NILGUN ATAPEK BOZACI
Istanbul
Summary
Technical services professional with strong expertise in managing complex projects and leading technical teams. Adept at troubleshooting, system optimization, and ensuring seamless operations. Highly reliable, adaptable, and results-driven with strong focus on collaboration and effective communication. Known for strategic problem-solving, proactive leadership, and deep understanding of industry standards and technologies.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
Work History
Technical Services Manager
KIABI-ITFAS
08.2020 - Current
- Responsible for both Garment Technicians & Production Engineers (Under the Technical Services umbrella)
- Planning, monitoring and implementing all quality & production related processes- product sampling (fitting) to production (Final Inspection) so as to ensure that all products displayed on the shop floor are to brand standards
- Organizing live fitting sessions for Collection buying & selection trips
- Solely responsible for the creation of technical files
- Ensure that PPM/ RA meetings are conducted in a timely manner with suppliers (Internal & External teams attending)
- To support and develop suppliers regarding quality standards and optimization of workmanship, TPM processes
- Key stakeholder for Technical Supplier Audits for new suppliers & running suppliers
- Monitoring & leading Self Declaration Certification programs (Inspection/ Lab & Technical) with Supplier base
- Manage, train, motivate and develop skills of team
- Based on monthly scorecards which consist of supplier performance for set KPI’s (Warehouse Pass Rate/ Customer Returns/ Inspection Pass Rate/ Claims/ Sample Pass Rate/ Defect Rate), implement CAP to improve performance
- Decision maker for physical & Chemical test results/ 3rd party inspections & actions
- Stakeholder for training of internal & external concerning testing & certifications (Oekotex/ Organic/ Recycled)
- Working in partnership with 3rd party Testing & certification bodies to ensure that labeling, product durability & legal requirements are met (Intertek/ BV/ Hohenstein)
- Supporting and collaborating with LO & Global (Purchasing/ Collection / Quality / SC teams)
- Acting as a Service provider for sister company Fashioncube by providing an inspection/ sampling- technical & auditing service
- Creating, monitoring & overseeing the annual budget for the team
- Research new supplier base, ensure & evaluate technical capability (New countries: Egypt/ Algeria & Uzbekistan)
Quality Assurance Director
Aster Global Textile
08.2019 - 03.2020
- Directing & driving the quality (garment & fabric) & social compliance functions of the company; (Cut-Sew Production/ Fabric Approvals & Inspection/ Fabric Technologists/ Wash-Embroidery-Print/ Internal Lab- Testing / SC team / Technical Audits- Garment & Fabric), ensuring that their focus is in alignment with company & customer goals
- Manage company quality standards, manuals, and policies to guarantee that all regional quality and product quality needs are met (Turkey & Serbia)
- Responsible for vendor management of T1 and T2 suppliers through Technical and SC audits
- Ensure adequate training and development is in place to meet the needs of the organization
- Recruit, induct, train and evaluate QA Teams
- Ownership of KPI’s in terms of reporting, the responsibility for performance and the analysis of data to drive improvement strategies
- Jointly with the Sourcing Director, build a lean and effective organization structure
- Research new supplier base, ensure & evaluate technical capability
Quality Control/ Assurance Coordinator
Arık Bey
08.2018 - 04.2019
- Managing the quality & technical functions of one the largest SPORTSWEAR BRANDS across 3 regions (Konya/ Ordu/ Istanbul)
- Responsible for all quality & technical teams (spinning/ knitting/ dyehouse- lab & inspection/ Garment- Assurance/ Control & Technical teams)
- Implement customer requirements (KPI’s/ Product Development- Samples & Size Sets/ Rİsk Assessment/ Digitalization System/ RFT/ Gantt- Preventive & Corrective Actions/ Technical Audits/ Metal Policy Audits)
Quality Assurance/ Control – Production Manager
Aster Global Textile
03.2016 - 07.2018
- Responsible for all quality & production functions (Product/ Technical & Compliance audits)
- Managing & Organizing weekly travel plans/ work load/ and training needs for team
- Resolve pattern/ cutting/ production issues
- Support and build strong working relationship for all production/ technical and quality issues, between Internal & External customers
- Management of subcontractors (vendors) to improve processes & quality & production performance
- Finding new sources & based on style/ customer requirements
- Evaluate new potential production locations and suppliers
- Plan & implement customer inspection programs to units
- Evaluate fabric performance (colour/ testing)
- Develop strong contacts with third party testing & inspection labs
- Responsible for leading and implementing Risk Analysis project within company & manufacturing units
- Preparation of Quality Documentation: Quality Stds per Customer/ Packaging Manuals/ Sub contractor Manual
- Preparation of quarterly Supplier scorecards to monitor & improve; Right First Time/ Defect %/ Customer Returns/ Ethical & Technical Audits/ Seconds %
Self Employed
04.2011 - 02.2015
- Sourcing Agent- EGYPT & TURKEY Providing a sourcing service for 3 European brands
- Development: Close relation with R&D teams
- Establish systematic communication of Vendors' performance and capabilities to R&D for allocation
- Understanding R&D's needs in sourcing
- Work closely with customers merchandising teams to manage and control all fabric development, fabric testing, product design, pattern construction and Sample making requirements stemming from new business enquiries and tendering projects
- Provide support in sampling, costing and local sourcing
- Help to resolve pricing challenges, both sample and materials
- Production: Vendor Management- relationship, capacity & compliance
- Manage overall factory loading decision based on performance of the factory
