Footwear Lead - Design & Product Development | Confidential | Competitive Salary | North of England

We are seeking an experienced Footwear Lead to drive the design and development of innovative, high-quality footwear collections. This role requires a balance of creativity, technical expertise, and commercial awareness to ensure product ranges are both trend-led and performance-driven.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the footwear design and development process from concept through to production.

• Create and execute innovative designs that meet both aesthetic and technical requirements.

• Manage technical specifications, grading, blocks, sizing, and quality standards.

• Collaborate with suppliers and manufacturers to deliver on design, materials, and production.

• Translate market trends into commercially viable product concepts.

• Oversee product lifecycle management, ensuring timely and accurate delivery.

• Contribute to the growth of the footwear function by establishing best practices and supporting a collaborative working culture.

About You:

• 4+ years'' experience in footwear design, product development, or technical design.

• Strong understanding of footwear construction, materials, and performance technologies.

• Skilled at balancing creativity with technical precision.

• Collaborative team player with excellent communication skills.

• Commercially aware, trend-focused, and able to deliver products that stand out in the market.

• Confident working across multiple projects and deadlines.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits.

• Opportunity to play a key role in shaping innovative footwear collections.

• Collaborative and supportive team culture.

• Exposure to global suppliers and manufacturing partners.