Footwear production manager

Footwear production managers plan, distribute, and coordinate all necessary activities of the different footwear manufacturing phases ensuring the adherence to quality standards and production and productivity pre-defined goals.

The following job titles also refer to footwear production manager:

footwear and sportswear production manager
production planning manager
fashion production manager
head of footwear production

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as footwear production manager. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Footwear production manager is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to footwear production manager.

footwear quality manager
leather goods quality manager
leather goods industrial engineer
footwear product development manager
footwear designer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of footwear production manager. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of footwear production manager with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of footwear production manager.

Footwear finishing techniques: The related machinery, tools, chemicals and mechanical finishing procedures applied to footwear manufacturing.
Health and safety in the workplace: The body of rules, procdeures and regulations related to safety, health and welfare of people in their workplace. 
Footwear bottoms pre-assembly: The equipment and techniques used for the preparation of bottom components in the footwear industry, including soles, heels, insoles, etc.
Assembling processes and techniques for cemented footwear construction: Technology, equipment, machines and tools for lasting and soling in case of cemented footwear constructions.
Pre-stitching processes and techniques for footwear and leather goods: Technology including machinery and techniques for the preparation for leather goods components and footwear uppers.
Assembling processes and techniques for california footwear construction: Technology, equipment, machines and tools for assembling california footwear construction type.
Footwear materials: The characteristics, components, advantages and limitations of a wide range of materials used in footwear production: leather, leather substitutes (synthetics or artificial materials), textile, plastic, rubber etc. 
Manual cutting processes for leather: Cutting rules, variance of the leather properties on its surface and elongation directions of the footwear pieces.
Assembling processes and techniques for goodyear footwear construction: Technology, equipment, machines and tools for assembling Goodyear footwear construction types.
Footwear stitching techniques: The technologies, equipment, machines and processes for closing the upper components of footwear by various seams such as closed, lapped, butted, welted, piped and moccasin.
Footwear manufacturing technology: Footwear processes technology and machinery involved. The footwear manufacturing starts in the cutting/clicking room , cutting the uppers and bottom components. The upper components are joined together in the closing room by following a precise order of specific operations: skiving, folding, sewing etc. The closed upper, the insole and other bottom components are brought together in the assembling room, where the main operations are lasting and soling. The process ends with finishing operations in the finishing and packing room.
Footwear uppers pre-assembly: The equipment and techniques used for pre-assembling operations of uppers in the footwear industry.
Footwear quality: Quality specifications of materials, processes and final products, the most common defects in footwear, quick tests procedures, laboratory tests procedures and standards, adequate equipment for quality checks. Quality assurance of footwear production processes and fundamental concepts on quality including footwear quality framework and standards.
Footwear components: Footwear components both for uppers (vamps, quarters, linings, stiffeners, toe puffs etc.) and bottoms (soles, heels, insoles etc.). Ecological concerns and the importance of recycling. Selection of suitable materials and components based on their influence on the footwear style and characteristics, properties and manufacturability. Procedures and methods in chemical and mechanical processing of leather and non-leather materials.

These skills are necessary for the role of footwear production manager.

