Director Of Footwear

RUDIS is seeking an experienced and dynamic individual to join our team as the Director of Footwear. This role will be responsible for creating and driving category strategy while executing against brand creative direction, seasonal initiatives, and company financial targets. The Director of Footwear will work collaboratively with brand leaders to build consumer demand, strengthen market position and deliver on-time and at cost. This role reports to the VP of Product and is the primary owner of the footwear product line with direct reports in design, development, and product management.

Can work in EITHER Marysville, OH or Portsmouth, NH

COMPETENCIES
Leadership                                        Coaching and Developing Others
Empowerment
Leading through vision and values

Business/Management                    Building Org. Talent
Business Acumen
Consumer Focus / 
Driving Execution /  Decision Making

Interpersonal                                    Building Relationships & Trust
Communication & Influence
Cultural Effectiveness
Innovative Thinking

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Possess an in-depth understanding of the product, delivery and pricing needs of consumers, key markets, channels, competition and market industry trends. Work with trend and creative to stay abreast and react to current and future trend related information

• Develop product briefing strategies for execution by design, development, sales, marketing and Sr. Management. Create and communicate a vision for the category. Research the marketplace. Analyze product, consumer and competitive trends in the market

• Lead and collaborate with cross-functional teams to communicate vision, strategy, brand experience, and merchandising principles

• Collaborate with distribution leadership to ensure sales and merchandising plans are addressed and meeting the needs of the market and position the brand to remain ahead of competitors and trend. Lead the line planning, pricing and product creation process, including color merch, flow, margin, on-time delivery

-Lead design, development and collaborate with sourcing to achieve the right price-to-value relationship. Ensure all deadlines are met and products are commercialized on time. Manage, coach and guide product team professionals. Communicate and support team and individual goals and performance metrics. Champion the product innovation strategies each season and ensure an innovative approach to the business.  Represent the category segment with cross functional leaders in Supply Chain, Marketing Sales, Merchandising

-Plan the appropriate style/SKU level to optimize productivity. Understand the category profit and loss statements. Lead cross-functional teams through the decision making processes encountered in product creation. Set clear, precise direction for the merchandising teams, effectively managing and resolving issues. Analyzes seasonal product plans to identify opportunities for complexity reduction, resource allocation improvement and business enhancements

-Collaborate with brand, marketing, licensing, footwear and accessories partners to develop a comprehensive go-to-market strategy that incorporates product stories, defined features and benefits, market flow cadence and a powerful ecomm and wholesale product representation

REQUIREMENTS

-Bachelor's degree in Design, Marketing, Business, Management or a related field; a master's degree is a plus

-10+ years experience within sports industry with management leadership experience in footwear

-First hand working knowledge in Design, Development, Merchandising and Product Management
-Strong business acumen and understanding of market trends and customer preferences
-Strong knowledge in sourcing, commercialization and manufacturing processes 
-Experience building relationships and working with global manufacturers and suppliers
-Excellent leadership and management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate a team
-Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple teams and stakeholders
-Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a results-oriented mindset
-Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while managing multiple priorities
-Knowledge of relevant regulations and standards in the soft goods industry