Sr. Product Developer

Topo Athletic; Framingham (MA); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Topo Athletic, part of Designer Brands, seeks a Senior Product Developer to lead footwear development from concept to production. You will partner with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Sourcing, and global manufacturing teams to deliver high-quality products that meet performance, fit, and cost targets.

The role requires 4+ years in footwear development, strong technical skills, and the ability to travel up to 10–15% domestically and internationally.

Qualifications

• 4+ years in footwear development or related field.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams across product, design, and manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of footwear construction, materials, and testing methods.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end footwear development from concept to production.
• Coordinate with Product Management and Design on goals, deliverables, and timelines.
• Track milestones and manage risks across cross-functional teams.
• Review drawings, test data, and wear tests to propose improvements.
• Maintain Tech Packs, BOMs, and data within PLM and digital tools.
• Collaborate with manufacturing to meet cost, margin, and quality targets.
• Communicate status with stakeholders throughout development.

Skills

Technical drawings

Footwear construction

Molding processes

Materials testing

Wear-test data

Footwear technologies

Pattern engineering

Grading

Production processes

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Tools

Product management tools

Job description

At Topo Athletic, a Designer Brands company, we're passionate about creating footwear that helps people move naturally and perform at their best. As a Senior Product Developer, you'll play a pivotal role in bringing innovative footwear concepts to life, guiding products from initial design through commercialization and into the hands of our customers.This is an opportunity for a product development professional who thrives at the intersection of design, performance, technical expertise, and collaboration. You'll partner closely with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Sourcing, and global manufacturing teams to transform ideas into high-quality products that deliver on performance, fit, comfort, and value. Your expertise in footwear construction, materials, and manufacturing processes will help shape products that reflect our brand vision while meeting quality, cost, and timeline expectations.If you enjoy solving complex challenges, collaborating across functions and cultures, and influencing product outcomes from concept to production, this could be an exciting next step in your career.

Reports to: Product Director

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the end-to-end footwear development process from concept through production for assigned projects.
• Partner closely with Product Management and Design to align on seasonal goals, project objectives, deliverables, and timelines.
• Coordinate development activities across cross-functional teams and track progress against key milestones.
• Guide products through the development lifecycle while identifying opportunities and proactively addressing potential risks.
• Leverage your knowledge of footwear construction, patterns, grading, materials, molding processes, and manufacturing techniques to evaluate prototypes.
• Review technical drawings, material test data, and wear-test results to identify potential product improvements or risks.
• Drive development processes that ensure products achieve intended performance, fit, quality, and specification requirements.
• Support product validation activities to help ensure consistency and quality across the product line.
• Own and maintain critical product information including Tech Packs, Bills of Materials (BOMs), and related data within PLM and digital creation systems.
• Ensure product documentation remains accurate, organized, and aligned across internal teams and external partners.
• Maintain strong data integrity throughout the development cycle to support successful commercialization.
• Collaborate with Topo Athletic and DBI Asia Development, Engineering, Costing, Sourcing, and Manufacturing teams to deliver products that meet margin, cost, and quality targets.
• Foster strong working relationships across product management, design, sourcing, development, and manufacturing teams.
• Maintain open, timely communication with stakeholders throughout the product development process.
• Assist in addressing quality-related concerns and partner across teams to protect product performance and brand reputation.
• Conduct product teardowns and cost analyses to better understand construction methods, materials, and manufacturing opportunities.
• Make recommendations that help balance design intent, consumer expectations, manufacturability, and cost objectives.
• Contribute ideas that improve product development processes, efficiency, and overall product quality.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Solid understanding of: Technical drawings, Footwear construction, Molding processes, Materials and material testing, Wear-test data, Footwear technologies, Pattern engineering, Grading, Production and manufacturing processes.
• Proven ability to drive decisions and influence outcomes within collaborative, cross-functional teams.
• Strong relationship-building skills with individuals across diverse functions, backgrounds, and global regions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong presentation and negotiation abilities.
• A solution-oriented mindset with the persistence to work through challenges and adapt as new information emerges.
• Curiosity and a willingness to explore new ideas, challenge assumptions, and improve products and processes.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and developing solutions in evolving environments.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to understand downstream impacts.
• Ability to work independently while recognizing when collaboration or support will help move work forward.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 10-15%.
• Ability to work in a hybrid environment and commute to the Framingham, MA office 2-3 days per week.

Qualifications:

• 4+ years of footwear development experience.
• 4+ years of experience within the footwear industry.
• Experience utilizing product management and product development tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience developing athletic footwear.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Compensation:

The estimated hiring pay range for this position is $105,000 - $120,000/year. The successful candidate’s actual pay rate offer will take into account a wide range of job-related factors including skill sets, years and nature of relevant experience, training, pay rates of associates in similar positions, the candidate’s location, and other organizational needs. The estimated hiring pay range has been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential. This range does not include benefits such as health insurance, paid or unpaid time off work, and/or retirement benefits, unless required by law. Benefits eligibility may vary based on where you work and your position. This position is eligible for our Annual Corporate Bonus Plan. To learn more, navigate to: Benefits

Topo Athletic is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We believe in the value of diversity and are committed to creating a welcoming environment for all employees, regardless of race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.