About The Rug Company
The Rug Company is recognized internationally as the leading name for contemporary handmade rugs. Combining exceptional quality with original design and flawless service, we use age-old weaving techniques to create rugs that are precious and unique. We are dedicated to creating luxury design, that is authentically crafted. Through using honestly sourced raw materials, we can ensure that each design will last for generations. Over the years, The Rug Company has collaborated with some of the world’s leading creatives, from esteemed fashion houses to profound artists – each designer bestows something unique. At the heart of the brand is our in-house studio, who pioneer each design with unparalleled expertise.
About the Role
The Rug Company is seeking an experienced and highly collaborative Production & Product Development Manager to oversee the full product development and production lifecycle, from initial concept and sampling through production, launch, and post-launch performance. This role is central to ensuring that creative vision is translated into technically sound, commercially viable, and consistently high-quality products across all categories.
As the Production & Product Development Manager, you will take a hands-on approach to managing mill relationships, production execution, and quality standards, while working closely with Design, Product Development, Merchandising, Operations, and Sales. You will provide technical leadership and oversight throughout the development process, ensuring timelines, cost targets, and performance standards are met.
This role requires a strong balance of strategic thinking and practical execution. You will help drive innovation in materials and constructions, support cross-functional collaboration, and uphold the brand’s commitment to craftsmanship, responsible production, and long-term product excellence.
Key Responsibilities
Product Development Leadership
- Oversee the full product development cycle, from concept, sampling, and prototyping through final production and launch.
- Partner with Design and Product Development to translate creative ideas into feasible constructions that meet performance, cost, and quality targets.
- Develop and manage development calendars, ensuring clear timelines, accountability, and on-time delivery.
- Lead R&D efforts for new constructions, fibres, materials, and weaving techniques in collaboration with mills and internal teams.
Mill & Production Management
- Act as the central point of contact for global mills and production partners.
- Launch new projects with mills, aligning design intent, construction methods, sourcing strategy, price targets, and timelines.
- Oversee production planning, capacity considerations, and lead times.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with production partners, supporting onboarding and evaluation of new mills as needed.
- Ensure adherence to ethical sourcing, fair labour practices, and environmental sustainability standards across all production partners.
Quality Control & Technical Standards
- Oversee all quality control checkpoints, including dyeing, sampling, weaving, and finishing, both remotely and on-site.
- Define, implement, and maintain quality benchmarks, testing protocols, and approval processes.
- Maintain technical documentation, including specifications, lab dips, yarn cards, and finish approvals.
- Integrate feedback from clients, sales teams, and internal testing to continuously improve product quality and performance.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Merchandising to ensure commercial viability, cost targets, and margin alignment.
- Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to provide technical insight for product launches, samples, training, and product storytelling.
- Anticipate production risks and proactively resolve supply-chain, capacity, or execution challenges, in partnership with Logistics and Operations teams.
- Support customization, limited editions, and collaborative projects.
Leadership & Reporting
- Provide leadership visibility into production capacity, mill performance, quality trends, costs, and development KPIs.
- Mentor production coordinators or assistants.
- Foster strong communication across Design, PD, Merchandising, Operations, and Production.
- Identify process improvements and operational efficiencies to enhance speed-to-market, consistency, and scalability across categories.
- Act as an internal and external ambassador for product quality, craftsmanship, and production excellence.
Who You Are
You’re a steady, confident leader with deep experience working closely with mills and production partners. You command respect through clarity, consistency, and high standards, and you’re comfortable holding partners accountable to agreed specifications, timelines, and quality benchmarks. You bring a thoughtful, solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving, balancing strong relationships with clear expectations. Detail-oriented and decisive, you’re trusted to protect product integrity, craftsmanship, and the brand’s reputation at every stage of production.
Key Skills and Qualifications
- Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Textiles, Industrial Design, Product Development, Supply Chain, or a related field; equivalent professional experience considered.
- Experience:
- Minimum 7 years’ experience managing artisan textile production with mills in Nepal, India, and China
- 5+ years’ experience enforcing luxury-grade quality standards within a high-end or bespoke product environment.
- Demonstrated ability to manage custom production at scale, including oversight of high-volume custom orders, specifications, sampling, and approvals.
- Technical & Production Expertise:
- Expert knowledge of hand-crafted rug constructions, including hand-knotted, hand-tufted, and handloom techniques.
- Deep understanding of technical specifications, materials, finishes, and quality control processes for artisan production.
- Comfortable translating creative concepts into clear technical documentation in collaboration with design teams.
- Operational & Leadership Skills:
- Proven ability to build production systems, SOPs, and quality frameworks.
- Highly organized, with strong planning skills to manage complex timelines, multiple stakeholders, and parallel workflows.
- Collaborative leader with experience partnering across Design, Product Development, Merchandising, Operations, and Sales.
- Clear, confident communicator able to set expectations, resolve issues, and uphold standards with internal teams and external partners.
- Travel & Language:
- Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
- Conversational proficiency in Hindi or Nepali is strongly preferred.
- Willingness to travel approximately 20-30% of the time, primarily to Nepal, India, and China for mill visits and production oversight.
Why Join The Rug Company?
At The Rug Company, we combine traditional craftsmanship with innovative design to create exceptional, handcrafted rugs. As a leader in our field, we’re committed to fostering a culture of creativity and collaboration where every team member can thrive. Join us and contribute to a legacy of excellence and innovation.
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