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Director Footwear Development Jobs (NOW HIRING)

ARC'TERYX

Footwear Product Developer 2

Portland, OR

$82K - $103K/yr

Senior Director, Footwear Development Location: Portland, Oregon Your Opportunity at ARC'TERYX: As our Footwear Developer 2 you will manage highly technical and complex footwear products from design ...

ARC'TERYX

Footwear Product Developer 2

Portland, OR

$82K - $103K/yr

Senior Director, Footwear Development Location: Portland, Oregon Your Opportunity at ARC'TERYX: As our Footwear Developer 2 you will manage highly technical and complex footwear products from design ...

ARC'TERYX

Footwear Product Developer 2

Portland, OR · On-site

$82K - $103K/yr

Senior Director, Footwear Development Location: Portland, Oregon Your Opportunity at ARC'TERYX: As our Footwear Developer 2 you will manage highly technical and complex footwear products from design ...

Oboz Footwear

Senior Footwear Designer

Bozeman, MT

$104K - $111K/yr

Partnering with the Footwear Design Director, Footwear Team, and cross-functional partners, you'll ... Partner with Product Management, Development, and Design Engineering to ensure design intent ...

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Director Footwear Development information

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$21K

$93.3K

$180K

How much do director footwear development jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for director footwear development in the United States is $93,350.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $72,500.00 and $103,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a director of footwear development do?

A Director of Footwear Development oversees the entire process of creating new footwear products, from initial design concepts through to production and market launch. They collaborate with designers, engineers, and manufacturers to ensure that shoes meet quality, cost, and performance standards. This role also involves managing timelines, budgets, and cross-functional teams to bring innovative footwear to market efficiently. Directors of Footwear Development play a key strategic role in aligning product development with brand goals and consumer trends.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director of footwear development?

To thrive as a Director of Footwear Development, you need deep expertise in footwear design, materials science, product development, and a degree in industrial design or a related field. Proficiency with design software like Adobe Creative Suite, 3D modeling tools, and knowledge of PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) systems is typically required. Exceptional leadership, project management, and cross-functional communication skills help drive innovation and align teams. These skills ensure products meet market needs, maintain quality standards, and are delivered efficiently from concept to production.

How does a director of footwear development typically collaborate with design, marketing, and production teams?

A Director of Footwear Development plays a central role in bridging the gap between creative design, marketing strategy, and manufacturing feasibility. This role involves regular meetings with designers to ensure concepts are both innovative and manufacturable, close alignment with marketing to address consumer trends and brand needs, and continuous communication with production teams to resolve technical challenges and maintain timelines. Effective collaboration is key to launching successful footwear collections on schedule and within budget, often requiring strong project management and interpersonal skills.

What is the difference between Director Footwear Development vs Footwear Product Manager?

AspectDirector Footwear DevelopmentFootwear Product Manager
ResponsibilitiesOversees entire footwear development process, manages teams, sets strategic goalsFocuses on product planning, market research, and coordinating product launches
CredentialsTypically requires extensive footwear design, engineering experience, and leadership skillsRequires product management experience, market knowledge, and design understanding
Work EnvironmentLeadership in design studios, R&D labs, and manufacturing settingsCross-functional teams, marketing, and sales departments

The main difference is that the Director Footwear Development leads the entire footwear creation process and team, focusing on strategic development, while the Footwear Product Manager concentrates on product planning, market analysis, and ensuring product success in the market.

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Director Footwear Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Footwear Development job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $93,350 per year, or $44.9 per hour.

Senior Director, Footwear Development

ARC'TERYX

Portland, OR • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

This job post has expired 3 days ago. Applications are no longer accepted.

Arc'teryx rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 9 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Department:  Footwear 

Reports to:  VP, Footwear Development and Engineering 

Location: Portland, OR 

 
Your opportunity at Arc’teryx: 

As the Senior Director, Footwear Development, you will lead the product creation and development process to deliver disruptive, aspirational, and sustainable products to the market. You will oversee the execution of our seasonal footwear plans from design concept through production readiness, ensuring a consistent level of quality, fit, and performance. You will operate at the intersection of balancing the athlete’s needs, technical feasibility and business objectives while you work in lockstep with Merchandising, Design, Manufacturing and other cross-functional teams to deliver product that inspires the core mountain athlete to reach new levels of performance. 

Meet your future team: 

Our Product Creation Development team is a dynamic group spread across the globe.  It sits within our Supply Chain organization and is a center of excellence partner with our Footwear Business Unit. The Arc’teryx Footwear team creates innovative, aesthetically striking product that exceeds the core mountain athlete’s outdoors needs across climbing, hiking, and trail running categories. We are builders, problem solvers and passionate outdoor enthusiasts. Fueled by curiosity, we take an immersive approach to identifying our athlete’s future 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. 

If you were in the Senior Director, Footwear Development role now, here are some of the core activities you would be responsible for:

  • Overseeing the footwear product development process from initial concept to commercialization ready, driving sustainability, performance, and profitability goals. 

