Burberry Manager, Raw Materials
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Manager
- Department
- Supply Chain, Logistics & Inventory
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- Jul 2, 2026
About Burberry
Burberry Limited, a quintessentially British luxury fashion house, is renowned for its innovative designs and commitment to quality. As part of the global luxury conglomerate, Burberry offers a dynamic and inclusive work environment where creativity and excellence are at the forefront. The company is dedicated to fostering a culture that encourages diversity and sustainability, making it a leader in the luxury industry.
Burberry Florence: Manager, Raw Materials for Shoes. Lead materials development and procurement for luxury footwear collections.
Role & Responsibilities
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships with Design team, acting as technical authority in raw materials meetings and ensuring design vision is translated into viable product specifications
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with vendors, leveraging knowledge of vendor capabilities and availability to meet collection demands
- Lead research and development of new raw material concepts and technologies including sample development, colourway refinement, and collaborative liaison with mills on innovative designs
- Establish and implement critical path timelines in conjunction with Product Development and Design teams, identifying and mitigating risks whilst ensuring adherence to deadlines
- Manage end-to-end procurement of raw materials, ensuring on-time delivery, conformance to quality standards, and achievement of target cost margins
- Oversee product functionality, consistency and standardisation throughout the development process, conducting ongoing risk assessments and implementing corrective actions
- Collaborate with Operations teams during collection development, leveraging technical expertise whilst negotiating aesthetic refinements to protect design integrity
- Support vendor production meetings and manage technical requirements for prototypes and samples in preparation for full-scale production
- Maintain accurate and comprehensive records in PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) systems at all times
Qualifications
- Advanced technical knowledge of leather processes, including tannery operations, finishing, dyeing and treatment methodologies
- Advanced technical knowledge of fabric processes, including woven fabrics, cottons, wools, technical materials, coatings, prints and technical embellishments
- Demonstrated expertise in footwear product development and materials specification
- Proven experience managing vendor relationships and delivering clear technical briefs
- Proficiency in critical path management and risk mitigation in product development environments
- Strong commercial awareness with proven ability to balance creative vision against cost implications
- Extensive on-site experience working with vendors and operational knowledge of manufacturing facilities
- Expert-level communication and negotiation skills with ability to influence cross-functional teams
- In-depth knowledge of fashion trends, luxury market dynamics and competitive landscape
- Proficiency with PLM systems and Microsoft Excel
Skills
Experience
Extensive experience in raw materials procurement and product development within luxury fashion, with demonstrated expertise in footwear materials management. Proven track record of successful vendor partnership development, technical problem-solving in materials specification, and cross-functional collaboration in design-driven environments.
Education
Tertiary qualification in fashion design, materials science, textile engineering, or related discipline; or equivalent professional experience in luxury goods product development demonstrating equivalent technical knowledge.
Workplace
This position is based in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
Culture
Burberry fosters a creative and inclusive workplace culture that values diversity and sustainability. The company is committed to being a force for good, driving industry change and championing community engagement.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Burberry, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Materials Development Manager», «Raw Materials Specialist», «Procurement Manager – Materials», «Technical Materials Lead», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.