Senior Innovation Manager, Global Footwear Design

Your opportunity at Arc’teryx: 

As aSenior Innovation Manager, Global Footwear Design, you partner cross-functionally to support centralizing Footwear innovation work as a representative of Footwear Design. You create and coordinate design work for advanced Footwear projects, overseeing timelines and roadmaps to support cross-functional inline partners and to deliver specific method, product, performance and experience innovations. You contribute to the design creative direction for Arc’teryx Footwear, across platforms, products, and projects that enable the mountain athlete. You create new space in technical footwear solutions; driving innovation, sustainability, and articulating the collective Footwear Design vision that exceeds our athlete’s evolving needs. 

This role is based out of our Portland office and is expected to be performed on site. 

Meet your future team: 

The Arc’teryx Footwear team creates innovative, beautiful product that exceeds the core mountain athlete’s needs in the outdoors. We are builders, problem solvers and passionate outdoor enthusiasts. Fueled by curiosity, we take an immersive approach to identifying our athlete’s needs then build, test, and validate products that solve for real functional challenges. We are a passionate collective with a focus on collaborative teamwork and our vision is to redefine the industry. 

• Acting as the central point of contact to stakeholders, you are acreator, collaborator, and conduit for Footwear Design between Development, Merchandising, Advanced Concepts, Suppliers, Consultants, and Inline Footwear to drive and advance technical solutions and innovation platforms that enable the global footweardesign vision, shaping the strategic direction to deliver excellence  
• Contributing to the strategic innovation deliverables and direction within Footwear Design, collaborating cross functionally from ideation through to commercialization 
• Partnering with the Product Creation andDevelopment and the Merchandising team to shape and transition innovation projects, platforms, and briefs, ensuring design intent is carries through from concept to execution 
• Representing the design vision while collaborating with the Product Creation and Development teams to deliver innovative solutions, technologies, platforms, and construction methods, in-line with Arc’teryx design values 
• Liaising and cross-functionally collaborating as the conduit between in house and external design partners, connecting the team and projects to the right people and resources to bring ideas to life; overseeing the planning, implementation and tracking of specific projects, coordinating the efforts of multi-disciplinary teams  
• Participating cross-functionally in broader organizational Footwear strategy and planning, ideating beyond the footwear category into other product types  
• Collaborating with leadership within the Design andProduct Creation and Development teams to align product strategy with the design vision, ensuring continuing across the broader triad priorities 
• Delivering innovative solutions and platforms on time,with required readiness levels, to either the inline team or commercialized projects within market 
• Collaborating with the Advanced Concepts team to align workstreams, resources, knowledge, and strategy to participate in a brand perspective of innovation 
• Collaborating with senior Design leadership to identify and strategize against resource gaps and opportunities to optimize Design 
• Traveling globally to research athlete and consumer foresight, manufacturing innovations and innovative suppliers (as required) 
• Participating in brand activities, and attending industry events  
• Travelling to other Arc’teryx creation centers to build partnership (required) 

• Contributing to a collective of talented footwear experts to drive the business forward as the category grows 
• Leading parts of the Footwear design approach, from vision to strategy and execution 
• Leading and empowering the product Design team to identify and create comprehensive and innovative design solutions, technologies, construction methods and components that are in-line with Arc’teryx design values  

• You have a degree in Industrial Product Design, Engineering, or the equivalent industry experience 
• You have 8 years’ experience in a technical athletic and/or outdoor technical footwear environment, and 5 years’ experience leading projects 
• You have a proven track record in developing and leading the execution of multi-year innovation projects 
• You have strong influential leadership, with the ability to drive alignment across diverse cross-functional stakeholders at all levels of the business 
• You coach, up skill, mentor, develop your team members to fulfil their goals and potential, seeking opportunities for their growth within the professional setting 
• You have an expert understanding of the footwear industry and a proven ability to make strategic design decisions  
• You are a team player who has the ability to effectively work in a dynamic work environment, with high inter-dependencies between teams, cross-cultural colleagues, and diverse and innovative thinking 
• You have a keen interest in technical products and meaningful functional solutions and its application to a variety of outdoor activities 
• You have the ability to travel internationally as required 
• You are proactive in identifying the root cause of issues, seeking the best (sometimes not the easiest) solutions with an unwavering commitment to do what is right 
• You remain highly flexible and adaptable when faced with ambiguity 
• You effectively balance autonomy and collaboration 
• You facilitate break through thinking and continuous improvement 
• Your passion for your work is paralleled by your passion for getting outside and living it 

Equal Opportunity

Arc’teryx is committed to actively creating and fostering a culture of inclusivity where voices are heard, people are seen, and values are respected. We care about the uniqueness of our applicants, employees, and guests, and we do so in a safe space fueled by curiosity and acceptance. 

Creating an inclusive workplace is connected to our core value Do Right while also having the added benefit of helping make our business better. We believe inclusion helps us to create a healthier, happier workplace, drive creativity and innovation, and reflect the communities where we operate.  

All applicants, employees, and guests can expect equality of opportunity and fair treatment in alignment with our values.

Leave it Better

We believe that the mountains transform us, that how we adventure matters, and that there’s always a better way. 

Join us in creating positive change in ourselves, our communities, and the world. 

Live it. Get out there - the mountains make us better 

Disruptive evolution. In pursuit of better. Always. 

Commit. We set bold objectives and see them through.