Kering Direct Procurement Manager

About Kering

Kering is a global luxury group renowned for nurturing some of the world’s most influential Houses in fashion, leather goods, jewelry, and eyewear, including Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and Boucheron. As an employer, Kering offers a distinctive environment where creative excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, and long-term sustainability converge. The Group empowers its talents to shape the future of luxury through innovation, craftsmanship, and responsible business practices. With an international culture grounded in diversity, inclusion, and shared ambition, Kering provides meaningful career opportunities for professionals seeking to contribute to exceptional brands while advancing a more sustainable and imaginative luxury industry.

Role & Responsibilities

• Drive supplier strategy and processes across the Category Platform in line with the Category Platform Leader’s guidelines.
• Coordinate preferred-supplier selection for the category.
• Oversee supplier rationalization strategies within the Platform.
• Scout potential new suppliers with Brands, identifying alternative and emerging sourcing opportunities.
• Define negotiation and supplier-management best practices with the Direct Procurement Platform, including scouting, benchmarking, tenders and onboarding, and ensure their implementation within the Category.
• Advise the Platform Leader on supplier-portfolio evolution and key category trends.
• Coordinate the Analyst/Planner resources reporting to the role, ensuring data quality, timely analyses and alignment between analytical outputs and procurement decisions.
• Align supplier decisions and shared methodologies with other Category Platforms and the Direct Procurement Platform.
• Participate in Category Platform supplier negotiations with Brand experts.
• Monitor supplier performance against quality, delivery and cost KPIs, and drive corrective action plans with Brands and the Direct Procurement Excellence function when needed.
• Support continuous improvement in procurement processes by identifying inefficiencies and contributing to shared tools and ways of working across Platforms.
• Translate Platform-level guidelines into concrete decisions and ensure best practices are consistently applied within the Category.
• Coordinate a junior resource reporting directly to the role.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with the relevant category—leather goods, shoes, ready-to-wear, metal hardware or tanneries—is required.
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrix organization and manage functional and hierarchical reporting lines simultaneously.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to present and discuss procurement strategies with C-level stakeholders.
• Leadership and coordination skills, with experience managing or mentoring junior team members.
• Fluent in Italian and English; French is a plus.

Skills

Experience

12–15 years in direct procurement, strategic sourcing or supply chain management in the luxury fashion or manufacturing industry.

Education

Master’s degree in Engineering, Economics, Supply Chain, Operations, Statistics or a related discipline.

Culture

Kering fosters a dynamic, purpose-driven culture where creativity, entrepreneurship, and collaboration support the distinct identities of its luxury Houses. As an employer, the Group places strong emphasis on sustainability, diversity, and talent development, encouraging people to innovate responsibly while contributing to the future of modern luxury.

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.