Manages men’s footwear commercialization from seasonal handoff through confirmation reviews. Coordinates with factories, Asia development teams, design, and cross-functional partners; tracks samples, specifications, approvals, milestones, and PLM records. Develops carryover SKUs and new uppers, reviews costing breakdowns, recommends material or engineering alternatives, supports product confirmation meetings, and conducts market, competitive, and trend research.
Job Summary & Responsibilities
The Footwear Product Developer manages the commercialization process from seasonal handoff to confirmation reviews. This role bridges the gap between design intent and factory execution through daily communication with Asia development teams and cross-functional partners. The ideal candidate brings a proactive approach to cost optimization, regularly analyzing CBD sheets and delivering creative material or engineering solutions to secure critical TFOB targets.
CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Sample Management
- Track and manage incoming and outgoing product samples and packages
- Maintain and organize the Product Development (PD) product closet, ensuring all CFM samples are properly stocked, cataloged, and accessible
- Tracking and Maintaining Logs in PLM for CONFIRMATION/APPROVAL/PROTO
Product Development Duties
- Develop seasonal carryover SKUs, including handoff to factories and follow-up on development status and outstanding request
- Develop new uppers on existing construction
- Prepare and maintain specs to support PD and CAM team as needed
- Upload and maintain the main sketch image to support UPC label creation and product tracking
- Handle daily factory communication with Product Creation and Asia Product Development teams regarding development, costing, sample status and approvals
- Assist with product confirmation reviews by organizing and pulling relevant samples, materials, and swatches for comparison
- Review costing breakdown sheets (CBD) from factories and proactively suggest alternative materials or engineering solutions to ensure SKUs meet TFOB
- Update PLM during each milestone. Record and track Product Development handoff dates and key milestones in PLM to help ensure on-time sample delivery
- Conduct market, competitive, and trend research to support seasonal product development initiatives
Support Cross-Functional Communication
- Attend Product Development meetings and provide support as needed
- Participate in meetings with cross functional team and follow-up actions
- Bachelor’s degree in footwear design/ development, accessories or a related field
- 3+ years prior experience in Men’s Dress Footwear Product Development or related field.
- Foundational knowledge of footwear constructions, materials, especially leather, development and manufacturing processes is preferred
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Effective written and verbal communication skills and collaborative team player
- Experience in working and communicating with Asia based offices and suppliers
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word & Excel is required
- Experience with PLM systems preferred
- Proactive problem-solver with a strong sense of urgency
- Organization and prioritization of multiple simultaneous projects
- Attention to detail across all workflows and specifications
- Communication and collaboration with cross-functional and overseas partners
- Problem-solving and decision-making, skilled at reviewing data
- Time management in a fast-paced environment
- Adaptability and resilience when navigating changing priorities
Base Salary/Hourly Range: From $80,000 to $100,000 annually*
Bonus Eligibility: Yes, eligible for annual target bonus based on company and individual performance
Benefits Offered: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Care, Health Savings Accounts, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Vacation Time, Sick Time, Paid Parental Leave, Holidays and Cole Haan Discounts
- Rate of pay dependent upon candidates’ relevant skills and experience
This position is not available to be performed in Colorado.
Cole Haan New York, New York, USA Office
45 West 18th St, New York, New York, United States, 10011
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