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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Knitwear Supervisor Assistant

💰 $ - $

ManufacturingTextilesFashionApparel Production

🎯 Role Definition

The Knitwear Supervisor Assistant supports the Knitwear Supervisor and production management team to ensure efficient, high-quality knitwear manufacturing. This hands-on role focuses on coordinating knitting operations (circular and flatbed), monitoring production KPIs, troubleshooting machine and process issues, maintaining quality standards, implementing continuous improvement, and assisting with training, scheduling, and documentation. The role requires technical knitting knowledge (machine settings, yarn handling, pattern repeat and gauge), strong communication, and the ability to work cross-functionally with maintenance, quality control, sourcing and finishing teams to deliver on-time and on-spec knit garments.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Production Assistant or Machine Operator (circular/flatbed knitting)
  • Junior Quality Inspector in knitwear or cut & sew
  • Textile Technician or Yarn Handler

Advancement To:

  • Knitwear Supervisor / Shift Supervisor (Knitting)
  • Production Planner / Line Leader for knitwear
  • Technical Manager, Knit Development

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Control Specialist (Garments)
  • Maintenance Coordinator (Textile Machinery)
  • Sample Room / Knit Development Assistant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Supervise day-to-day knitting production activities on circular and flatbed knitting lines, ensuring operators follow machine-setting instructions, production targets, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
  • Assist the Knitwear Supervisor in translating production plans into daily work orders, line assignments, and shift schedules to meet weekly and monthly manufacturing targets.
  • Monitor machine performance (RPM, stitch density, tension, feeders) and adjust machine settings in collaboration with operators to achieve required gauge, width, and fabric hand/weight tolerances.
  • Conduct first-piece inspections and inline quality checks to identify and correct defects such as dropped stitches, laddering, gauge mismatch, yarn neps, pattern misplacement, and color variances before bulk production continues.
  • Record, analyze and report production KPIs including yield, efficiency, downtime, rejects per million (DPM), and on-time delivery (OTD); present findings and follow up on corrective action plans.
  • Lead root-cause troubleshooting for recurring machine faults and process issues, coordinating with maintenance technicians to minimize downtime and implement permanent fixes.
  • Control yarn consumption and waste by monitoring yarn feeding setups, cone changes, and utilization; work with planning and procurement to optimize yarn inventory and reduce cost-per-unit.
  • Ensure all knitted pieces comply with Customer Specification Sheets (measurement tolerances, stitch diagrams, texture and color) and escalate any deviations to the supervisor and quality team.
  • Support handover and shift-change briefings, maintaining clear production logs, machine setting sheets, incident reports, and operator performance notes for continuity between shifts.
  • Coach and train machine operators and helpers on machine operations, pattern locking, carriage programming (where applicable), care in handling delicate yarns, and best-practice production techniques.
  • Coordinate sample approvals and pre-production trials with the sample room and knit technicians, ensuring pattern repeats, jacquard designs and intarsia setups produce approved swatches.
  • Implement and enforce Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) requirements on the production floor, including safe handling of yarns, lubricants, high-speed machinery guards, and emergency procedures.
  • Support new style introductions by setting up machines, preparing technical packets, and documenting optimized machine settings for repeatability and scalability.
  • Maintain digital and paper production records including machine run charts, defect logs, maintenance tickets, and production reports; ensure timely entry into ERP/PLM systems where applicable.
  • Collaborate with quality assurance and finishing teams to coordinate wash/dye/finish processes, confirm shrinkage rates, and guarantee final garment measurements after wet processing.
  • Participate in continuous improvement and Lean/5S initiatives to reduce cycle time, minimize rework, and optimize floor layout, tooling, and work instructions for knit operations.
  • Assist in supplier and vendor coordination for specialized knitting accessories, spare parts, and needles; manage small purchasing requests to avoid machine stoppages.
  • Supervise and enforce adherence to sampling, repair and rework procedures to ensure rejected components are properly documented and re-processed according to quality standards.
  • Support cost-control activities by validating production yields, scrap levels, and overtime usage; recommend process adjustments to improve labor and material efficiency.
  • Prepare shift-end production summaries, escalate critical bottlenecks to the production manager, and support cross-functional problem-solving sessions with design, planning and maintenance.
  • Conduct periodic audits of knitting processes and operator competencies; document gaps and help design remedial training or standardization exercise.
  • Ensure proper storage, labeling and traceability of in-process knitted panels and bundles to avoid mix-ups and maintain batch integrity for finishing and sewing stages.
  • Assist in coordination of preventative maintenance schedules and machine calibration activities with the maintenance team, ensuring minimal disruption to production plans.
  • Support adoption and use of digital knitting software and CAD/CAM systems (machine programmers’ input) for pattern transfers and repeat setups where required.

