Director of Women's Footwear Design & Development

KNS International • Full-time • Draper, UT, US • $130k - $160k / year • 3m ago

JOURNEE BRAND

At Journee, we are dedicated to making the search for the perfect shoe effortless, empowering and celebrating women at every step. At the heart of our mission is the creation of footwear that seamlessly blends style and fit, honoring each moment and milestone. We're looking for individuals to join us in this commitment, to design not just shoes, but symbols of support and celebration for every step a woman takes.

Join us as we redefine what it means to find the perfect shoe.

The Director of Design and Development at Journee is a pivotal leadership position that drives the creative and strategic direction of our footwear line. In this role, you will be at the forefront of innovation, leading a talented team to bring cutting-edge designs to life while staying true to the brand's essence. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Sourcing, Merchandising, Marketing, and Sales, to ensure that each product not only meets the high standards of style and fit but also resonates with our customers' desires and needs.

As the Director, you will be responsible for steering the end-to-end product development process, from initial concept through to market launch. You will lead efforts in trend analysis, material innovation, and design execution, ensuring that every product embodies the brand's commitment to empowering and celebrating women. Your role is crucial in maintaining Journee Collection's competitive edge by driving both creative excellence and operational efficiency. If you are a visionary leader with a passion for fashion footwear and a knack for balancing creativity with strategic business objectives, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Responsibilities:

Spearhead the creative direction, design, color selection, material innovation, and footwear development for a product line that embodies the brand's essence. Ensure that the brand remains distinct and competitive by driving innovation and maintaining a deep understanding of brand positioning.
Utilize the strengths of the product team to capitalize on business opportunities. Foster collaboration with Sourcing, Merchandising, Marketing, and Sales teams to achieve shared objectives.
Lead the GTM process from a design and development standpoint, ensuring all milestones in the GTM calendar are met punctually. This role requires significant travel, including time spent in China with our factory partners, to oversee production, ensure quality, and drive innovation on-site.
Work with the President to identify growth categories, plan responsible SKU growth, and expand key trends within the business
Create and curate product lines that seamlessly blend current trends, brand identity, and merchandising requirements for each season.
Identify and establish trends, effectively communicating insights to designers and product teams to guide creative direction.
Work closely with brand manager and marketing teams to ensure that storytelling is integrated from the outset and that it is visually aligned with product categories.
Provide leadership and direction to the team through coaching, performance management, and effective supervision.
Travel domestically and internationally to manage seasonal processes, gather collection inspiration, conduct trend and market research, and benchmark against industry standards.
Work hand in hand with the Journee China team on the development of shoes.
Ensure that product designs are executed within target costs and margin requirements, maintaining financial efficiency.
Monitor the design and development schedule to ensure timely completion according to the product development calendar.
Collaborate with the VP of Sourcing to execute the product development calendar, ensuring adherence to key milestone deadlines.
Identify and execute opportunities for process improvements to enhance efficiency and product quality.
Oversee all detail and hardware designs, ensuring they add significant value both on the shelf and in virtual presentations.
Possess a deep understanding of market leaders in the footwear industry and competitor key items that drive fashion and functional appeal.
Identify and develop new category opportunities to achieve long-term growth objectives.
Develop, communicate, and manage seasonal category metrics, including SKU count, productivity, and gross margin.
Collaborate with key business leaders to develop compelling product strategies that resonate with consumers and differentiate the brand from competitors.
Partner with overseas teams to ensure that product samples are created according to specifications.
Possess diverse construction skills, including cement, injection, and strobel techniques.
Bring innovative ideas to senior management to reduce costs and improve time efficiency.
Lead seasonal material and product innovation initiatives from their inception through to market launch.

Required Qualifications:

University or four-year college degree in apparel/fashion design or equivalent work experience
A minimum of 10 years of professional experience designing footwear in the fashion and casual industry. Strong record of people management.
High degree of proficiency in Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign
Strong knowledge of technical and design needs to build exceptional product focused on trend, fit, details, and margin.
Practical knowledge of other functions such as sourcing, production, sales, marketing and merchandising
Extensive industry and consumer trend knowledge in the footwear industry
Extensive experience working with factories and product development teams, technology and construction innovation
Experience with PU, textiles, trims, product development, and quality requirements
Presentation/speaking skills – able to present and sell to all levels of the organization as well as the customer, communicating a clear and inspiring vision
Demonstrated collaboration, interpersonal influence, and teamwork skills (maintains effective communication and working relationships)
Able to travel up to 30% of the year, including international travel to factories
Results oriented while exhibiting great energy and resourcefulness
Passion for design in the fashion footwear industry

Benefits:

Get ready to experience a unique work environment where talent is rewarded, and the sky is the limit! Here at KNS International, you will discover a culture of creative and business-minded individuals who come together to create a high-functioning work environment that prides itself on providing an optimal work/life balance and abundant opportunity for growth.