Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jewelry Production Controller

🎯 Role Definition

The Jewelry Production Controller is the operational backbone of a jewelry manufacturing shop or division. This role is accountable for translating sales forecasts and design intent into executable production plans, optimizing workflows across bench work, casting, plating and finishing, controlling precious metal and stone inventory, and ensuring on-time delivery and quality. The ideal candidate combines jewelry manufacturing knowledge (benchwork, casting, stone setting, plating), production planning and ERP experience, and strong data-driven decision-making to control costs, reduce lead times, and scale production efficiently.

Key SEO keywords: Jewelry Production Controller, production planning, inventory control, precious metal accounting, ERP for jewelry manufacturing, quality assurance, CAD/CAM integration.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Production Planner / Junior Production Controller
Shop Foreman / Bench Supervisor
Quality Inspector or Jewelry Technician

Advancement To:

Production Manager / Manufacturing Manager
Head of Operations / Director of Manufacturing
VP of Supply Chain or Chief Operations Officer (for larger firms)

Lateral Moves:

Supply Chain Planner / Inventory Manager
Quality Manager / Compliance Lead
Vendor Management / Sourcing Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, maintain and execute detailed daily, weekly and monthly production plans across all jewelry product lines, balancing capacity, customer priorities and lead times to meet on-time delivery targets.
Create and manage work orders, routings and bills of materials (BOMs) in the ERP/MRP system (e.g., NetSuite, SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics), ensuring accurate WIP tracking and timely job closes.
Maintain precise precious metal accounting (gold, silver, platinum) including metal consumption tracking, scrap reconciliation, shrinkage control and regular variance analysis to protect margins.
Schedule and coordinate bench jewellers, stone setters, casters, polishing and plating teams to optimize throughput while minimizing bottlenecks and overtime costs.
Monitor and report on production KPIs — cycle time, yield, scrap/rework rate, throughput, labor efficiency and on-time delivery — and present findings in weekly production reviews.
Lead capacity planning and resource allocation for peak seasons, new product launches and custom/rush orders to avoid supply delays and maintain service levels.
Oversee inventory management for finished goods, work-in-progress (WIP), loose stones, mountings and packaging; implement cycle count programs and reconcile variances.
Manage subcontractor relationships (casting houses, plating vendors, stone-setting partners), negotiate lead times and pricing, and hold vendors accountable to quality and delivery standards.
Implement and enforce quality control checkpoints at critical process stages (casting, assembly, setting, finishing), coordinate corrective actions and trend defect data for continuous improvement.
Partner with design and merchandising teams to assess manufacturability of new styles, provide accurate lead-time and cost estimates, and define standard routings and specifications.
Prepare product costing and margin analysis for new product introductions and price updates; identify opportunities to reduce cost without compromising quality.
Lead root-cause investigations for production failures or quality escapes, develop corrective action plans and verify effectiveness by tracking downstream metrics.
Maintain full traceability of metals and stones through the production cycle to satisfy compliance, ethical sourcing and auditing requirements (e.g., hallmarking, chain-of-custody).
Create, update and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs), route sheets and work instructions that reflect best practices and reduce variation across operators.
Coordinate preventive maintenance schedules for critical equipment (casting, centrifuge, tumblers, polishing motors, laser welders, CNC), minimizing unplanned downtime and service disruptions.
Drive operational improvement initiatives using Lean manufacturing principles (5S, Kaizen), reducing lead times, improving bench ergonomics and increasing first-pass yield.
Manage escalation of late or non-conforming orders with clear communication to sales and customer service teams, providing realistic remediation plans and delivery commitments.
Oversee finishing operations including plating (rhodium, gold), polishing, engraving and final inspection to ensure brand quality and customer satisfaction.
Maintain and optimize production-related IT systems, including PLM, MES, CAD/CAM integrations and manufacturing modules in ERP; partner with IT to prioritize enhancements.
Supervise and develop production staff, conduct performance reviews, implement cross-training programs and ensure bench personnel follow safety and handling protocols for precious metals and stones.
Control scrap handling, recycling and return-to-vault processes for precious metals; document transfers and ensure accounting alignment.
Coordinate sample approval processes (first article inspections, prototypes) and pilot runs to validate processes before full production release.
Manage special projects such as efficiency upgrades, new line introductions or facility expansions, including vendor selection, scoping and timeline management.
Prepare and maintain production documentation and regulatory records for audits, export documentation, customs compliance and hallmarking certifications.