Secondary Functions

  • Maintain and archive technical files, sample swatches, and machine-setting templates for future reference and reproducibility.
  • Support ad-hoc requests from production planning, merchandising, and procurement related to capacity, lead-time and technical feasibility of new styles.
  • Participate in cross-functional meetings for product development, new style launches and quality review cycles to represent the knitting floor perspective.
  • Contribute data and observations to vendor audits or customer on-site inspections, providing machine setting records and production evidence when requested.
  • Assist in small-scale troubleshooting of electronic pattern controllers and liaise with OEM service technicians for complex firmware or software issues.
  • Promote continuous skills development by organizing short operator training sessions, knowledge sharing, and mentoring junior staff.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Hands-on experience with circular knitting machines and flatbed (linking) machines; familiarity with brands such as Stoll, Shima Seiki, Lonati, or Mayer where applicable.
  • Strong knowledge of knitting structures (jersey, rib, interpurl, jacquard, intarsia, tuck, float) and ability to interpret knit tech packs and stitch diagrams.
  • Ability to set and optimize machine parameters: gauge, stitch length, tension, feeder configuration, cam programming and yarn feed alignment.
  • Competence in inline quality inspection methods, measurement techniques, tolerance checks and use of simple shop-floor QC instruments (tape measure, GSM cutter, scale).
  • Experience with production planning and scheduling tools, and basic ERP/PLM data entry (SAP, Oracle, Infor, or equivalent) and production reporting in Excel.
  • Familiarity with yarn properties (count, twist, filament vs. spun, elastane blending), and understanding of how fiber selection affects machine performance and fabric hand.
  • Basic mechanical troubleshooting skills for knitting machine issues (needle replacement procedures, sinker adjustments, feeder problems).
  • Practical knowledge of finishing implications (wet treatment, steaming, blocking, pressing) and shrinkage compensation for knit garments.
  • Understanding of Lean manufacturing methodologies, 5S, Kaizen events, and ability to participate in process improvement workshops.
  • Competency with knitting CAD/CAM or pattern programming software (basic exposure to M1, design studio or machine-specific editors is a plus).

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and people management aptitude; ability to motivate operators, give constructive feedback, and manage shift dynamics.
  • Clear verbal and written communication skills to liaise with cross-functional teams, suppliers and customers regarding technical production matters.
  • Excellent problem-solving and analytical mindset — quickly identifies root causes and implements practical corrective actions on the shop floor.
  • High attention to detail and quality orientation to maintain consistent product standards and reduce rework.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to balance multiple production lines, urgent troubleshooting and documentation needs.
  • Adaptability and resilience in high-paced manufacturing environments, with flexibility for shift work and urgent production demands.
  • Collaborative team player who actively engages with maintenance, quality, planning and merchandising to deliver results.
  • Coaching and mentoring aptitude to upskill junior operators and ensure knowledge transfer across shifts.
  • Customer-service mindset when interacting with internal customers (planning, QA, design) and external audit or buyer representatives.
  • Ethical conduct and commitment to safety, compliance and documentation integrity.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or vocational certificate in textile technology, apparel manufacturing, or equivalent technical qualification.

Preferred Education:

  • Diploma or degree in Textile Engineering, Apparel Technology, Fashion Technology, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Textile Engineering
  • Apparel/Clothing Technology
  • Fashion Design / Fashion Technology
  • Industrial Engineering (with manufacturing/process focus)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1 - 5 years in knitwear production or textile manufacturing with progressive responsibility; 2+ years preferred.

Preferred:

  • 2-4 years specifically on circular/flatbed knitting machines in a production environment, or previous experience as a Senior Machine Operator, Knit Technician or Production Assistant in knitwear manufacturing.
  • Demonstrated experience with quality control procedures, production reporting, and participation in continuous improvement projects.
  • Experience working with ERP/PLM systems, production scheduling, and cross-functional manufacturing teams.
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