Senior Footwear Designer

Location: Greenland, New Hampshire

Employment Type: [Full-Time or Contract]

Work Arrangement: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday onsite

We are seeking a creative and commercially minded Footwear Designer to support the development of innovative, brand-right footwear collections. This individual will contribute throughout the full design process—from trend research and initial concept development through technical execution and commercialization.

The ideal candidate combines strong footwear design skills with an understanding of construction, materials, color, consumer trends and the product-development process. They should be comfortable collaborating across design, product development, merchandising, sourcing and materials teams to create compelling products that balance creativity, functionality and commercial objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Research consumer, fashion, lifestyle and marketplace trends to identify new product opportunities.
• Develop original footwear concepts that align with the brand’s creative direction and business strategy.
• Create sketches, renderings, colorways, material recommendations and detailed technical drawings.
• Build seasonal concept boards, presentations and design stories.
• Translate creative concepts into clear, factory-ready design specifications and tech packs.
• Partner with product development, merchandising, materials, sourcing and technical teams throughout the development process.
• Review prototypes and samples, providing clear feedback on design, construction, fit, color and materials.
• Support the development of lasts, outsoles, components, hardware and other footwear-specific details.
• Communicate design revisions clearly to internal teams, vendors and overseas manufacturing partners.
• Incorporate consumer insights, sales performance and marketplace trends into design decisions.
• Present concepts and seasonal collections to cross-functional partners and senior leadership.
• Manage multiple projects and seasonal deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Maintain awareness of competitor activity, emerging technologies, materials and footwear innovations.
• Ensure final products reflect the original design intent while meeting quality, cost and timeline requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Footwear Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design or a related discipline preferred.
• Professional footwear design experience within fashion, lifestyle, athletic, performance or consumer footwear.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating the complete design process, from research and concept development through final product.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; experience with Procreate or 3D design tools is a plus.
• Strong sketching, rendering and presentation skills.
• Working knowledge of footwear construction, materials, lasts, outsoles and manufacturing processes.
• Experience creating technical drawings, specifications and factory-ready design packages.
• Ability to evaluate prototypes and communicate actionable design revisions.
• Experience working with overseas factories and development partners is preferred.
• Strong understanding of color, materials, trends and consumer preferences.
• Ability to balance creative vision with commercial, cost and production considerations.
• Excellent communication, collaboration and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting seasonal development deadlines.
• Experience with PLM or other product-development systems is a plus.