Director, Technical Footwear
Core
Lead the technical design team to drive footwear product development from concept to production, ensuring technical feasibility, quality, and cost targets across Coach and Kate Spade New York.
Role type
Director, Technical Footwear (Senior Leadership)
Builds
Footwear products (women, men, kids) including Dress, Casual, Sneakers, Jellies, Flip Flop, Vulcanized, and Injected styles
Domain
Footwear design, construction, and manufacturing
Required skills
Footwear construction expertise, material specification, manufacturing process knowledge, blueprint reading, Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop proficiency, team leadership, cross-functional collaboration, risk assessment, SOP development
Preferred skills
Advanced degree in Footwear/Industrial Design, experience in global/multi-cultural environments, knowledge of specific footwear typologies
Technologies
Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop
Responsibilities
Lead and manage the footwear technical design team; oversee technical specifications and prototype reviews; partner with suppliers for sourcing; conduct risk assessments; establish standard operating procedures; drive product and process innovation; manage team hiring, training, and succession planning
Seniority
Director, strategic leadership with hands-on technical oversight