Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Upholstery Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Upholstery Coordinator is a hands-on production and project management professional who coordinates end-to-end upholstery operations for residential, commercial, automotive, or marine projects. This role blends production scheduling, materials procurement, quality control, vendor management and client communication to ensure on-time delivery of finished upholstery products that meet technical specifications and design intent. The Upholstery Coordinator serves as the central point between design, production shop floor, field installation teams and external suppliers to drive efficient throughput, control costs and uphold quality standards.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Upholstery Technician / Upholsterer
Sewing or Fabrication Technician
Production Assistant / Production Scheduler

Advancement To:

Upholstery Production Supervisor
Production Manager / Operations Manager
Director of Manufacturing or Plant Manager

Lateral Moves:

Materials Planner / Buyer
Project Coordinator / Field Installation Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage day-to-day upholstery production scheduling by translating work orders and design specifications into prioritized shop plans, balancing capacity, lead times and labor to meet customer delivery targets.
Coordinate material sourcing and procurement for fabrics, leather, foam, batting, webbings and hardware; prepare purchase orders, follow up with suppliers, track deliveries, and reconcile invoices to ensure uninterrupted production flow.
Interpret technical drawings, patterns, CAD files and sample instructions to create cutting tickets, nesting plans and detailed production packets for sewing, cutting and assembly teams.
Oversee quality assurance checkpoints at critical stages (cut, sew, assembly, final finish) and develop corrective action plans for defects, rework and warranty claims; maintain documentation of quality issues and resolutions.
Assign and schedule technicians and installers across internal shop teams and subcontractors; optimize labor allocation for sewing, cutting, welting, tufting, stapling and installation crews.
Maintain and update production routing, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work instructions to reflect best practices, reduce cycle times and ensure consistent craftsmanship across projects.
Track inventory levels of finished goods, components and consumables in the ERP/WMS system; conduct regular cycle counts, reconcile variances and coordinate replenishment to minimize stockouts and overstock.
Serve as the primary liaison with designers, project managers and customers to confirm measurements, sampling approvals, trim selections and installation windows; document changes and issue revised work orders.
Schedule, oversee and coordinate on-site installations including site measurements, access requirements, protective measures, and final acceptance; ensure installers follow safety and customer-site protocols.
Manage subcontractor relationships — vet vendors, negotiate pricing and lead times, develop scopes of work, and evaluate performance against contractual KPIs.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Kaizen) to reduce waste (material and labor), improve first-pass yield and increase shop throughput; present metrics and improvement plans to leadership.
Prepare and maintain production reports and key performance indicators (KPIs) such as on-time delivery rate, rework percentage, productivity per labor hour and material yield; present weekly status to stakeholders.
Provide technical troubleshooting for complex upholstery challenges such as irregular cushions, compound curves, interior trim panels and custom tufting; develop custom fixtures or pattern adjustments as required.
Train, mentor and evaluate upholstery technicians and sewing staff on advanced techniques, safe use of pneumatic tools and machines, and adherence to quality standards and shop protocols.
Coordinate sample and prototype development cycles including cutting, sewing and finishing of mock-ups for customer approval; manage feedback incorporation and sample retention.
Implement and enforce health and safety policies in the upholstery shop (tool safety, material handling, machine guarding, PPE) and maintain documentation for compliance audits.
Control job costing by tracking labor hours, material usage and subcontractor costs; analyze variances versus estimates and recommend pricing or process adjustments to protect margins.
Maintain and organize tooling, jigs, patterns, and digital pattern files (if applicable); ensure secure storage, version control and easy retrieval for repeat jobs.
Facilitate warranty and field service processes by coordinating pick-ups, repairs, replacements and return logistics; maintain records of warranty incidents and root-cause analysis.
Support new product introductions by coordinating small-batch runs, validating assembly methods, and refining manufacturing instructions prior to full production release.
Oversee finishing and packaging standards to ensure safe transport, correct labeling, and compliance with delivery instructions; coordinate carrier pick-ups and freight documentation.
Conduct regular shop floor audits to validate cleanliness, organization (5S), tool calibration and compliance with documented inspection criteria.

Secondary Functions

Provide technical input to product development and design reviews to ensure manufacturability, material selection, and cost-effective construction details.
Maintain digital records of fabric and leather swatches, supplier lead times and approved material substitutions for rapid quoting and production planning.
Participate in cross-functional planning meetings (sales, design, logistics) to align production capacity with upcoming projects and seasonal demand.
Support ad-hoc installation escalations and emergency rush orders by developing rapid-response plans, reallocating resources and coordinating expedited materials.
Assist purchasing with vendor qualification, sample testing and development of approved supplier lists for specialized materials such as marine-grade vinyls or automotive leathers.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Upholstery construction techniques (cutting, sewing, welting, tufting, stapling, foam shaping) with demonstrated shop experience.
Production scheduling and shop floor coordination using ERP or manufacturing systems (examples: NetSuite, Epicor, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics).
Materials knowledge: fabrics, leather, foam densities, batting, adhesives, webbing and appropriate material yields and cutting considerations.
Pattern interpretation and basic pattern development; familiarity with nesting/CAD cutting software and digital pattern file management.
Quality control methodologies specific to upholstery: seam tolerances, stitch counters, tuft alignment, and finish inspections.
Inventory management and cycle counting procedures; familiarity with WMS or inventory modules in enterprise systems.
Vendor management and procurement: issuing POs, tracking lead times, supplier performance metrics and negotiation fundamentals.
Basic job costing and production labor tracking, including use of timekeeping systems and cost variance analysis.
On-site measurement, installation coordination and field service management including safe rigging and site protection practices.
Machine and tool proficiency: industrial sewing machines, pneumatic staplers, foam-cutting equipment, skiving machines and hand tools.
Familiarity with Lean manufacturing principles (5S, Kanban, Kaizen) as applied to small-batch and custom production environments.
Proficient in MS Office (Excel for reporting), and ability to prepare dashboards or production reports for management review.

Soft Skills

Strong verbal and written communication to liaise with designers, vendors, customers and shop personnel.
Exceptional attention to detail and a quality-first mindset to ensure consistent finished product standards.
Organization and time-management skills to juggle multiple projects, prioritize urgent orders and meet delivery deadlines.
Problem-solving and root-cause analysis orientation to diagnose production issues and implement corrective actions.
Leadership and team development skills including training, performance feedback and conflict resolution on the shop floor.
Customer service focus with the ability to manage expectations, clarify specifications and provide status updates.
Negotiation and vendor relationship-building to secure reliable supply and favorable terms.
Adaptability and flexibility to respond to changing project scopes, rush orders and seasonal volume shifts.
Analytical mindset to interpret production metrics and identify opportunities for process improvements.
Collaborative attitude to work cross-functionally with sales, design, logistics and quality assurance teams.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; trade school or technical certificate preferred.

Preferred Education:

Associate degree or technical diploma in Furniture Design, Textile Technology, Industrial Technology, or a related field.
Certifications in Lean manufacturing, project management (e.g., CAPM) or quality management are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Furniture Manufacturing / Upholstery
Textile Technology / Fabric Science
Industrial Technology / Manufacturing Operations

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressive experience in upholstery production, furniture manufacturing, or related custom fabrication environments.

Preferred:

5+ years coordinating upholstery or textile production, with demonstrated experience in scheduling, vendor management, quality control and installation coordination. Prior supervisory or lead experience strongly preferred.