Secondary Functions

Produce ad-hoc production and inventory reports, trend analyses and root-cause dashboards to support leadership decision-making.
Assist sourcing and procurement teams with supplier qualification, capacity assessments and alternate vendor identification for critical operations.
Support warranty, repair and remake flows by routing returned items for evaluation, rework planning and cost recovery.
Participate in product development sampling cycles to provide manufacturability feedback and identify process risks early.
Maintain the product sample library and ensure accurate sample-to-SKU mapping for production reference.
Conduct supplier audits and scorecards for subcontractors to assess quality, lead times and compliance with ethical sourcing standards.
Implement sustainability and waste-reduction initiatives (metal reuse, chemical handling policies, energy-efficient equipment) in partnership with compliance teams.
Coordinate packaging specifications and kitting processes to ensure finished goods are shipped according to brand and retail requirements.
Support customer-facing teams with production status updates for VIP or custom orders, escalating when necessary to maintain client relationships.
Train bench staff on new equipment (laser welders, CNC finishing tools, CAD-assisted assembly) and new process flows introduced by engineering.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Production planning and scheduling specifically for jewelry manufacturing (benchwork, casting, finishing).
Strong ERP/MRP experience: creating work orders, BOMs, routings, WIP tracking and job costing (NetSuite, SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics, fishbowl, etc.).
Precious metal accounting and reconciliation (gold, silver, platinum) and familiarity with hallmarking and regulatory compliance.
Inventory management for WIP, finished goods, loose stones and consumables; cycle counting and variance reconciliation.
Manufacturing cost accounting and margin analysis for jewelry SKUs, including labor, metal consumption and subcontract costs.
Quality control and assurance for jewelry processes (first article inspections, in-process checks, final inspection criteria).
Hands-on knowledge of manufacturing processes: casting, soldering, stone setting, polishing, plating/rhodium, engraving.
CAD/CAM literacy and ability to read manufacturing drawings or interpret files from Rhino3D, Matrix, JewelCAD or similar.
Familiarity with MES/PLM integrations, shop-floor data capture and production reporting tools.
Advanced Excel for production modeling, forecasting, pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and macros; comfortable with data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau) preferred.
Lean manufacturing tools and continuous improvement methodologies (5S, Kaizen, root-cause analysis).
Vendor management, subcontractor coordination and contract negotiation skills.

Soft Skills

Strong communication and stakeholder management — able to negotiate timelines with sales, communicate constraints and escalate proactively.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with an ability to interpret production data and prioritize corrective actions.
Detail-oriented with high standards for craftsmanship, compliance and inventory accuracy.
Leadership and people management: coaching bench staff, developing training plans and fostering continuous improvement culture.
Time management and prioritization under pressure, especially during seasonal peaks or custom order surges.
Collaborative mindset — ability to work cross-functionally with design, merchandising, sourcing and customer service.
Adaptability to fast-changing order books and product mix in a fashion/jewelry environment.
Negotiation and conflict-resolution skills for managing subcontractors and internal escalation.
Project management skills for pilot runs, process changes and equipment rollouts.
Ethical judgment and integrity handling high-value materials and sensitive client orders.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or equivalent with relevant vocational/jewelry manufacturing training or certification.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration or Jewelry/Metalsmithing Technology.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Jewelry Design & Technology / Metalsmithing
Manufacturing or Industrial Engineering
Supply Chain / Operations Management
Business or Finance (for costing/accounting emphasis)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–8 years of progressive experience in jewelry manufacturing, production planning or shop floor control.

Preferred:

5+ years directly in jewelry operations, ideally with hands-on bench experience or direct oversight of casting, setting and finishing teams.
Demonstrated experience with ERP/MRP systems, precious metal accounting, subcontractor management and production KPI ownership.
Experience implementing process improvements, Lean initiatives, and leading cross-functional production projects.

If you want this tailored to a specific company size (artisan studio vs. high-volume contract manufacturer) or region (import/export compliance and hallmarking rules differ by country), I can adapt the responsibilities and required skills to match that context.