Incumbent: TBA
Reports to: Procurement Manager
Member: Mid-Level Specialist
Career Profile
The Technical Supervisor oversees the end-to-end local fabrication and outsourced production of custom-made furniture. Because the company utilizes a 100% contract manufacturing model, this role does not directly manage an internal workshop. Instead, the supervisor is responsible for translating custom design concepts into technical production packages, vetting and selecting local third-party suppliers, and conducting rigorous quality assurance (QA) at vendor sites. The goal is ensuring all custom pieces are delivered on time, within budget, and to exact technical specifications.
Professional Qualifications
1. Higher Diploma or bachelor’s degree in Wood Technology, Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering (Fabrication option), Industrial Fine Art (Furniture Design/Production), or a deeply technical manufacturing equivalent.
2. 4–6 years of technical quality control, contract manufacturing management, or senior workshop supervision within the East African furniture ecosystem. Proven experience dealing with Kenyan and Ugandan suppliers is a distinct advantage.
3. Technical Testing Equipment Proficiency (Mandatory):
a. Pin/Pinless Wood Moisture Meters: Expert ability to test and reject timber with moisture levels outside the acceptable 10%–12% threshold for East African environments.
b. Digital Calipers & Micrometers: Accurate measurement of metal gauges, board thicknesses, and edge-banding alignments against technical drawings.
c. Coating Thickness Gauges: Testing paint, lacquer, and powder-coating thickness and adhesion levels.
d. Lux Meters / Surface Comparators: Evaluating finish uniformity, color matching, and surface defects under standardized lighting.
Direct Reports
• None
Role Purpose
1. Technical Design & Pre-Production
a) Review and validate design concepts, 3D models, and aesthetic sketches for manufacturing feasibility.
b) Convert creative designs into comprehensive technical production packages, including detailed AutoCAD/SolidWorks shop drawings, Bill of Materials (BOM), and hardware specifications.
c) Standardize technical drawings to ensure local suppliers have unambiguous blueprints that minimize errors during fabrication.
2. Supplier Sourcing & Contract Manufacturing Management
a) Identify, vet, and onboard capable local furniture manufacturers, carpenters, upholsterers, and metal fabricators.
b) Assess vendor capacity, machinery quality, craftsmanship standards, and financial reliability.
c) Negotiate production timelines, unit costs, and quality SLAs (Service Level Agreements) with third-party workshops.
d) Allocate production jobs to the most suitable suppliers based on their specific technical strengths (e.g., solid wood expert vs. metal framer).
3. Production Supervision & Quality Assurance
a) Serve as the primary technical contact for all external manufacturing partners, resolving shop-floor queries in real time.
b) Conduct regular on-site inspections at local supplier workshops during critical stages of fabrication (e.g., framing, joinery, finishing, upholstery).
c) Enforce strict quality control standards to ensure third-party outputs match approved prototypes and technical drawings.
d) Manage the prototyping process, ensuring first-article inspections are thoroughly signed off before approving full production runs.
4. Timeline & Logistics Coordination
a) Track production schedules across multiple external vendors concurrently to guarantee on-time project delivery.
b) Identify and mitigate bottlenecks in the local supply chain (e.g., material shortages, vendor delays).
c) Coordinate final inspections, packaging standards, and transit readiness from the supplier's facility to the company warehouse or client site.
Soft Skills
a) Vendor Management: Strong negotiation, relationship-building, and accountability-holding skills.
b) Problem Solving: Ability to troubleshoot technical fabrication issues on-site at vendor workshops.
c) Communication: Clear verbal and written skills to bridge the gap between creative designers and local tradespeople.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
First-Time Fix Rate: Percentage of custom furniture items that pass the final Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) on the first visit without requiring rework or structural corrections by the contractor.
Production SLA Adherence: Percentage of contracted workshops meeting their technical manufacturing deadlines, avoiding project delays due to factory bottlenecks.
Zero Material Deviation: 100% adherence to specified raw materials (timber species, board grades, fabric rubs, metal gauges) with zero unapproved vendor substitutions caught after delivery.
Post-Installation Warranty Claims: Percentage of delivered furniture items that experience structural failure, joint separation, or finish degradation within the first 12 months of deployment.
Cross-Border Transit Integrity: Zero product rejections or damage claims stemming from improper factory packaging or preparation for the Nairobi-to-Kampala transit route.
Accountability Commitment
The Head of Operations is expected to:
1. Provide strategic and operational leadership across warehousing, distribution, inventory control, ICT and facilities functions, ensuring alignment with the Company's objectives and customer commitments.
2. Take full ownership of operational performance, including inventory integrity, customer fulfilment, service quality, cost efficiency and continuous improvement.
3. Build a culture of accountability, discipline and operational excellence by empowering managers and developing capable teams.
4. Ensure that all operational processes are supported by clear procedures, effective controls and accurate performance reporting.
5. Champion inventory accuracy, asset protection and responsible use of Company resources through strong operational governance.
6. Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, reduce inefficiencies and improve customer experience.
7. Promote collaboration with Finance, Sales, Procurement and other departments to ensure seamless execution of business objectives.
8. Maintain high standards of safety, compliance, professionalism and ethical conduct across all operational functions.
