Senior Product Technician

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance; Honolulu (HI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Skechers in Southern California is seeking a senior footwear development lead to guide projects from concept to confirmation, coordinating with US and Asia teams to meet milestones in performance, fit, cost, and aesthetics. You will oversee mold development, material specifications, pre-costing, and collaboration with design to ensure designs are ready for mass production and meet Skechers standards.

Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in Business or Engineering, 10+ years in footwear

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, 10+ years footwear development experience.
• Experience with Asian manufacturing is a plus.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and lead teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage daily activities for all projects with USA and Asia teams to hit milestones.
• Oversee mold development from drawings to size confirmation for manufacturability and fit.
• Coordinate material specs to Skechers quality, durability and performance standards.
• Ensure cost targets and production timelines are met.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Team coordination

Problem solving

Detail oriented

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business or Engineering

Tools

MS Teams

Adobe Acrobat Pro

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Overview

Lead the development of Skechers footwear projects from initial concept through sales samples, confirmation, and basic fit. Provide effective leadership, project management, communication, and technical skills for both domestic and Asian product teams in order to meet all project objectives related to performance, manufacturing, costing, and aesthetics. Contribute to the R&D and implementation of new and existing materials, processes, components, techniques, and innovations to aid design in achieving innovative product solutions. Keep informed of and evaluate market developments with an eye toward improving the competitiveness and equity of the Skechers Brand.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the daily activities for all assigned projects, thoroughly communicating necessary details to teams in the USA and Asia to reach calendar milestone objectives.
• Lead upper development for manufacturability, fit, function, pre-cost and desired aesthetic. Work closely with the fit/wear test team to ensure consistent fit and that each style meets Skechers fitting standards throughout the development process.
• Lead mold development from initial drawings through confirmation of model size with respect to manufacturability, fit, function, pre-cost, and aesthetic. In conjunction with Design and Development Leads, execute against strategy for components with regard to compounds, construction and mold type.
• Coordinate and maintain material and structural specifications to uphold Skechers standards for quality, durability, and performance.
• Participate in the planning and execution of forward engineering activities to meet commercialization and production timelines.
• Manage the assembly of the approved design into a package of two- and three-dimensional information that adequately describes and utilizes current and feasible manufacturing and assembly techniques.
• Maintain clear documentation and communication with team members to keep product teams focused and working toward the same project objectives, facilitating the transfer of design solutions from concept through final product with Asia developers and Skechers factory base.
• Manage costing objectives as outlined by the Product Manager and costing team, working with design to achieve category goals. Provide necessary information for pre-costing exercises during product brief reviews, tech. package development, and final pricing of confirmation standards.
• Work with development and design teams in the USA and Asia to initiate and oversee the development of lasts based on desired aesthetic, performance, comfort, and fit.
• Collaborate with the Skechers Commercialization team in both LA HQ and Asia to ensure the Basic Fit is approved for fitting, aesthetic of design intent, and proper construction for mass production, and that all materials meet Skechers physical property standards.
• Approve the Confirmation sample as Basic Fit approval for all aesthetics from the design intent and ensure all materialization on Spec Sheet is correct for the CFM sample.
• Work with Skechers Commercialization and Production teams to ensure products are manufactured well, successfully commercialized, and produced.

Additional Responsibilities

• Work with designers, merchandising, and marketing.
• Work with material team for the selection and testing of materials and help set material standards.
• Approve final specifications.
• Work with costing to achieve target cost.
• Develop lasts and molds.
• Assist in the confirmation of production samples.
• Assist in the Basic & Extreme-Fit approval process.
• Document the development process.
• Update specifications and processes.
• Recommend manufacturing improvements.
• Travel to manufacturing locations (typically 2 trips annually), development centers, and vendors to oversee the execution of footwear; attend trade shows and locations necessary for staying current with future R&D trends.

Supervisory Responsibilities

No supervisory responsibilities.

Job Requirements

• Possesses a solid foundation in all aspects of athletic footwear manufacturing and development and related processes. (Footwear manufacturing experience is a plus)
• Capable of managing development projects from concept to confirmation.
• Understands and has experience with last development.
• Understands and has experience with pattern making.
• Fluent in reading and navigating upper and outsole part drawings using 2D and 3D viewing and markup software.
• Sense of style, fashion, and proportions.
• Detail oriented, keeps track of projects.
• Checks, influences, and confirms specifications and materials.
• Communicates well with all team members, including Asia side R&D and factories, using all necessary tools (e-mail, phone, MS Teams, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Innovative and creative thinker who can “think and manage outside of the box.”
• Self-starter who gets things done.
• Possesses a sense of responsibility and ownership.
• Manages multiple projects and multi-tasking well.
• Capable of leading, training, and motivating.
• Excellent computer skills.
• Creates and maintains useful records.
• Maintains good relationships with factories, overseas offices, and suppliers.
• Promotes a strong sense of team based on trust and mutual respect for others.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Engineering or equivalent experience; a minimum of 10 years footwear development experience required.
• Knowledge of Asian manufacturing is a plus.
• Equivalent experience can substitute for a degree.

Salary

$110,000 - $140,000 per year.

About Skechers

About Skechers. Skechers (NYSE: SKX) is a global, Fortune 500® brand that develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel, and accessories. Developing comfort technologies is the foundation of all we do – delivering stylish, innovative, and quality products. Serving over 180 countries and territories, Skechers connects customers to products through department and specialty stores, e-commerce and digital stores, and more than 4,700 company‑and third‑party‑owned retail locations. Headquartered in Southern California, Skechers has spent 30 years helping people of all ages look and feel good.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Skechers is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and respectful work environment. We provide equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identification and expression, national origin, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, military status, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic established by local, state or federal law.

Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants for employment who require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job should request appropriate accommodation by emailing [e-mail]. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each job responsibility satisfactorily. The skills, abilities, and physical demands described are representative of those duties that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities, who are otherwise qualified for the position, to perform the essential functions.