Chief Operating Officier (COO)

Job Title: Chief Operating Officier (COO)

 

Location: Florence
Department: Operations
Reports to: CEO / Board of Directors
Contract Type: Full-time / Permanent

Role Overview

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will be responsible for overseeing and optimizing operational activities. This includes managing production, supply chain, distribution, and retail and digital operations. Working closely with the CEO and the leadership team, the COO will implement strategies to support the brand’s growth while maintaining the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship. The COO will develop and execute the manufacturing and procurement strategy to deliver excellence in service levels, high-quality products, and achieve margin and inventory objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the execution of relevant strategies for demand, logistics, shipping, production, and sourcing that provide competitive advantage and contribute to financial plans, inventory investment, and service level goals
• Develop and implement global operational strategies aligned with company goals
• Evaluate and design supply chains, streamline production capabilities and capacity to reduce overall costs
• Oversee the manufacturing department, focusing on cost reduction and increased productivity. Lead and manage the restructuring, relocation, or transformation of production plants to support operational efficiency, business expansion, or strategic repositioning
• Guide the design and management of operational processes, promote continuous business process improvement, and leverage IT solutions including AI to measure the effectiveness of various supply chain components. Publish and monitor performance using appropriate functional scorecards
• Integrate and optimally manage relationships between forecasting, production planning, lead times, inventory turnover, time-to-market, and customer service deliverables
• Develop and implement a Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process that delivers competitive advantage by optimizing systems and processes through a global perspective and business goals, selecting and adapting S&OP concepts to align with customer expectations
• Develop and manage strategic relationships with sourcing partners to mutually enhance capabilities, improve processes, and reduce costs
• Develop and establish a global fulfillment network (Europe and USA) to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction
• Take responsibility for sales administration and enhance the overall customer service experience
• Lead the management team and all direct reports with clear, performance-oriented objectives. Strengthen leadership and managerial skills within the teams
• Ensure compliance with safety protocols and environmental regulations throughout manufacturing processes
• Oversee financial operations by analyzing the Profit & Loss statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Forecast, identifying areas for improvement and trend shift

Candidate Requirements

• Proven experience as a COO or in another senior general management position
• Experience in the luxury industry – knowledge of the knitwear and ready-to-wear (RTW) sectors is a significant plus
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Solid business acumen and understanding of corporate finance (ambitious growth plans)
• Business strategist: able to plan and manage multimillion-dollar projects by aligning business objectives with technological solutions to drive process improvements, competitive advantage, and bottom-line growth
• Expert in both agile and traditional (waterfall) project management methodologies. Defines the best-suited processes and tools for each project, creating detailed roadmaps, plans, schedules, and work breakdown structures.
• Recognized for delivering high-quality results on time and within budget
• Seasoned business leader with a strong focus on people development 
• Fluent in both Italian and English

What We Offer:

A key leadership role in the growth and transformation of a luxury brand undergoing international expansion, a dynamic, excellence-driven environment with a strong focus on craftsmanship and quality.

Competitive compensation package based on experience, opportunities for professional growth and strategic impact.