Shoes Industrialisation and Transformation Specialist
Chanel seeks a Shoes Industrialisation and Transformation Specialist (Temporary) in Firenze Osmannoro, Italy — lead footwear industrialisation and supplier transfers.
Overview
Chanel is an independent French maison renowned for haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods and footwear. The brand combines artisanal savoir-faire with industrial excellence across a global manufacturing and supplier network. As an employer, Chanel emphasises meticulous quality, creative innovation and long-term relationships with skilled artisans and specialist industrial partners.
Role & Responsibilities
- Lead industrialisation of new footwear models from prototype to production readiness, defining manufacturing processes, assembly sequences and tooling requirements.
- Coordinate cross-functional teams — design, product development, sourcing, quality and production — to ensure timely transfers and compliance with technical specifications.
- Manage pilot runs and pre-production validation, troubleshooting production issues and implementing corrective actions to meet fit, function and finish criteria.
- Drive transformation initiatives to improve manufacturability, reduce lead times and optimise cost while preserving luxury quality standards.
- Interface with external suppliers and internal workshops to qualify processes, negotiate technical constraints and ensure capability transfers.
- Prepare and maintain technical dossiers, work instructions, process flow charts and industrialisation documentation for serial production.
- Monitor industrial KPIs (time-to-market, first-pass yield, scrap rates) and lead continuous improvement projects using structured problem-solving methods.
- Provide training and technical support to production teams and suppliers during ramp-up and change implementation phases.
Qualifications
- Degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Shoe Technology or equivalent technical qualification.
- Proven background in footwear industrialisation or manufacturing, ideally within the luxury or premium footwear sector.
- Strong knowledge of footwear construction, lasts, components, adhesives, and assembly techniques.
- Demonstrated project management capability, with experience managing multi-stakeholder industrial transfers.
- Ability to read and produce technical dossiers, process maps and production specifications.
- Familiarity with supplier qualification processes and production ramp-up methodologies.
- Fluent professional communication and interpersonal skills for supplier and cross-functional collaboration.
Skills
Experience
Approximately 3–5 years of hands-on experience in footwear industrialisation or production engineering, preferably within a luxury or premium manufacturing environment and with direct experience of supplier transfers and production ramp-ups.
Education
Degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Shoe Technology or comparable technical qualification.
Culture
Chanel fosters a culture of craft-led excellence and discretion, where technical precision and aesthetic quality are equally prized. Teams operate collaboratively across design and production, valuing long-term supplier partnerships and continuous improvement within a heritage-driven luxury environment.