Production Manager

company

About ADVOC8

At ADVOC8, we create experiences that build trust, shift minds and win hearts. Our special sauce? Chemistry, collaboration and an endless supply of curiosity. We're a team of strategic thinkers, creative problem-solvers, thoughtful storytellers and logistical magicians expertly bringing ideas to life from strategy and creative through to production and execution. We work with brands, nonprofits and associations to create experiences that make an impact. And we do this all in a flexible 'work from anywhere' environment where we celebrate differences and encourage each of our 'advocates' to bring their unique perspectives to the table each and every day.

role

&drop - Brand Merchandise & Promotional Products

The Role

The Production Manager leads brand merchandise projects from proposal through delivery. You source product and negotiate with vendors on pricing and timelines, build product presentations that match the ask and the brand, build and manage estimates and budgets, and coordinate warehouse, logistics, creative and account teams to get the program executed.

Most of the time you'll be working on larger integrated programs led by account managers, where you work across a team and own specific projects within it. On small and medium projects, you lead end-to-end and handle client communication directly.

You think like a creative partner, not a commodity promotional products distributor. That means proposing products that fit the client's brand and culture instead of what's easiest to source, caring whether the finished thing is good enough that someone keeps it, and handling the operational reality behind timelines that don't move. We're a small team. What you own, you own.

This role reports directly to the Director of Production.

About Us

&drop is the brand merchandise and promotional products division of ADVOC8, serving major brand clients including Google, YouTube, TikTok, and PokémonGO. We specialize in strategic, creative merchandise solutions from complex event kits and experiential programs to comprehensive branded goods strategies. We're a boutique agency that thinks like a creative partner, not a commodity distributor.

What You'll Do

Project Management & Execution

- Lead small and medium merch programs from estimate through fulfillment
- Manage workstreams across sourcing, production, decoration, fulfillment and delivery
- Keep projects on schedule and on budget, and flag slippage before it becomes a client problem
- Keep order management and project systems reflecting actual status

Product Sourcing & Vendor Coordination

- Source products and decoration methods that fit the creative intent and the budget
- Manage product sourcing, vendor and decoration research, and pricing development by gathering quotes and organizing vendor information
- Coordinate with vendors on production updates, samples, order status, and maintain accurate vendor database records
- Review proofs, mockups, and production samples to support quality control
- Own estimates, sales orders, purchase orders and invoicing on your projects
- Review profitability and flag risk early

Client & Cross-Functional Communication

- Communicate scope, timelines, deliverables, and status without being chased for updates
- Lead client communications for small projects and support larger projects under account manager supervision
- Coordinate with warehouse team on inventory management and fulfillment

What You Bring

Experience & Technical Expertise

- 4+ years of experience in project coordination, production, promotional products, or a related field, with exposure to vendor management and order execution
- Working knowledge of printing and decoration methods, vendor sourcing, and production workflows
- Experience with order management systems and e-commerce platforms (e.g., CommonSKU, SAGE, Shopify)
- Strong financial acumen, including comfort with pricing, margins, and sales math
- Proficiency in Google Workspace (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar) and comfort navigating new systems and tools, including familiarity with integrating AI tools into your workflow

Core Competencies & Professional Presence

- Comfortable owning an outcome rather than waiting for direction
- Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
- Clear, professional communicator with strong written and verbal skills
- Proactive, resourceful problem solver who takes ownership and anticipates needs
- Self-motivated learner with a growth mindset and strong client-service orientation

- Aligned with and committed to ADVOC8’s core values; represents them in daily work
- Better Together - Collaborative soul who’s open to new ideas, sharing successes and being part of a team
- Level Up - High standards, never settling for the status quo or what we did last time
- Hustle Smarter - Entrepreneurial, roll-up-your-sleeves spirit, tempered by the courage to identify smarter ways of doing things
- Celebrate Differences - Highly empathetic personality who values individual perspectives
- Outcome Over Income - Extensive experience and demonstrated success in client relationship management
- Protect the Respect - Navigates conflict with an emphasis on transparency and diplomacy
- Engineer Exceptional Value - Inspired by outside-the-box thinking that yields outstanding ROI for our clients and projects
- Embrace Change - Recognize situations that require flexibility and craft creative solutions on the fly

How We Measure Success

Client experience

- Clients have an exceptional experience on your projects. You understand the ask and the brand, and you match it with the right product, quality level, and delivery timeline
- Issues reach the client as a solution and a recommendation, not as a problem handed back to them
- On projects you own, clients stay informed without chasing you for a status update. On projects where you're part of a larger account team, account managers aren't chasing you either
- Scope grows on the accounts you run

Delivery

- Projects delivered on time and on budget
- Margin protected, with risk flagged early rather than explained after the fact
- Quality matches client expectations. Vendor relationships are strong and production is predictable
- Internal teams can see project status without asking

If projects run smoothly and clients trust the process, you're succeeding.

What We Offer

- Work with some of the most innovative brands in tech and entertainment
- Small team, direct access to leadership, creative freedom
- Flexible work schedule
- Fully remote company

Location & Logistics

This position is not location-based, though travel may occasionally be required to travel to client sites, trade shows, team offsites and vendor facilities. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.; at this time, we are not able to provide sponsorship.

At ADVOC8, building an inclusive team that celebrates our differences is integral to our success. We strongly encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply even if you don’t meet all qualifications.

ADVOC8 is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to achieving a diverse workforce, and prohibits discrimination and harassment: ADVOC8 is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at ADVOC8 are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, neurodivergence, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, exercising the right to family care and medical leave, veteran status or any other status protected under federal, state or local law. ADVOC8 will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.