Overview
Production & Workforce Training Manager Jobs in Columbus, OH at Columbus Fashion Alliance
Title: Production & Workforce Training Manager
Company: Columbus Fashion Alliance
Location: Columbus, OH
About Columbus Fashion Alliance
Columbus Fashion Alliance (CFA) is a nonprofit organization on a mission to create positive change for people and the planet through fashion. We believe the industry can be a genuine force for economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, and creative community—and we're building the infrastructure to make that vision reality, one program, one maker, and one career at a time.
About The LOOM
At the heart of CFA's work is The LOOM: a 43,000+ square-foot Fashion Innovation Center in downtown Columbus. The LOOM is a first-of-its-kind hub where workforce development, entrepreneurship, design, circular manufacturing, retail innovation, and community engagement converge under one roof—with production labs, design studios, classrooms, coworking space, photo studios, event venues, retail activation areas, and dedicated workforce training environments.
Our Core Values
Innovation — We challenge convention to build what fashion needs next.
Creativity — We turn bold ideas into original, expressive work.
Equity & Access — We open doors to opportunity for every community we serve.
Learning — We grow on purpose, and we help others grow too.
Community — We build belonging through connection and collaboration.
Impact — We measure success by the lasting change we create.
Why This Role Matters
The fashion industry's future depends on skilled makers, and skilled makers depend on great teachers. As domestic manufacturing rebounds and demand for circular production grows, the talent pipeline is the bottleneck. The Production & Workforce Training Manager closes that gap—training the next generation of skilled sewists and production professionals, leading hands-on manufacturing work, and helping establish The LOOM as Ohio's most important center for fashion workforce development and innovation.
You won't be doing this alone. You'll work alongside CFA's industry partners, including ISAIC (the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center), with the ability to bring in subject matter experts to co-teach and expand your programming. This is not a back-office role—you will teach, produce, mentor, and build every day.
Position Overview
This role blends the technical precision of an experienced production leader with the purpose of a skilled educator. You will lead delivery of CFA's RE/WORK workforce development program, manage production lab operations, execute production projects for CFA, and build the community relationships that make The LOOM a magnet for talent, industry, and innovation.
You will report to the Director of Learning Experience (training & instruction, primary) and the Director of Operations (production projects), and collaborate with the Executive Director, ISAIC and industry certification partners, subject matter experts and guest instructors, and manufacturing and community partners.
Key Responsibilities
Workforce Development & Instruction (~40%)
- Teach the ISAIC Industrial Sewing Certification and ISAIC Repair Certification programs
- Facilitate industrial sewing training, garment construction courses, and repair & remanufacturing instruction
- Deliver technical workshops and workforce readiness experiences for adult learners at multiple skill levels
- Recruit, coordinate, and support subject matter expert guest instructors for specialized workshops
- Support student assessment, skills evaluation, certification preparation, and career coaching
- Collaborate on development of new workshops and industry-led learning experiences
Production Leadership (~30%)
- Manage sample development, small-batch manufacturing, product development, and special production initiatives
- Provide technical expertise in garment construction, patternmaking, and manufacturing best practices
- Maintain rigorous quality control standards across all production projects
- Serve as primary subject matter expert for CFA's production programs and manufacturing partnerships
- Participate in production incentive program as CFA's project portfolio grows
Studio & Equipment Management (~20%)
- Oversee production lab operations, equipment maintenance schedules, and safety procedures
- Manage studio organization, inventory, materials, and supply ordering
- Build and refine systems and policies that ensure safety, productivity, and inspiration
- Onboard The LOOM members, students, and partners to production lab resources
Community & Industry Engagement (~10%)
- Cultivate relationships with brands, manufacturers, workforce partners, and educational institutions
- Support events, workshops, tours, and community programming at The LOOM
- Serve as a trusted mentor and technical resource for The LOOM community
- Represent CFA at industry events
First-Year Success Outcomes
Within your first year, you will have:
- Delivered ISAIC Industrial Sewing Certification training to your first cohort
- Delivered ISAIC Repair Certification training
- Developed and launched at least two additional production-focused workshops
- Established operational systems, maintenance protocols, and safety standards
- Supported high-quality production projects and begun building your production incentive track record
- Become a trusted technical leader and mentor within The LOOM community
- Contributed to CFA's reputation as a production and workforce development leader in Ohio
Compensation & Benefits
- Base Salary: $55,000–$60,000
- Production Incentives: performance-based bonuses tied to production outcomes
- Health Benefits: full package including medical, dental, vision
- Professional Development: paid training & certifications (ISAIC, industry conferences)
- Industry Network Access: ISAIC & CFA partner ecosystem
- Mentorship & Collaboration: access to a subject matter expert network
CFA is developing a performance-based incentive program tied to production and project outcomes. The person in this role will help shape it and be eligible to participate as it develops.