- Establish regular reporting base with customers
- Quality: Assist in promoting Quality initiatives
- Execution of customer quality policies
- Supervise & train vendor Quality Assurance Teams
- Recommend suppliers on an ongoing basis which will maximize profits whilst ensuring quality and ethical standards are not compromised
Quality Assurance & Men’s Technical Manager (Consultant)
El Shamsi for Trading & Agencies (STA)
11.2008 - 10.2009
- Quality: Enhance the quality of its final product
- Conducting audits in warehouse & inline
- Creating visibility through AQL auditing techniques for all suppliers
- Compiling Vendor & Measurement Manual
- Measurability of supplier performance through Scorecards (Monthly Quality Performance)
- Deliver monthly Cost of Quality Report
- Researching supplier base globally (apparel)
- Obtain delivery accuracy through on-time performance by reducing quality related issues
- Ensure customer satisfaction goals are met through reducing the amount of customer complaints
- Performing supplier quality evaluations for vendors, to ensure basic quality requirements are met & maintained
- Training staff members in all levels of responsibilities
- Taking a proactive approach to effectively eliminate possible manufacturing defects through Seasonal Risk Analysis Process
- Develop & deploy performance specification testing methods on a global platform either through third party or internal testing
- Create/define/standardize & deploy Quality Management procedures through company
- Create & establish product library(labeling/testing) for future references
- Establishing a claims procedure for defective goods/rework & seconds
- Organizing the handling of repairs from failed audits
- Evaluating & providing the final call for garments returned from stores
- Provide connectivity between commercial /production/warehouse through clear reporting techniques
- Technical: Responsible for fitting and sealing menswear
- Ensure garments adhere to standards of quality and sizing specifications from development through to production stage
- Attend and record regular fit meetings results for each garment into an organized format
- Together with design and product development, ensure standards of size, fit and construction are maintained to specification and consistent across collection
- Create technical and grade specifications
- Hold pre-production meetings on site in order to set standards and point out potential problems
- Write feedback and approve sealing samples
- Consult with production team regarding feedback for pre-production and production samples
- Create Technical Files: BOM/Spec/ Sheets/ Evaluation pg
- Pattern work; creating development samples, work with in-house cutters on new and existing fit blocks and shapes
- Preparing of Bimonthly progress report to Management
Quality Manager
Colins (Eroğlu A.Ş)
01.2007 - 01.2008
- Responsible for Quality Control / Assurance / Technical & Product Safety within manufacturing unit
- Building & running a physical testing lab, to ensure customer requirements are met (Nickel, Torque & tension, garment wash, MD etc...)
- Ensure that customer quality targets are meet: Through QC (inline & final AQL) and QA (system audits)
Quality Manager
Yeşim Tekstil A.Ş
01.2006 - 01.2007
- Ensure product quality through partnership of product control & quality management systems
- Drive product integrity process processes to maximize customer & consumer satisfaction and to minimize quality failure costs
- Manage and challenge factories (satellites/ Sub cons) to deliver within the set company quality targets
- Introduce and drive quality management systems at factories
- Design, develop, and implement initiatives that address chronic causes of non-conforming product or large variation in processes
- Implement Corrective and Preventive Action Process in the factories
- Lead visibility and drive awareness upon product quality with supplier reviews
- Conduct evaluations on Supplier Quality Evaluations (SQE) and Product Safety (PS) according to customer procedures
- Ensure that the results of the evaluations are implemented & sustained
- Implement risk assessment process in factories by cooperating with relevant departments
- Managing team of 30 QA & 1 Materials Quality Inspector
Quality Field Engineer
NIKE
01.2002 - 01.2006
- Help develop, execute and maintain the LO business plans & goals for Quality, based on Regional/Global Business plans & goals
- Ensure that all Apparel Product Integrity (API) Product Safety and Quality standards & requirements are fulfilled for Region/LO through the implementation and management through the API prevention process
- Work closely with suppliers to ensure understanding of quality requirement, communicate performance, establish progressive quality performance goals, and maintain action plans to achieve those goals
- My key role is to deal with supplier and style management within European/ middle- east / African regional by driving organizational metrics into the Field (Greece/ Bulgaria/ Albania/ Macedonia/ Portugal/ Turkey)
- Review and assess Sales samples/ Size sets/ Quality Reference Stds
- Direct technical team in supplier
- Thorough understanding of grade rules & pattern
- Liaison with Development teams concern technical issues
- Deliver quality product with speed and agility through supply chain excellence – Product Safety, Supplier Quality Evaluations, Certified Quality Auditor and other API projects and processes
- Implementation/ Training & Maintenance of the Material Quality Process (MQP) within the region
Technical Finishing Manager/Quality Control Manager
Deniz Tekstil, Boya Terbiye San. Ve Tic A.Ş
12.2000 - 10.2001
- Implementation of standard processing conditions within the fabric-finishing Department
- Development of standard operating procedures and Identifying/ directing training requirements
- Productivity and efficiency project improvement management
- Ensuring that all methods and systems are according to specification
- R & D on fabric performance (water rep/ Anti flam/ Anti Bac
- / etc.)
