Chanel Senior Operational Excellence Manager
Chanel is hiring a Senior Operational Excellence Manager in Shanghai to lead continuous improvement across operations.
Overview
Chanel is an independent French luxury house renowned for haute couture, ready-to-wear, accessories, fragrance and beauty. Globally recognized for uncompromising quality and craftsmanship, the brand operates a vertically integrated business spanning design, production, distribution and retail. As an employer, Chanel emphasizes discretion, artisanal standards and cross-disciplinary collaboration across its global organization.
Role & Responsibilities
- Design, lead and scale operational excellence programs across manufacturing, distribution and retail operations in Greater China, aligning initiatives to Chanel’s quality and brand standards.
- Develop and deploy Lean Six Sigma methodologies, process mapping, value-stream analysis and Kaizen events to reduce waste, shorten lead times and improve reliability.
- Establish and monitor KPIs, dashboards and governance to track program impact and ensure sustainable performance improvement.
- Sponsor and manage cross-functional projects with supply chain, production, planning, quality, retail and finance stakeholders; secure senior stakeholder alignment and remove barriers to delivery.
- Coach and develop local teams in problem-solving techniques, change management and continuous-improvement mindset; build internal capability and knowledge transfer.
- Lead audits, standards harmonization and best-practice rollouts; ensure solutions respect artisanal processes and brand-specific quality controls.
Qualifications
- Lean Six Sigma certification (Black Belt preferred) or demonstrable equivalent experience in continuous-improvement methodologies.
- Proven experience leading complex cross-functional projects and driving organizational change within operations.
- Strong analytical capability with experience building and managing operational KPIs and performance dashboards.
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders and to translate strategic objectives into executable operational plans.
- Fluency in corporate reporting and governance for project portfolios, including risk mitigation and benefit realisation tracking.
Skills
Experience
Typically 8+ years in operations, supply chain or manufacturing continuous-improvement roles with at least 3 years in a leadership or program-management capacity; prior experience in luxury goods, fashion, cosmetics or high-quality manufacturing preferred.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain or equivalent; a Master’s degree or MBA is advantageous.
Workplace
This position is based in Shanghai, Shanghai, China. Cerulean lists 414 open roles in Shanghai, including 17 posted recently. The broader Shanghai area accounts for 440 active listings on Cerulean, 18 of which are new. In China as a whole, Cerulean currently features 1.773 open positions, with 30 posted this week.
Culture
Chanel’s workplace culture prizes craftsmanship, discretion and aesthetic excellence, with a strong emphasis on quality and heritage. Teams operate collaboratively across functions and geographies, balancing entrepreneurial initiative with rigorous standards and respect for artisanal processes.
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.