- Please submit application with a link to an online portfolio or an attachment with work samples.*
This is an opportunity to shape the next generation of sneakers and sport performance footwear for an iconic American lifestyle brand. The Creative Design Director will define a bold, modern point of view that brings together style, comfort, performance, and innovation for consumers across genders.
The Creative Design Director, Dual Gender Sneakers & Sport Performance Footwear, will provide creative vision and hands-on leadership from seasonal design strategy through commercialization. This leader will establish a clear design language for the category, create compelling franchises, and ensure every product delivers a distinctive Cole Haan expression while meeting the functional demands of an active, modern lifestyle.
CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Creative Design Direction, Leadership & Vision
- Own and lead the creative design strategy for dual-gender sneakers and sport performance footwear across lifestyle, court, running-inspired, training, golf, outdoor, and emerging movement categories.
- Define and evolve a recognizable category design DNA, including silhouette, proportion, color, materials, branding, tooling, and signature performance details.
- Translate the enterprise brand strategy into seasonal creative design direction, product stories, franchise roadmaps, and clear briefs for internal and external teams.
- Set a high standard for original design, ensuring the work is culturally relevant, consumer-centered, technically credible, and unmistakably Cole Haan.
- Lead concept reviews and design critiques with clarity, speed, and strong decision-making; identify the ideas with the greatest creative and commercial potential.
- Balance aspirational innovation with commercial realities, margin targets, calendar requirements, and the needs of global channels and consumers.
Product Creation, Performance & Innovation
- Direct product from early concept through design development, prototyping, wear testing, commercialization, and final market presentation.
- Partner with Development, Engineering, and Innovation to create proprietary cushioning, traction, fit, flexibility, stability, and comfort solutions.
- Use consumer insight, trend intelligence, and marketplace analysis to identify unmet needs and future category opportunities.
- Build and refresh signature franchises while creating a disciplined pipeline of new platforms and seasonal expressions.
- Guide last, upper, tooling, component, color, and material decisions to achieve intended aesthetics, performance, quality, sustainability, and cost.
- Review prototypes and test results, resolve design and performance tradeoffs, and protect the creative intent through commercialization.
- Ensure responsible design choices are embedded in materials, construction, durability, packaging, and product lifecycle decisions.
Cross-Functional Partnerships & Marketplace Impact
- Partner closely with Product Line Management to establish annual and seasonal assortments, price architecture, franchise priorities, and channel strategies.
- Collaborate with Development, Sourcing, Materials, and Supply Chain to deliver exceptional products on time, on cost, and at the required quality.
- Work with Marketing and Brand Design to translate product innovation into clear consumer benefits, launch stories, campaign assets, and retail experiences.
- Build strong external networks across design, sport, culture, technology, materials, and manufacturing to keep the brand connected to emerging ideas.
- Partner with legal and innovation teams to identify and protect meaningful intellectual property, proprietary details, and technical advantages.
Team & People Leadership
- Build, inspire, and develop a high-performing, multidisciplinary footwear design team with clear roles, priorities, and accountability.
- Create an inclusive creative culture that values curiosity, constructive debate, experimentation, craft, and consumer empathy.
- Establish team and individual goals, provide frequent feedback, and make effective decisions related to hiring, development, performance, and recognition.
- Coach designers to strengthen concept development, storytelling, technical fluency, and executive presentation skills.
- Plan resources and external partnerships to support the seasonal workload, innovation pipeline, and long-range category ambition.
- Serve as a visible cross-functional leader who builds trust, resolves ambiguity, and keeps teams aligned through complex product decisions.