Vans

Altra: Footwear Designer II

Vans$82K — $102K *
Retail & Consumer Goods
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 3-5 years of footwear design experience, preferably in performance/athletic or outdoor categories or relevant degree.
  • Strong understanding of footwear construction, materials, and manufacturing processes.
  • Exceptional 2D sketching and visual communication skills.
  • Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; familiarity with 3D tools is a plus.
  • Ability to conceptualize and approach design from an athlete's performance perspective.
  • Strong collaboration and cross-functional teamwork abilities.
  • Excellent project management skills with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

  • Design inline footwear projects from concept to tech pack completion.
  • Translate product briefs into effective design solutions aligned with brand identity.
  • Create and present visual materials to convey design intent clearly.
  • Collaborate with Product Management, Development, and Color/Materials teams.
  • Integrate material, color, and trend direction into footwear concepts.
  • Refine product through prototyping and fit reviews based on feedback.
  • Engage in athlete testing and market research to inform design innovations.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical benefit options.
  • Participation in an annual incentive plan or commission potential.
  • Opportunity for personal and professional growth within the company.
  • Access to a dynamic work environment that values collaboration.
  • Engagement in initiatives that promote employee well-being.
Full Job Description

Position: Footwear Designer II

What will you do?

A day in the life of a Footwear Designer II at Altra looks a little like this.

You will be a critical role in generating functional and aesthetically appropriate footwear for Altras Athletic, Outdoor, and Casual Lifestyle categories. You will be asked to participate in the creative direction for all footwear design projects, maintain consistent and relevant design language, and provide industry insight and recommendations in creating elite technical product that aligns with Product Line Management, Sales and Merchandising vision and overall brand strategy. You will work alongside some of the most innovative, industry-challenging leaders in creating footwear that pushes boundaries and challenges old paradigms to innovate and discover solutions for Altra customers.

Lets break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

  • Daily management of assigned projects and workload.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional product partners: Product Line Management, Product Development, Marketing, and Sales.
  • Coordinate Design deadlines to ensure on-time delivery of design projects and tasks.
  • Participate inproduct strategy meetings to ensure competitive product design and successful products for the Altra brand.
  • Develop concepts and creative strategies that fulfill objectives of category, concept, briefs.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional team members to ensure consumer and brand focus is met.
  • Participate in creation of short-term and long-term creative direction strategies.
  • Identify opportunities of improvement, process change, and initiate own proposals/projects.
  • Seek out new Design resources, materials and technologies to assist in the development of leading-edge product.
  • Partner with Product Line Management to develop and sharpen briefs, lead collaborative idea generation, and develop consumer insights with cross-functional teams.
  • Translate briefs and marketing plans into creative concepts that are clearly articulated in mood boards, interactive prototypes then develop presentations and storytelling vehicles to socialize and gain buy-in on your ideas
  • Learn new skills and stay abreast of technical and digital design developments and successfully apply these to work practices
  • Verbally present concepts and design solutions to mid and senior level managers. Ability to constructively discuss, utilize, and receive feedback to create excellent product.
  • Manage multiple projects, with sensitivity to department priorities and deadlines.
  • Willingness and ability to travel to sourcing countries, factory partners, team offsites and brand events to drive team projects.
  • Perform other duties as required/assigned by manager.

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your3-5 years of experienceand professional achievements.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

  • Ability to understand complex and sometimes fuzzy problems in a fast-paced environment.
  • ATHLETIC Technical footwear design experience.
  • Proficient at Performance Tech Pack and Tooling 2D Blueprint creation.
  • Strong knowledge of foot anatomy.
  • Knowledge of how to design with footwear performance and biomechanics in mind.
  • Excellent rendering and presentation skills required.
  • High level of performance footwear materials knowledge.
  • Sound understanding of footwear manufacturing processes and technologies.
  • In-depth experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.) and Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, etc.).
  • An abundance of curiosity and desire to learn and grow your footwear craft.
  • Location requirement: This position is an in- office position in Denver, CO at our Global Headquarters.

There are also a few skills that are not required but preferred.

  • Experience or interest in running.
  • Knowledge of 3D software such as: Blender, SolidWorks, Rhino, Keyshot, etc.)
  • AI Design and Agentic tools.

What do we offer you?

At Altra, we know you expect as much from us as we do from you. That is why we make a commitment to support and grow our people. We offer extensive development and growth opportunities for your current and future positions, a competitive compensation package, and a strong benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and 401(k).

Our commitment extends beyond this and into your daily work life. We strive to foster a diverse and inclusive culture based on respect, connection, and authenticity. Our focus on DEI is at the foundation of who we are and what we do.

To learn more about Altras benefits package, follow thisand click Looking to Join VF.

To learn more about Altras Diversity and Inclusion efforts, go to.

Now WE have a question for YOU.

Are you in?

Hiring Range:

$82,080.00 USD - $102,600.00 USD annually

Incentive Potential: This position is eligible for additional compensation awards that may include an annual incentive plan, sales incentive, orcommissionpotential. Specific details of the additional compensation eligibility for this position will be provided during the recruiting and interview process.

Benefits at VF Corporation: You can review a general overview of each benefit program offered, including this years medical plan rates onand by clicking Looking to Join VF? Detailed information on your benefits will be provided during the hiring process.

Please note, our hiring ranges are determined and built from market pay data. In determining the specific compensation for this position, we comply with all local, state, and federal laws.

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