- Pad Batch (Woven/ Knits) experience
- Supervision of technicians in attaining NEXT Lab
- Accreditation
Production Engineer
Özbucak Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.
07.1999 - 07.2000
- Undertaking duties given by the Finishing, Preparation and Dyeing Managers
- Tasks involved; Inputting and monitoring values of Standard Operating Procedures into the AS400 system, Recording, monitoring and analyzing of trials within the Dye and Finishing Departments, Writing Standard Operating Procedures, Aiding in the calibration of Machinery, Translating manuals and documents
Laboratory Assistant
Australian Wool Testing Authority
09.1997 - 04.1998
- Providing certification for raw material sold by brokers/ bought by suppliers to be used in various industries through testing
- Assessing wool quality and defining grading for samples received
- Sample preparation and testing in the raw wool laboratory against international standards
- Developed analytical, problem solving and research skills
Assistant Chemist
CRODA Adhesives AUSTRALIA
01.1996 - 01.1997
- Duties included monitoring and recording the progression of on-going experiments
- Dealt with water based and hot melt adhesives
- Tests performed for; Viscosity (Brookfield LVT/RVT), Solids, Foaming, Reticulation and Specific Gravity (S.G
- Density)
Education
Professional TESOL Certificate - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
12.2011
CQE -
American Society for Quality
01.2005
Bachelor of Science - Chemistry
Victoria University of Technology
01.1997
Skills
Problem Solving
Analytic Reasoning
Communication
Continuous Learning
Agility & Flexibility
Leadershıp
Trainingprogramscourses
- Developing Managerial Skills (Partner Consulting)
- Visual Factory Management (Lean Institute)
- Quality Management Tools (Consultancy: KDI Belgium)
- Statistical Process Control & Problem Solving Techniques (Sigma Center)
- RAM Consultancy US (Part of Intertek Group). (Risk Analysis & Management)
- Product Safety (Intensive Course- RAM)
- Train the trainer- NIKE
- SQE Auditor (Supplier Quality Evaluations) NIKE
- ISO 9000 (version 2000) Internal Auditor Certificate
- Attended ROTA Workshops: Learning as a team (Lab.)/ Train the trainer
- Bureau Veritas: ISO 9001/ 14000 Quality Systems
- Leadership Training Kiabi- 2023/ 2024
- Soft Skills Training- 2024
Currentresidency
Istanbul, TURKEY
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 09/01/74
- Nationality: Australian Turkish
- Driving License: B
References
- Gökhan Güler, Outsourcing Office Manager at Ermenegildo Zegna Group, 0533 433 3938
- Ulku Ozkan, Shirt by Shirt, Management & Admin. Co-ordinator 0546 962 2080
- Yalin Bamac, Social Compliance Manager KIABI, 0545 870 6746
Other
English, Turkish, B
Languages
English, Turkish
Native language
Timeline
Technical Services Manager
KIABI-ITFAS
08.2020 - Current
Quality Assurance Director
Aster Global Textile
08.2019 - 03.2020
Quality Control/ Assurance Coordinator
Arık Bey
08.2018 - 04.2019
Quality Assurance/ Control – Production Manager
Aster Global Textile
03.2016 - 07.2018
Self Employed
04.2011 - 02.2015
Quality Assurance & Men’s Technical Manager (Consultant)
El Shamsi for Trading & Agencies (STA)
11.2008 - 10.2009
Quality Manager
Colins (Eroğlu A.Ş)
01.2007 - 01.2008
Quality Manager
Yeşim Tekstil A.Ş
01.2006 - 01.2007
Quality Field Engineer
NIKE
01.2002 - 01.2006
Technical Finishing Manager/Quality Control Manager
Deniz Tekstil, Boya Terbiye San. Ve Tic A.Ş
12.2000 - 10.2001
Production Engineer
Özbucak Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.
07.1999 - 07.2000
Laboratory Assistant
Australian Wool Testing Authority
09.1997 - 04.1998
Assistant Chemist
CRODA Adhesives AUSTRALIA
01.1996 - 01.1997
CQE -
American Society for Quality
Bachelor of Science - Chemistry
Victoria University of Technology