Exert a goal-oriented leadership role towards colleagues: Embrace a leadership role in the organisation and with colleagues as to provide coaching and direction to subordinates aiming at the achievement of specific objectives.
Practice innovative thinking in the footwear and leather goods industries: Innovate and create in the footwear and leather goods sector. Evaluate new ideas and concepts to turn them into marketable products. Use entrepreneurial thinking in all stages of the product and process development to identify new business opportunities for the targeted markets.
Plan footwear manufacture: Design the manufacturing process for each footwear model. Plan the stages of footwear manufacturing and operations for production. Plan the usage of materials and footwear components. Select machines and equipment. Plan the workforce. Calculate direct and indirect costs associated with manufacturing. Plan the maintenance of machines and equipment.
Reduce environmental impact of footwear manufacturing: Assess the environmental impact of footwear manufacture and minimise environmental risks. Reduce environmentally harmful work practices in different stages of the footwear manufacturing.
Calculate the productivity of the production of footwear and leather goods: Analyse the footwear and leather goods production capacity and collect information concerning human and technological resources. Follow the production process and make adjustments to the work methods and operative times according to the technical specification of the model, human resources and equipment. Optimise the production lines and increase the productivity.
Plan supply chain logistics for footwear and leather goods: Plan, organise and monitor logistics and supply chain activities based on the footwear or leather goods company’s main objectives regarding quality, cost, delivery, and flexibility.
Communicate commercial and technical issues in foreign languages: Speak one or more foreign languages in order to communicate commercial and technical issues with various suppliers and clients.
Manage production of footwear or leather goods: Plan the production of footwear or leather goods according to the company’s objectives, deadlines and available resources. Distribute, coordinate and control all activities and the various production phases using information from technical sheets and organisation and methods. Strive to optimise quality, productivity and safety. Collaborate with all linked departments. Report on production, quality, productivity deviations and propose corrective measures.
Use communication techniques: Apply techniques of communication which allow interlocutors to better understand each other and communicate accurately in the transmission of messages.
Prepare footwear samples: Create, test and verify prototypes or samples of footwear against a predefined set of criteria throughout all stages of the manufacturing process. Revise the initial design concepts and implement technical improvements.
Work in textile manufacturing teams: Work harmoniously with colleagues in teams in the textile and clothing manufacturing industries.
Use technical documentation: Understand and use technical documentation in the overall technical process.
Use it tools: Application of computers, computer networks and other information technologies and equipment to storing, retrieving, transmitting and manipulating data, in the context of a business or enterprise.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of footwear production manager. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Automatic cutting systems for footwear and leather goods: The use and description of automatic systems technologies used in footwear and leather goods industry such as laser cutting, knife cutting, punch cutting, mill cutting, ultra-sound cutting, water jet cutting and the cutting machinery such as swing beam cutting presses, traveling head die cutting presses or strap cutting machines.
Footwear equipments: Functionality of the wide range of equipments and the basic rules of regular maintenance.
Footwear machinery: Tthe functionality of the wide range of machines, and the basic rules of regular maintenance.
Footwear creation process: Footwear creation projects starting from inspiration to technical design and manufacturing by following several stages. Latest trends in footwear materials, components, processes, and concepts.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of footwear production manager. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Operate automatic cutting systems for footwear and leather goods: Work with the equipment’s software. Digitise and mark the leather areas with faults in order to avoid them. Establish nesting and cutting restrictions for each pattern. Pick up, sort, upload patterns, check and complete cutting orders. Adjust the machines and equipment parameters and perform simple procedures for maintenance.
Apply footwear bottoms pre-assembling techniques: Split, scour surfaces, reduce sole edges, rough, brush, apply primings, halogenate the soles, degrease etc. Use both manual dexterity and machinery. When using machines, adjust their working parameters.
Apply machine cutting techniques for footwear and leather goods: Adjust and establish the machine technical operating parameters for cutting footwear and leather goods. Check and select the cutting dies, classification of the cut pieces against cutting restrictions, specifications and quality requirements. Check and complete the cutting orders. Perform simple procedures for maintenance of machines.
Coordinate finishing room in footwear manufacturing: Coordinate the flow of materials and footwear components. Manage orders and organise the activity of the finishing room. Distribute machinery, operations and workers. Manage and optimise production and materials. Divide and organise pieces and components according to the footwear model or size and send them directly to the warehouse. Organise in-process quality control.
Coordinate closing room in footwear manufacturing: Coordinate the flow of materials and footwear components. Manage orders and organise the activity of the closing room. Distribute machinery, operations and workers. Manage and optimise production and materials. Divide and organise pieces and components according to the footwear model or size and send them directly to the assembling room or to the warehouse. Organise in-process quality control.
Apply assembling techniques for cemented footwear construction: Be able to pull the uppers over the last and fix the lasting allowance on insole, manually or by special machines for forepart lasting, waist lasting, and seat lasting. Apart from the main group of lasting operations, the responsibilities of those assembling footwear cemented types may include the following: bottom cementing and sole cementing, heat setting, sole attaching and pressing, chilling, brushing and polishing, last slipping (before or after finishing operations) and heel attaching etc.
Coordinate assembling room in footwear manufacturing: Coordinate the flow of materials and footwear components. Manage orders and organise the activity of the assembling room. Distribute machinery, operations and workers. Manage and optimise production and materials. Divide and organise pieces and components according to the footwear model or size and send them directly to the finishing room or to the warehouse. Organise in-process quality control.
Determine footwear warehouse layout: Select the suitable warehouse layouts according to the specific conditions of the footwear company. Plan the warehouse layout. Implement the warehouse management system.
Manage footwear quality systems: Manage the company quality system. Create or elaborate the quality manual. Carry out the established requirements and objectives included in the quality policy. Foster internal and external communication, including customer satisfaction follow-up. Define and control the implementation of corrective and preventive measures. Foster the continuous improvement of the quality system and quality manual.
Coordinate cutting room in footwear manufacturing: Coordinate the flow of materials and footwear components. Manage orders and organise the activity of the cutting room. Distribute machinery, operations and workers. Manage and optimise production and materials. Divide and organise pieces and components according to the footwear model or size and send them directly to the closing room or to the warehouse. Organise in-process quality control.

1321 – Manufacturing managers

 

 

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References

1. Footwear production manager – ESCO