Buying & Production Manager

Buying & Production Manager
Drew Brady & Co Ltd (part of the Ruia Group)

Location: Dove Mill, Bolton (office-based)

Contract: Full time, permanent

Hours: 37.5/40 hours a week, Monday to Friday

The opportunity

Drew Brady is a long-established, Bolton-based sock, underwear and legwear business. We
own Heat Holders, Gentle Grip, IOMI and Country Pursuit, and we also run licensed and third-
party ranges. Our products go to retailers in the UK and overseas, and direct to customers
through SOCKSHOP, Amazon, eBay and our own websites.

We are looking for a commercially minded Buying & Production Manager to take ownership of
product from first idea through to stock arriving at Dove Mill. You will decide what we make,
where we make it and what it costs, and you will be judged on how well it sells.

We are a family business, so there are no layers of sign-off. If you want autonomy and a direct
say in what ends up on the shelf, this role will suit you.

What you will do

• Manage the full product lifecycle, from brief and development through to delivery

• Build ranges that sell, using sales data, customer feedback and what you see in the
market

• Work closely with our knitting factories and suppliers, and build strong long-term
relationships with them

• Negotiate costs, minimums, lead times and production slots to hit target margins

• Run the critical path so stock lands on time, especially ahead of peak selling periods like
autumn and winter

• Find and bring on new factories and suppliers when we need them

• Keep quality consistent, from sampling through to finished goods

• Track how products perform and act early on slow sellers and stock gaps

• Work closely with the design and merchandising teams

What we are looking for

• Experience in buying, production, product development or sourcing, ideally in apparel,
hosiery, underwear or accessories

• Good commercial sense: you know a nice product and a profitable one are not always
the same thing

• Confidence with costings, margins and sales data

• Strong Excel skills

• Well organised, with a good eye for detail

• Self-motivated and happy to work on your own initiative

• Hands-on and flexible. In a business like ours, you will sometimes be the one on the
warehouse floor checking a delivery

• Knowledge of sock or knitwear manufacturing would be a real advantage, but is not
essential

What we offer

• Competitive salary plus results based bonus

• Staff discount across our brands

• Free on-site parking at Dove Mill

• Real ownership of product, and room to grow as the business grows

How to apply

Send your CV and a short covering note to kath_pringle@ruia.co.uk. Tell us about a range or
product you took from idea to delivery, and how it sold.