Senior Designer, Men's Footwear, Casual & Hybrid

ABOUT US:

Cole Haan became an independently owned company again in 2013 and is growing rapidly in the US and abroad. We have earned a unique leadership position in the marketplace as a pioneer of goods that are as functional and versatile as they are crafted—most notably through our ZerøGrand and GrandSeries products. We are reinventing the world of modern footwear, handbags and accessories for consumers who seek style, versatility, and innovative comfortable function in their products.

The company’s worldwide headquarters is in Greenland, NH, with offices in New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Amsterdam, Dubai and sourcing offices in Asia. Cole Haan is sold in more than 500 retail stores globally, digital platforms around the world and within our department store and specialty retail partners.

We seek hard-working team members who are entrepreneurial-minded, solutions-oriented who accept and own accountability, model integrity, value individuality and diversity, encourage teamwork and inspire creativity.

TITLE: Senior Designer, Men’s Footwear, Casual & Hybrid

JOB MISSION:

The Senior Designer, Men’s Footwear, Casual & Hybrid categories will report to the Director of Design. The ideal candidate needs to be a highly creative problem solver, who doesn’t settle for anything less than the best design solutions. Their primary role will be to envision, create, and develop premium, recognizable, and brand relevant products at the intersection of technical innovation and style, informed by culture, including sport, art, and music.

Cole Haan Designers look to the future, pursuing ideas, silhouette, stance, materials, color, and forms that further elevate our product stories and our consumer experience, raising the bar for modern style and creating tomorrow’s icons.

CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Under the management of the Design Director, the Senior Footwear Designer will lead, design and develop product that is industry leading and innovative with elegant seasonal Cole Haan concepting, story-telling, and technical development
• Partner with Product Line Managers in the creation of line plans, briefs and final product solutions aligned with business goals, consumer needs (style and function), and brand stories
• Collaborate and communicate across multiple teams to create strong market relevant product stories across disciplines
• Responsible for producing CADs, line art, technical packages, and presentation materials that effectively communicate product concepts and the creative strategy for men’s footwear internally.
• Partner with Product Development to create market relevant products across multiple categories
• Deliver on-time product solutions in conjunction with the product calendar and business needs ensuring that all deadlines, line plans and deliverables are met
• Provide and present timely and relevant business, design, consumer, and cultural storytelling in conjunction with specific projects and briefs
• Lead in the development of appropriate sell in tools to effectively communicate concepts and strategies
• Study and research current and future trends; maintain expert knowledge in design trends, production techniques, and new technologies
• Conduct research onsite and off to bring new ideas to the category and brand
• Special projects as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design or related field preferred
• 7+ years of experience in footwear design
• Energetic, inspiring, creative, forward-thinking, and enthusiastic about design
• Self-motivated and equally comfortable working within a team – must be a team player
• Organized, structured, asks questions and seeks understanding first
• Pushes oneself to exceed expectations
• Excels at being adaptable, versatile, and able to work under pressure to tight deadlines
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, take initiative, and pay close attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Must have an exceptional knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite – Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign
• Must be proficient in creating line art and color cads in Illustrator
• Working knowledge of Macintosh systems, Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint), Outlook, and PLM
• Must have traditional hands-on footwear development skills – Prototype corrections, materials, techpacks, specs
• Strong knowledge of current fashion and sport market trends with an understanding of Cole Haan product image and quality
• Must be able to travel both domestically and internationally

***Please submit applications with link to online portfolio or work samples***

This position is not available to be performed in Colorado.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Cole Haan is committed to meeting the spirit as well as the letter of the law. We have been, and continue to be, committed to Equal Opportunity Employment and equal treatment of all qualified individuals -- regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, disability, or any other factors that are not job related.