JOB DESCRIPTION

Sewing Technician - Product Specialist

Position based in Koforidua, Ghana, West Africa

Company description

Maagrace Garment Industries Limited (MGIL) is a leading apparel manufacturing firm established in 2003 in Ghana (West Africa). With a current workforce of approximately 1,000 operators, the factory is currently building an expansion to accommodate 2,000 individuals. Situated in a region with a population of over a million people, MGIL stands as the largest employer, contributing significantly to the local economy.

At MGIL, our vision is to pioneer ethical manufacturing practices on a large scale within the African context. We aspire to establish a model factory that exemplifies innovation, efficiency, and integrity, while delivering high-quality products to our customers. We specialize in both heavy and light weight garments including fleece, sweats, nightwear, underwear, shirts, schoolwear, dancewear. We work with mainly large scale brands in the USA and have strict quality and compliance requirements.Central to our mission is the empowerment of our workforce, with a particular focus on promoting opportunities for women.

MGIL has formed a strategic partnership with Ethical Apparel Africa (EAA), a sourcing company that specializes in delivering ethical, cost-competitive, and high-quality manufacturing solutions to international apparel brands operating in West Africa. Headquartered in Ghana, EAA boasts a dynamic team with extensive expertise garnered from various corners of the globe, spanning product development, quality assurance, account management, social impact, operations, and finance. EAA collaborates with factories across West Africa to elevate technical and ethical standards to meet international benchmarks. Their clientele primarily comprises international brands hailing from Europe and the USA, all seeking to establish and expand their manufacturing presence within the African continent.

Position overview

We have a great opportunity for two Sewing Technicians with passion and product expertise to continue to develop our Company as a Model Factory in the region. We are recruiting for two distinct product specialisations:

Position 1 – Underwear & low GSM stretch fabrics (jersey/knit): Specialist in producing underwear, undergarments, lingerie and other products made from low GSM stretch fabrics including jersey knits. This role requires deep expertise in handling lightweight, elastic materials on industrial sewing lines.
Position 2 – Jackets & woven fabrics: Specialist in producing jackets and outerwear made from woven fabrics. This role requires strong expertise in structured garment construction, woven fabric handling and finishing techniques for heavier-weight products.

Both roles will be based in Koforidua which is 2 hours outside of Accra in Ghana, West Africa. Each person will report to the Production Manager and will have the following responsibilities:

Conduct risk assessments from sampling stage to smooth flow during inline in close collaboration with other department teams
Ensure that all goods meet customer specification with respect to quality i.e visual and measurement quality
Ensure proper templates are made and used inline to make quality products
Assess operators’ challenges and needs and conduct ongoing trainings to upgrade their skills
Measure the outcome of the training and retrain as needed to ensure quality and efficiency
Ensure target achievement along with the production team as per OB provided by the IE department.
Set up new lines and styles in coordination of local Technicians
Ensure on time quick style changeover and reduced ramp ups
Ensure the entire production process is fully completed on time with minimum costs
Reduce line rejection along with maintenance and production teams to avoid rejection
Reduce rework in lines along with the floor production management team.
Anticipate bottlenecks and based on continuous learning, pro-actively come up with suggestions and innovative solutions (e.g. reduction of helpers in the line).
Execute daily tasks as assigned by the Technical Director

Qualifications & Attributes

Proficiency in English (written and oral) required
Proven track record of similar position in the industry for at least 5 years
Expertise in stitching including sewing on industrial automated machines is mandatory.
Sound knowledge about machine parts, eg. feed dog, folder types and metering devices to deskill the jobs.
Experience in taking product from concept to finished production. Depending on the position applied for: (a) successful experience in producing underwear, undergarments, lingerie and low GSM stretch fabrics (jersey/knit), OR (b) successful experience in producing jackets and outerwear in woven fabrics. Please indicate clearly in your application which position you are applying for.
Experience in developing training programs and training staff
Proven leadership and experience in managing people and balancing lines
Experience of working within a developing country/region, experience in Africa a plus
Evidence of the following characteristics: Pro-activity, self awareness; resilient and adaptable; persistent and resourceful; able to work under pressure and respect deadlines, apt at both strengthening relationships and resolving problems, poised, active listener; fun to work with; full of integrity; ability to multi-task and thrive in a fast-paced environment

Benefits

Salary level dependent on candidate experience and profile
International medical and repatriation insurance in Ghana and in home country
Accommodation and transportation to/ from factory incl utilities, wifi
Annual flight allowance
25 days of annual leave in addition to Ghana national holidays
Opportunity to join a key department of an award-winning, dynamic, and mission driven organization that welcomes strategic input from all members

How to apply

These positions will start asap
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis
Please send a resume and a specific cover letter for the position to talent@ethicalapparelafrica.com with the reference in the subject line “Sew Tech 26 – Underwear” or “Sew Tech 26 – Outerwear”
Only completed applications with accurate reference will be considered and only the most qualified candidates shortlisted for interview
MGIL is dedicated to equal opportunities in employment, welcoming talents from Africa and around the world. We strongly encourage applications from women, individuals with disabilities, and ethnic minorities.

For more information: https://www.maagrace.com/ and https://www.ethicalapparelafrica.com/