Director of Factory Operations

Essense Designs is an international bridal wholesaler with key offices based in Perth, Australia and Lenexa, Kansas. Our growing organisation has additional locations in the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, and New Zealand. We have been a global leader in bridal fashion for over 20 years and our designs are currently sold in over 1,500 stores worldwide. With innovative designs and a strong customer service approach, Essense Designs is a dynamic and rapidly-expanding company that rewards excellence, drive, and collaboration.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Director of Factory Operations to lead the performance, and optimisation of our global factory network. This role will oversee all aspects of factory operations including sourcing, production planning, onboarding, and continuous improvement, ensuring alignment with business objectives, financial targets, and luxury brand standards. 

This role is responsible for leading factory strategy at a global level, while partnering closely with executive leadership and cross-functional teams to ensure consistent delivery, scalability, and operational excellence across all factory partners.

What We Offer

We look forward to welcoming the successful candidate to our fast-growing global team! In return for your skills, we offer you the opportunity to join an international industry leader and be part of a creative and collaborative culture that empowers its people, promotes teamwork and embraces sustainability. We recognise and reward excellence, innovation, and loyalty. Our goal is to offer an inspirational and modern workplace that allows for talent individuals to thrive.

What we expect

• Lead the development and execution of global factory operations strategy aligned to business objectives 
• Lead the integration of AI tools and technology into factory operations – identifying high-impact opportunities to automate workflows, reduce inefficiencies, and elevate team output, while building a culture where AI adoption is the standard for the team. 
• Oversee factory relationships through regular engagement with senior factory stakeholders 
• Review and drive performance against factory KPIs (quality, cost, delivery, compliance) 
• Lead commercial strategy including pricing, negotiation, and supplier agreements 
• Oversee seasonal production timelines, collection launches, and critical milestone delivery 
• Identify risks and escalate or resolve complex operational issues beyond BAU 
• Lead factory sourcing strategy including identification, evaluation, and onboarding of new partners 
• Drive improvements in factory processes, standards, and operational efficiency 
• Ensure compliance with ethical, regulatory, and brand standards across all factories 
• Provide reporting, insights, and recommendations to executive leadership 
• Lead and develop the Factory Operations team 
• Travel internationally to support factory relationships and sourcing initiatives

What We Are Looking For

• Tertiary qualifications in Fashion, Supply Chain, Business or a related field 
• Extensive experience (minimum 7 years) in factory operations, manufacturing, or supply chain leadership within the garment industry or related field 
• Demonstrated success in leading and supporting high performing teams
• Proven experience managing global supplier relationships in a complex environment 
• Strategic mindset with strong operational execution capability 
• A forward-thinking approach to operational excellence, with the ability to evaluate and apply AI tools strategically — driving measurable efficiency gains and equipping your team to work smarter at every level of the operation. 
• Experience in sourcing, capacity planning, and production management 
• Highly developed stakeholder management and leadership skills 
• Data-driven approach with strong analytical and reporting capability 
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, global luxury environment