Altra: Footwear Designer II

Vans; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 82,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401(k) plan

Job summary

Altra is seeking a Footwear Designer II in Denver to drive the creative direction for Athletic, Outdoor and Casual Lifestyle categories. You will manage projects, translate briefs into concept work, and collaborate cross-functionally to ensure on-time delivery and brand alignment.

The role requires 3-5 years of footwear design experience, strong rendering skills, and knowledge of biomechanics. In-office work at the VF Global Headquarters is expected, with opportunities to lead innovative design

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of footwear design experience.
• Proven ability to translate briefs into compelling concepts and presentations.
• Strong rendering and presentation skills with good knowledge of biomechanics.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple design projects and deadlines.
• Collaborate with Product Line Management, Development, Marketing and Sales.
• Develop concepts and creative strategies that meet briefs and category goals.
• Create mood boards, prototypes, and presentations to socialize ideas.
• Travel to sourcing countries and partner locations as required.

Skills

Athletic footwear design

Footwear performance

Rendering & presentation

Adobe Creative Suite

3D design awareness

Tools

Blender

SolidWorks

Rhino

KeyShot

Illustrator

Photoshop

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 Altra’s 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. Let’s 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 in product 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’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 3-5 years of experience and 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 Altra’s benefits package, follow this MyVFBenefits.com and click Looking to Join VF. To learn more about Altra’s Diversity and Inclusion efforts, go to www.altrarunning.com.

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, or commission potential. Specific details of the additional compensation eligibility for this position will be provided during the recruiting and interview process.

Benefits at VF Corporation

Benefits at VF Corporation: You can review a general overview of each benefit program offered, including this year's medical plan rates on www.MyVFbenefits.com and 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. At VF, we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us at [e-mail]. VF will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals to the extent required by applicable law. Pursuant to all applicable local Fair Chance Ordinance requirements, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, VF will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

VF Diversity Vision Statement

VF is committed to creating an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the differences among all of our associates, customers, suppliers and the communities in which we live and conduct business. The continued success and growth of VF is enhanced through initiatives that promote diversity throughout VF around the world.VF is an equal employment opportunity employer of minorities, females, protected veterans and the disabled. VF is committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, and treating our VF associates and VF applicants without discrimination on the basis of their race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, HIV/AIDS status, or any other legally protected factor. VF is committed to meet the diverse needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner that is consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity, and will do so by striving to identify, prevent and remove barriers to accessibility wherever possible as well as by meeting the accessibility requirements under the ADA, AODA, and other applicable state, local or provincial regulations. VF is committed to digital accessibility, and to conforming to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA and complying with the ADA and AODA Standards for Accessible Design, and other applicable regulations. If you need an accommodation or have any questions regarding this statement, please send your request to [e-mail].

From inspiration to innovation to an evolution

Altra Running was founded on an innovative approach to running shoes. An approach that took us from the back room of a specialty running store to the front of the pack on roads and trails across the world. An approach that has kept us going for a decade and aims to keep you running for a lifetime. And an approach that ultimately inspired—and continues to inspire—every single Altra shoe. Naturally, Altra Co‑Founders Brian Beckstead and Golden Harper met on the first day of cross‑country practice their sophomore year at Orem High School in Utah. From there, it was off to the races, both literally and figuratively. When it comes to shoes, innovative thinking runs in the Harper family. So it was no surprise when Golden toasted a pair of shoes, heating them just enough to be able to remove the heel and form a Balanced Cushioning platform. What was surprising was the result: For the first time in his life, Golden was wearing a running shoe that he felt wasn’t obstructing the way he ran. Wide‑lacing shoes inspired a FootShape™ design. A household toaster oven inspired Balanced Cushioning. FootShape™ and Balanced Cushioning inspired 1,000s of people to purchase brand new, unmodified shoes and take them to a shoe cobbler to hack them up and balance them out. That’s the foundation of Altra Running: innovative, disruptive thinking. We’re going to continue to innovate. Continue to inspire that break‑free feeling of getting out there, far from expectation and constraint. We will continue to earn new perspectives by reaching new heights. We will continue to blaze trails and explore new roads. And continue to show up unapologetically ourselves as we encourage all who run to do the same. Join us.