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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Uniform Coordinator

💰 $40,000 - $65,000

OperationsSupply ChainRetailApparelLogisticsHR

🎯 Role Definition

The Uniform Coordinator is responsible for end-to-end management of an organization's uniform and corporate apparel program, coordinating vendors, forecasting needs, controlling inventory, enforcing brand and safety standards, and delivering on-time, cost-effective uniform distribution to employees and locations. This role acts as the operational hub between procurement, HR, facilities, vendors, and store or field teams to ensure consistent fit, quality and availability of uniforms and accessories.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Inventory Clerk or Inventory Specialist
  • Retail/Store Supervisor or Assistant Manager
  • Procurement Assistant or Purchaser
  • Administrative Coordinator or HR Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Uniform Program Manager or Apparel Program Manager
  • Supply Chain or Logistics Supervisor
  • Vendor Manager or Sourcing Manager
  • Operations Manager (Facilities/Store Support)

Lateral Moves:

  • Facilities Coordinator
  • HR/Onboarding Coordinator
  • Procurement Specialist
  • Corporate Merchandising Assistant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, document and execute the company-wide uniform program, including policy, sizing guidelines, replacement cycles, seasonal rollouts, and budget allocation to ensure consistent brand presentation and employee comfort.
  • Manage the full procurement lifecycle for uniforms: create specifications and tech packs, solicit quotes, issue purchase orders, track production milestones and confirm final delivery against the contract.
  • Serve as the primary vendor relationship manager: evaluate supplier capabilities, negotiate pricing and lead-times, maintain scorecards, and drive continuous vendor performance improvements.
  • Maintain accurate inventory across central warehouses, regional distribution centers and on-site locations using ERP/WMS; establish par levels and automated replenishment thresholds to prevent stockouts or overstock.
  • Forecast uniform demand using historical issuance data, onboarding schedules, seasonal promotions and attrition rates; prepare monthly and quarterly demand plans and adjust inventory buys accordingly.
  • Oversee sample management and approvals: coordinate fittings, maintain sample libraries, solicit feedback from stakeholders, and document sign-off for color, trim and fit.
  • Inspect incoming shipments for quality, compliance with specs, sizing accuracy and labeling; document defects, manage returns and negotiate credit or rework with suppliers.
  • Create and maintain technical specifications, measurement charts, material and trim standards, and approved vendor lists to protect brand integrity and ensure repeatable quality.
  • Coordinate distribution logistics: plan pick-and-pack, schedule carrier pickups, manage cross-docking and last-mile deliveries for stores, field teams and remote employees.
  • Issue new-hire and replacement uniforms according to policy; deliver onboarding support with sizing, order entry and tracking to ensure new employees receive uniforms before start date.
  • Administer uniform allowance programs or payroll deductions: track entitlements, validate claims, process charges and maintain audit-ready documentation.
  • Manage budget and cost-control activities for the uniform program, including vendor invoices, cost-per-unit tracking, freight optimization and monthly reconciliations against allocated spend.
  • Implement and enforce safety and regulatory compliance for PPE and safety-related uniform items, including recordkeeping for certified equipment and coordination with EHS/Compliance functions.
  • Maintain and update the uniform inventory catalogue, SKU structure and barcoding/labeling strategy to support accurate picking and reconciliation.
  • Coordinate alterations, repairs and a mending program through in-house or third-party tailors to extend garment life and reduce replacement costs.
  • Lead cross-functional projects to roll out new collections or seasonal changes: develop timelines, align stakeholders, manage communications, and ensure on-schedule delivery.
  • Provide training and written guidance for managers and employees on uniform policy, care instructions, sizing charts and special item ordering procedures.
  • Prepare operational and executive reports and dashboards on inventory levels, vendor KPIs, issuance metrics, spend variances and program health to inform leadership decisions.
  • Manage ad-hoc special orders for events, promotional programs and branded merchandise, including short-lead customizations and expedited shipping.
  • Coordinate returns, disposal and recycling programs for worn or obsolete uniforms, ensuring appropriate asset recovery or sustainable disposal methods.
  • Conduct periodic vendor audits and factory visits (virtually or on-site) to validate ethical sourcing, production capacity and compliance with quality controls.
  • Maintain a centralized measurement and fit database to streamline sizing decisions and reduce returns or reorders due to incorrect sizing.
  • Implement continuous improvement initiatives to improve turnaround times, reduce unit cost, and increase first-pass quality through process standardization and automation.
  • Serve as point of escalation for uniform-related issues from stores, field teams and corporate groups, triaging problems and delivering timely resolutions.

