Lead, Footwear Product Development, Local Creation GC

The Lead Footwear Product Developer plays a critical role on the Great China, Local Creation Footwear Product Creation Team, driving product excellence for the Great China consumer in a fast-paced, close-to-market environment. The role provides project and process direction within the project team at an accelerated pace and close to market, and leads footwear projects across Men's, Women's and Kids. The developer builds relationships and interacts with teams across Footwear Product Creation and with teams made up of diverse cultures across various geographies, and reports to the Footwear Development Director for Great China, Local Creation.

• Lead footwear product development projects at an accelerated pace, close to market.
• Lead footwear projects across Men's, Women's and Kids, bringing ideas from 2D design and tech packs into 3D, go-to-market samples.
• Provide project and process direction within cross-functional product creation teams.
• Drive product and process excellence so that projects deliver against design intent, performance, cost, sustainability and timing expectations while meeting the needs of the Great China consumer and the Local Creation business strategy.
• Drive innovation and product initiatives across footwear dimensions and divisions.
• Leverage technical knowledge across lasts, uppers, materials, tooling, costing, testing and manufacturing.
• Serve as the primary liaison between PCC/PMO partners and the WHQ product team, driving clear and accurate communication throughout the product development process.
• Partner closely with key footwear functions, including Colour and Material Design, Material Development, Product Management, PCC/PMO, Global Product Teams, Sourcing, Planning and Operations.
• Navigate a matrixed environment to ensure alignment with Global Footwear Development standards and product excellence.

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Industrial Design, Engineering, Physical Sciences or a related field; any suitable combination of education, experience and training will be accepted.
• 5+ years of Footwear Product Creation experience.
• Demonstrated project management, collaboration, problem-solving and decision-making skills in a product development environment.
• Strong understanding of the creation process, including production planning, forecasting and scheduling to deliver product quality in a timely, efficient and effective way.
• Ability to communicate effectively across functions, geographies and leadership levels.
• Resilient leadership with a high tolerance for ambiguity and changing priorities.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution to deliver product excellence.
• Self-starting, quick-learning and clear communication, with strong teamwork and influence skills.
• Ability to build relationships and lead and interact with teams across diverse cultures and geographies.

• Travel up to 15% as needed.