Manager, Product Creation Footwear 2 (Creation Center)

Manages a designated Lifestyle footwear product portfolio within the Lifestyle Creation Centre. It creates and executes designated areas of responsibility for the lifestyle business model as defined by the FTW Senior Management Team, managing product creation from the product brief and initial design direction through to product ex-factory. The role requires strong management, alignment and collaboration with the strategic hub in Germany and with all creation functions at the Asia development centre to fulfil visual, costing, timing, trend-relevant and productive product requirements.

• Drive the product process to deliver against the brief, materials and design innovation while meeting gross margin and profitability objectives.
• Manage tools, range plans and product overviews during development, communicate changes to all involved partners, and consolidate and analyse forecasts.
• Maintain all related product systems for the designated area of the collection.
• Seek continual improvement in processes to drive a leading product process with speed and efficiency.
• Provide creative briefs on projects or products in certain instances, giving clear product and information to Design, Development and Logistics.
• Work cross-functionally with sourcing, development and manufacturing partners to realise the vision of the products and category.
• Analyse and report category performance and research the competitive landscape.
• Ensure all product milestones are achieved in a fast-paced creation process.
• Present the range internally and to cross-functional partners such as the factory group.

• Broad footwear product knowledge across a variety of lifestyle silhouettes, with experience in development and working knowledge of product marketing, costing, materials and how best to work with T1 and T2 suppliers.
• Strong business acumen in channel distribution, net sales, margin, profit and inventory.
• Good numerical skills with the ability to negotiate.
• Ability to work with and influence all levels of the organisation and to align external partners with FTW strategy.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced product creation environment.
• Effective presentation skills.
• Skill in MS Office applications (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• Fluency in English (verbal and written).
• Ability to travel internationally for consumer trend research and internal meetings and presentations.
• University degree.
• Minimum 5 years related experience in marketing.
• International marketplace experience and understanding.

• Experience in footwear development, creation and sourcing is advantageous.
• University degree in marketing or business is preferred.

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