Senior Manager of Production, Footwear

KHAITE is a way of looking at the world. Shaped by formative encounters, cultural touchstones, and secret desires, this point of view comes to life through womenswear and accessories that find confidence in contrast. Each piece proposes a fresh balance of opposing elements- masculine and feminine, strength and softness, structure and fluidity- while embodying a signature sensuality and ease. 

Founded in 2016 by creative director Catherine Holstein and based in New York, KHAITE evolves with each season, building upon a foundation of robust yet polished items distinguished by exceptional materials, exquisite craftsmanship, and subtle yet striking details. 

We are looking for a Senior Manager of Production, Footwear to join the KHAITE team. This role will report to the Head of Non-Apparel and will be based in Italy (Florence preferred). This role will support the full production lifecycle for KHAITE’s footwear category, ensuring timely delivery, uncompromising quality, and operational excellence. Based in Italy, this role will lead vendor relationships, assist with production calendar management, and drive execution from development handover through final delivery for the footwear category. The ideal candidate is highly experienced in luxury footwear production, deeply connected to Italian factories and suppliers, and adept at balancing creative vision with operational precision.

• →Manage the end-to-end production process, in partnership with our NY team and Italian development team, from development handover to bulk delivery
• →Manage vendor relationships across Italian factories and suppliers, ensuring KHAITE quality standards and in-time delivery
• →Negotiate costs, lead times, and capacities with factories and vendors while maintain quality and brand integrity
• →Lead industrialization fittings with technicians to achieve fit consistency across all typography of footwear in the collection
• →Build fit and grading standards for KHAITE collection
• →Build raw material standards for KHAITE collection
• →Standardize quality control SOP for all raw material and finish goods vendors
• →Supervise quality control processes, including fit, construction, and finishing standards, with weekly factory visits
• →Ensure raw material procurement aligns with production timelines
• →Troubleshoot production issues and propose proactive solutions to mitigate delays or quality risks
• →Maintain accurate reporting on production status, costs, and vendor performance
• →Build, mentor and manage a small production & quality control team based in Italy

• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills
• Highly organized with attention to detail and ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication skills and culture fit with New York Team
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with shifting priorities
• Strong problem-solving and sense of urgency required
• Strong team player

• 10+ years of experience in luxury footwear production, with strong expertise in Italian manufacturing required
• Deep knowledge of luxury footwear construction, materials, and quality standards
• Established relationships with Italian factories, suppliers, and tanneries
• Proven track record of managing production calendar and budgets with precision
• Proficiency in PLM; RLM is a plus
• Bilingual in Italian and English required
• Weekly travel to Italian factories required

Please note: This job description does not list all the duties of the job. Employees may be asked by management to perform other duties. The employer has the right to revise this job description at any time.

• Creativity ~ We are always imagining, never imitating.
• Integrity ~ We do the right thing.
• Kindness ~ We value people and their ideas, so we act and speak with compassion.
• Agility ~ We move with intention, flexibility, and speed to stay ahead.
• Tenacity ~ We are insatiable. Our drive is relentless.