Secondary Functions

  • Produce and distribute communications for uniform campaigns, seasonal launches and policy updates to internal stakeholders using email templates and intranet notices.
  • Support ad-hoc reporting requests and build queries in ERP/WMS or BI tools to extract SKU-level data for finance and audit teams.
  • Maintain digital asset library of approved logos, digital mockups and supplier tech packs for creative and merchandising partners.
  • Participate in supplier onboarding and compliance documentation processes with procurement and legal teams.
  • Assist with cost modeling and total cost of ownership (TCO) analyses for new vendor sourcing or SKU rationalization projects.
  • Support pilot programs for sustainable materials, rental or reuse models and report outcomes to sustainability leads.
  • Facilitate fit sessions and focus groups to collect qualitative feedback from end-users on comfort, fit and functionality of uniform items.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Inventory management and stock replenishment best practices; experience with WMS and SKU lifecycle management.
  • ERP and procurement systems proficiency (examples: SAP, Oracle NetSuite, PeopleSoft, Blue Yonder).
  • Experience with purchase order processing, supplier invoicing and basic accounts payable reconciliation.
  • Strong Microsoft Excel skills: VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, data cleansing and basic macros for inventory and cost analysis.
  • Familiarity with product specification documents, tech packs, measurement charts and sample approval workflows.
  • Vendor management: RFP/RFQ execution, contract negotiation, SLA definition and performance scorecards.
  • Quality assurance processes for textiles/apparel, defect tracking and corrective action management.
  • Logistics coordination and familiarity with freight, customs documentation, courier services and import/export constraints.
  • Basic understanding of apparel construction, materials (fabrics/trims), sizing standards and garment care labeling.
  • Experience with BI/Reporting tools (Power BI, Tableau, Looker) or ability to deliver regular operational dashboards.
  • Knowledge of PPE standards and regulatory requirements when managing safety-related apparel.
  • Experience with merchandising tools or PLM systems is a plus (Gerber, Centric, PTC FlexPLM).

Soft Skills

  • Excellent stakeholder communication and relationship-building with HR, procurement, operations and external suppliers.
  • Strong negotiation and influencing skills to secure favorable terms and drive vendor accountability.
  • Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and ability to manage multiple parallel projects and deadlines.
  • Problem-solving mindset with an ability to diagnose root causes and implement practical solutions quickly.
  • Customer-service orientation: responsive to employee and store needs, with empathy and professionalism.
  • Time management and prioritization skills; adaptable to changing business needs and seasonal peaks.
  • Proactive ownership and drive for continuous improvement and process automation.
  • Team collaboration and facilitation skills; comfortable leading cross-functional workstreams.
  • Analytical mindset with the ability to convert data into actionable operational decisions.
  • Cultural sensitivity and discretion when handling employee uniform data and payroll-related matters.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED required.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Apparel/Textile Merchandising, Operations Management or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Supply Chain / Logistics
  • Apparel/Textile Merchandising or Fashion Technology
  • Business Administration / Procurement
  • Operations Management
  • Industrial Engineering (with focus on supply chain)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years in inventory, procurement, retail operations, or apparel coordination roles.

Preferred: 3–7 years of progressive experience specifically managing uniform programs, corporate apparel, PPE provisioning, or apparel procurement with demonstrated vendor management, inventory control and ERP/WMS experience.

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