Location: Based in North Vietnam, with travel as required.

As Senior Quality Assurance Auditor, you’ll be working within a small but ambitious team, championing FitFlop quality throughout the entire manufacturing process, ensuring that every shoe we make is of world-class quality. You’ll enforce process control for consistent quality and implement quality standards upstream of our production process to prevent defective product being built. 

You’ll be experienced in footwear, ideally with casual/sports brands, have solid experience in quality assurance and shoe-making and have fantastic relationship building skills and a great communication style – you’ll challenge and influence but in the right way. You’ll be a team player but you’ll also be self-motivated and able to work independently across different factory sites.

The Responsibilities:

Tier 1 Footwear Factory

• Mentor/manage factory’s certified auditor to self-inspect semi-finish/finish goods on Fitflop’s behalf.

• Lead Pre-Production Trial (PPT) of style with low technical difficulty (TD) and report in details any discrepancy from Platinum Sample or production difficulty experienced by the factory, which may have impact on quality and delivery.

• Lead Initial Production Trial (IPT) and enforce proper execution of corrective action from Pre-Production Meeting.

• Attend Graded Sizes Trial to ensure all grades are correct and fitting is as the confirmed Fit Approved Sample

• Ensure factory exercises mold prevention measures throughout the production facility.

• Implement quality standard at upstream of production process to prevent defective product being built.

• Drive root cause analysis/corrective action for any systemic issue, product defectives identified during production.

• Stamp and segregate B-grade product in isolated warehouse to prevent from mixing with A-grade product.

• Ensure FitFlop production is consistent with Platinum Sample and manufactured to physical requirements.

• Review incoming production materials/components received into the factory matching against Approved Material Swatch, set up tolerances when needed.

• Conduct inline/final AQL audit or 100% inspection (Japan order) of all PO’s to ensure only conforming product is shipped from the factory.

• Submit own inspection report, generate On-site Corrective Action Request, issue disposition/ release letter.

• Train/guide factory and supplier to fully understand FitFlop quality standard.

• Verify Work Instructions/SOP, Process Flow Chart, parameter setting of equipment.

• Actively anticipate issues, collaborate & problem solve with factory management

• Verify lab test result/specimen to meet FitFlop desired standards

• Meet with factory team at the end of each visit to address all issues identified

Tier 2 Molded Component Supplier

• Collaborate with supplier to create PFC and SOP for each of our sole technology.

• Evaluate process control/assess risk for potential compound contamination and defective components.

• Enforce lab testing requirement for bulk production and verify test result to ensure meeting FitFlop physical property referencing Test Manual.

• Train/guide supplier to be aligned with FitFlop quality expectation.

• Participate in supplier selection for CSP (Certified Supplier Program) qualification

The Person:

• Extensive footwear quality assurance and related experience in shoe making.

• English skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening) is a must.

• Understanding of various footwear constructions and manufacturing methods.

• Excellent understanding of footwear lab testing result.

• Competent skills on Microsoft programs, particularly Excel.

• Proactive and “can do” attitude.

• Willingness to push beyond comfort zone and develop working knowledge in new areas.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Assertiveness and influencing skills amongst your own operational colleagues.

• Experience in other footwear areas; such as, commercialization, tooling, lab testing, corporate responsibility is a plus.