  • Acting as a critical thought partner to Supply Chain and Footwear Leadership Team as we evolve our teams’ strategic priorities. 

  • Collaborating with the Footwear and Sourcing leadership teams to establish and execute a medium to long-term partner strategy grounded in product excellence, on-time delivery, quality, and risk mitigation. 

  • Developing recommendations on our future organizational structure and the technical resources needed to support growth, and hiring the technical talent needed to address current and future needs. 

  • Fostering deep, collaborative partnerships with Tier 1 and Tier 2 partners to ensure Arc’teryx’s standards and processes are agreed upon and followed.  You will establish technical metrics and scorecards in collaboration with Supply Chain and Footwear team partners and develop a regular cadence of reviewing and acting upon them. 

  • Collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders and establishing and driving a footwear innovation agenda.  You will recommend an approach to finding solutions to the technical aspects of all projects, including leveraging teams in Portland and North Vancouver, external resources, and with Tier 1 partners in Asia. 

  • Providing a strong point of view on and heavily influencing our Sustainability agenda and our corporate mission to “Leave It Better”. 

  • Driving profitability goals through collaboration with all Footwear and cross-functional stakeholders (including Sourcing, Materials, etc.) and establishing a system by which margin targets, cost breakdown, sheets and other financial and technical data are scrutinized and reviewed. 

  • Leveraging your deep functional expertise to educate, coach and mentor others 

Here are some of the things you could be working on in the future:

  • Creating a culture of unmatched footwear product and operational excellence 

  • Hiring, coaching, and inspiring a team of talented footwear experts to drive innovation and creative vision 

  • Continuously innovating and evolving how we craft and create product to meet and exceed the needs of the guest 

  • Leading the collaboration of your team as well as the manufacturing team members to enable them the best product through clear product spec documentation of construction and engineering insight. 

Are you our next Senior Director of Footwear Development?

  • You have 15+ years’ experience in a technical aspect of the footwear industry (engineering, development, manufacturing, etc.), ideally with extensive experience in manufacturing environments in Asia 

  • You have proven experience building processes and teams from the ground up, and can lead an organization through scale and growth.  You have strong influential leadership, with the ability to drive alignment across diverse cross-functional stakeholders at all levels of the business 

  • You set a clear vision, align your team around common objectives, and foster commitment to these objectives 

  • You have an in-depth knowledge of footwear construction, foams and rubbers, pattern making, manufacturing, costing, lasts, and materials 

  • You have proven skills in interpreting design intent and product innovation 

  • You have proven performance history with domestic and offshore vendors and manufacturers 

  • You have excellent communication skills - interpersonal, written and verbal 

  • You are entrepreneurial with the ability to make decisions and take calculated risks 

  • You are proactive in identifying the root cause of issues and developing solutions 

  • You remain highly flexible and adaptable when faced with ambiguity 

  • You effectively balance autonomy and collaboration 

  • You inspire breakthrough thinking and continuous improvement 

  • You seek the best (sometimes not the easiest) solutions, with an unwavering commitment to do what is right 

  • Your passion for sustainability is paralleled by your passion for getting outside and living it 

A reasonable estimate of the pay range is USD$188,000 - USD$245,000 at the time of this posting. Within the range, individual pay is determined by factors such as job-related skills, relevant experience, education and/or training. The upper end of the range is typically reserved for candidates with demonstrated expertise that is above job requirements or who bring exceptional directly transferable experience.

Total Rewards

Most new team members join between the start and midpoint of the range, where you can contribute right away while continuing to grow your craft, your collaborations, and your impact at Arc’teryx. This range reflects market alignment and the scope of the role. Individual pay is determined by your skills, experience, and level of responsibility. 

We’re committed to fair, equitable, and competitive pay, reviewed regularly to ensure internal alignment and market relevance. Transparency is part of how we follow through on our commitments and how we honour the value you bring to our team. 

In addition to base pay, Arc’teryx supports people through benefits designed to sustain both work and life: 

  • Health & wellbeing - Extended health, dental, and vision coverage, including mental health support, fertility benefits, and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
  • Financial wellbeing - Immediately vested 401(k) retirement savings plan matching, eligibility for Arc'teryx Annual Incentive Plan and access to Employee Stock Purchase program (ESPP) where applicable.
  • Time & Flexibility - Paid time off and No Wasted Day program (dedicated paid days to get outside & explore).
  • Family support - Parental leave for birthing and on-birthing parents, including an option to ease the transition back to work.
  • Growth, community & gear - Professional development opportunities, Arc'teryx Academies (outdoor skill-building events), Employee Belonging Councils, and access to employee discounts and Pro Deals (exclusive discounted pricing on gear). 

 *Eligibility for certain programs may vary by role. 

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

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About ARC'TERYX

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

Apparel manufacturing and apparel and accessories stores

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

North Vancouver, BC, CA

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