Richemont Industrial Performance Leader — Décolletage
- Location
- Plan-les-OuatesGenevaSwitzerland
- Seniority
- Manager
- Industry
- Fine Watches & Horology
- Posted
- May 13, 2026
About Richemont
Richemont is a Swiss luxury goods holding company with a portfolio of maisons renowned for high-watchmaking, jewellery and accessories. As an employer, Richemont emphasises artisanal excellence, precision manufacturing and long-term investment in technical skills across its production sites, including operations centred on precision turning and component manufacture.
Richemont — Plan-les-Ouates: Industrial Performance Leader (Décolletage) to drive continuous improvement in precision turning operations.
Role & Responsibilities
- Define and deploy industrial performance strategy for décolletage (precision turning) operations to improve OEE, reduce cycle times and lower cost-per-part.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Kaizen and structured problem-solving methodologies (e.g., DMAIC) across workshops and toolrooms.
- Manage cross-functional projects with production, maintenance, tooling engineering and quality to resolve bottlenecks and deliver measurable KPIs.
- Establish and monitor performance dashboards, KPIs and escalation procedures; present results to site leadership and recommend corrective actions.
- Coach and develop production teams and frontline leaders on standardised work, SMED, poka-yoke and root-cause analysis.
- Coordinate with supply-chain and engineering to optimise part flows, tool inventories and preventive maintenance schedules.
- Ensure compliance with safety, quality and traceability requirements specific to watchmaking and precision components.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, industrial engineering or equivalent technical qualification, or advanced apprenticeship in décolletage/precision machining.
- Proven track record in décolletage, CNC/bar-turning or precision component manufacturing within watchmaking or similar high-precision industries.
- Demonstrated experience leading continuous improvement programmes and delivering quantifiable productivity and quality gains.
- Experience managing cross-functional projects and influencing stakeholders at shop-floor and management levels.
- Lean and Six Sigma training or certification preferred.
Skills
Experience
Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in precision turning or décolletage operations, with at least 2 years leading improvement projects or small teams in a high-precision manufacturing environment (watchmaking preferred).
Education
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering, technical diploma, or equivalent vocational qualification; advanced apprenticeship in décolletage or precision machining acceptable.
Workplace
This position is based in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland, within easy reach of Geneva.
Culture
Richemont's production sites combine traditional craftsmanship with modern industrial methods; the culture values meticulous attention to detail, continuous skills development and collaborative problem solving. Teams operate in a performance-driven environment where engineering rigour and artisan know-how are both highly prized.
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 Richemont, 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 «Industrial Performance Leader (Bar Turning)», «Continuous Improvement Manager — Turning Operations», «Production Performance Lead — Décolletage», «Manufacturing Excellence Leader — Precision Turning», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.