Proven track record managing multi‑site, multi‑region operations.
- Experience leading and developing high‑performing teams.
- Deep understanding of quality control and ability to work with third‑party inspection agencies.
- Strong supplier relationship management skills.
- Solid knowledge of manufacturing standards, export processes, and compliance for UK, EU, and Indian markets.
- Exceptional organisational skills and independence to run projects from start to finish.
- Clear, confident communication skills — able to influence and collaborate across cultures and time zones.
- Flexibility to travel regularly to partner sites.
Measures of Success
- OTIF Delivery: >95% of orders delivered on time and in full.
- Quality Metrics: Defect rate % across all sites.
- Supplier Performance: Increased supplier scores across quality, delivery, and innovation metrics.
- Team Engagement: High engagement and retention rates within internal QC and operations teams.
Life at Swoon
Upbeat, ambitious and collaborative, that’s us. We’re a lean team of 25, so if you relish responsibility and like to directly influence outcomes, this is your place.
We’ve made flexible working a permanent part of our culture. Right now, the team works remotely, but we meet weekly for day‑long workshops in London, and our India operations involve regular site visits to Jaipur and Jodhpur. Many roles also require international travel to see partners when relationships are business critical.
- Competitive salary
- Share options programme
- Bonus scheme
- Wellbeing allowance
- Pension scheme (including employer contribution)
- Private medical cover for you and your family
- 25 days of annual leave + an extra day for each year of tenure
- Your birthday off + an additional day for volunteering/community work
- Free furniture on each anniversary of employment
- Friends & family discount