Required Qualifications
Technical Expertise
- Advanced proficiency in garment construction, including complex pattern and technical sewing techniques
- Industrial sewing machine operation across multiple machine types (flatlock, coverstitch, serger, single-needle, etc.)
- Foundational to intermediate patternmaking and grading skills (flat pattern and/or draping)
- Working knowledge of product development from concept through production-ready samples
- Familiarity with production management workflows, quality control standards, and manufacturing terminology
Teaching & Facilitation
- Demonstrated experience teaching, training, or facilitating in a hands-on technical environment
- Ability to break down complex construction techniques for learners at multiple skill levels
- Comfort coordinating guest instructors or subject matter experts
- Clear and effective written and verbal communication
Operations & Organization
- Proven ability to manage a production or studio environment including scheduling, materials, and equipment
- Experience implementing operational systems, safety procedures, and inventory management
- Self-directed, organized, and comfortable managing multiple priorities simultaneously
Interpersonal & Mission Alignment
- Collaborative, community-minded approach with colleagues, students, and industry partners
- Genuine enthusiasm for fashion workforce development, maker culture, and economic opportunity
- Relationship-building skills that inspire trust across students, professionals, and community members
- Ability to demonstrate CFA's core values throughout the interview process and in day-to-day work
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in workforce development, adult education, or vocational training programs
- Specific experience teaching industrial sewing, repair, or remanufacturing techniques
- Experience in small-batch or short-run fashion manufacturing
- Background in circular economy practices: repair, remanufacturing, upcycling, or sustainable production
- Experience working with nonprofit organizations or community-based programs
- Experience developing or adapting educational curricula, lesson plans, or training materials
- Familiarity with ISAIC certification programs or similar industrial sewing frameworks
- Knowledge of fashion entrepreneurship, product development, or brand manufacturing
What Makes Someone Exceptional in This Role
The ideal candidate is both a maker and a multiplier—finding equal satisfaction in perfecting a flat-felled seam and watching a first-time student nail theirs. You bring the precision of an experienced production professional and the patience of a great educator. You don't have to do it alone—you're energized by bringing in the right experts and building something bigger than any one person could build solo. Above all, you believe fashion can be a pathway to economic mobility, environmental responsibility, and creative community.
Why Join CFA
- Build Something That Lasts: Help shape a first-of-its-kind institution from the ground up.
- Work That Matters: Every training, mentorship, and production run connects directly to CFA's mission.
- Industry Behind You: CFA's partnership with ISAIC means you're never operating in isolation.
- Grow Your Earnings: As production capacity grows, this role grows with it through a developing incentive program.
- An Extraordinary Community: Join mission-driven professionals and connect with entrepreneurs, designers, makers, and manufacturers.
- Room to Grow: A clear path to broader production leadership as CFA expands.
How to Apply
Please submit: (1) a resume or portfolio highlighting your technical production and teaching experience, (2) a one-page cover letter on why this role and mission speak to you, and (3) optional links to work samples or student work you've supported to [email protected]. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis—early submission encouraged.
Columbus Fashion Alliance is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, and we strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
