Freelance Footwear Product Development Jobs (NOW HIRING)

San Francisco, CA

At Rothy's, we know there's a better way to do business, and it starts by putting the planet and its people first. More than 225 million single-use plastic bottles and 715,000 pounds of ocean-bound marine plastic have been transformed into our signature thread, creating wardrobe staples that look just as good as they feel. Striving for zero waste, we combine 3D knitting technology and handcrafted assembly to create machine washable styles that don’t compromise on comfort. From classic shoes to carry-everywhere bags, we create essentials for wherever you go. At Rothy's, building a sustainable future is at the heart of everything we do. We pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive environment at our HQ, retail stores and wholly-owned factory, and are growing our community every day.

Our Product Development team is always one step ahead. While many teams are responsible for responding to moments in the present, this one looks toward the future. From finessing the pattern of our silhouettes to developing new materials, our developers work hand-in-hand with our factory team, sustainability, merchandising and design partners to make sure the wheels of Rothy's keep turning on our quest for a more sustainable future.

Rothy's is looking for a Director of Footwear Product Development to lead and scale the end to end development of footwear. You will set development strategy, technical process, and team direction while working closely with design, merchandising, sustainability, and factory partners. As both a leader and hands on expert, you will make key technical decisions, ensure product excellence, and approve final product readiness. You will translate brand and product vision into scalable, high quality, sustainable footwear that delivers on margin and timeline targets. You will own and optimize the global footwear development calendar, establish stage gate governance, and redesign our development process to improve speed, margin, and product consistency.

• Lead the modernization of the footwear development operating model to build scalable systems, processes, and governance that support brand growth and category expansion
• Align product development strategy with brand goals, profitability targets, and sustainability priorities through strong strategic leadership and cross-functional collaboration
• Increase development speed and operational discipline by owning and optimizing the global footwear development calendar, enforcing milestone accountability, and proactively managing risk to ensure on-time commercialization
• Redesign and institutionalize a scalable development framework, including stage-gate criteria, PLM governance, and sample control processes to improve efficiency, visibility, and consistency
• Drive margin discipline by owning cost strategy, including cost breakdown reviews, material yield optimization, and factory negotiations in partnership with sourcing teams to meet target gross margins
• Strengthen technical differentiation across materials, construction methods, comfort systems, lasts, and tooling to improve product performance and competitive advantage
• Spearhead rapid prototyping and the application of innovative materials, tooling, and design technologies to accelerate development cycles and elevate product innovation
• Review and approve outsoles, components, uppers, materials, and fit to ensure product performance, durability, cost efficiency, and brand quality standards
• Elevate fit consistency across the footwear portfolio through clear fit standards, structured testing protocols, and disciplined last library governance across categories and seasons
• Lead and inspire a high-performing Product Development team, strengthening technical expertise, raising performance standards, and building bench strength to support long-term growth
• Clarify decision rights, roles, and milestone accountability within the Product Development organization to improve alignment and execution across developers and technical leads
• Strengthen factory and supplier partnerships to improve development efficiency, scalability, and execution quality from prototyping through commercialization
• Monitor and manage product development budgets to ensure disciplined resource allocation and strong return on investment
• Continuously evaluate and evolve development strategies, processes, and capabilities to support business growth, innovation, and expansion into new categories

• A collaborative leader who works effectively across design, operations, and manufacturing teams
• Comfortable in fast paced, growth environments and confident making data driven technical decisions
• Accountable, results driven, and focused on raising standards
• Experienced leading teams through growth and change
• Skilled at building clear processes, systems, and tools that scale
• Committed to inclusive leadership and responsible product practices

• 12+ years of hands on footwear product development experience, including leadership roles
• A degree in biomechanics, engineering, kinesiology, textile science, or related field, or equivalent experience
• Deep knowledge of footwear construction, materials, tooling, testing, and costing
• Experience reviewing cost breakdowns, analyzing material yields, interpreting testing data, and making margin focused decisions
• Proven ability to improve cost, lead times, and quality with global manufacturing partners
• Experience implementing digital development tools and managing BOMs through commercialization
• Advanced knowledge of footwear fit and last development, including shape, proportions, grading, performance refinement, and establishment of brand fit standards and last libraries
• Experience establishing PLM systems and standardizing development processes to support business scale

• Generous paid time off
• 401k matching
• Comprehensive health plans for you and your family
• Supplemental mental health benefits
• Monthly wellness reimbursement
• Dog friendly offices
• Employee Discount Program!

$187,000- $227,000 annually
Base pay is one part of the total rewards package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work. This role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, as well as a comprehensive benefits package.

About the company

Rothy's