Sr. Director, Product Development

Job Summary

The Senior Director Product Development provides global leadership for KEENs footwear productdevelopment organization and is accountable for translating product strategy design intent consumerneeds and commercial objectives into innovative manufacturable profitable footwear. This role leadsthe global footwear development function from product concept through commercialization establishingthe development standards technical capabilities operating disciplines talent structure and factorypartnerships required to deliver the global product portfolio. The Senior Director serves as the seniortechnical and commercialization leader within Global Product & Innovation partnering closely withProduct Management Design Color & Materials Fit & Wear Innovation Merchandising ProductOperations Sourcing Costing Engineering Quality and owned and partner factories. The role isaccountable for protecting product integrity while improving speed margin quality fit manufacturabilityand execution across the portfolio. The Senior Director builds and develops a high-performing footweardevelopment organization capable of supporting KEENs current business while creating the technicalcapabilities required for future growth.

Essential Functions

Description

Global Product Development Leadership

• Leads the global footwear product development functionestablishing functional direction organizational capabilitiesoperating standards talent priorities and development plans insupport of KEENs long-term product and business strategy.
• Translates Global Product & Innovation strategy into development priorities and capabilities that deliver differentiated consumer-relevant technically excellent and commercially viable product.
• Establishes clear accountability role clarity and effective deployment of development expertise across product categoriesstrategic initiatives and innovation priorities.
• Builds organizational capability and succession depth throughleadership development coaching performance management talentdevelopment and organizational planning.

Product Creation & Technical Excellence

• Leads development excellence from concept throughcommercialization ensuring product achieves design intentconsumer benefit fit performance quality cost sustainabilitymanufacturability and delivery objectives.
• Establishes and governs development standards technical requirements and critical milestones necessary for productreadiness and successful commercialization.
• Serves as a senior footwear technical authority providing leadership across construction pattern engineering materials tooling fitmanufacturing methods testing and commercialization.
• Partners with Product Management Design and Innovation leadership to identify technical opportunities address developmentrisks and guide trade-offs among innovation consumer valuecomplexity cost margin quality and speed.

Manufacturing Cost & Commercialization

• Provides senior Development leadership in partnership withEngineering Sourcing Costing Quality owned factories andexternal manufacturing partners to improve developmenteffectiveness and commercialization outcomes.
• Drives early collaboration between product creation and manufacturing to improve quality speed cost manufacturability andcommercialization readiness while reducing late-stage redesign andunnecessary complexity.
• Leads Developments contribution to product cost and gross-margin objectives partnering cross-functionally to improve producteconomics through engineering construction materials toolingplatforming and complexity reduction.
• Ensures technical manufacturing and cost implications are understood early enough in product creation to support informedproduct and business decisions.

Fit Validation & Innovation

• Provides senior leadership for fit wear testing and productvalidation ensuring consumer experience product integrity andperformance standards are embedded throughout product creation.
• Ensures learnings from testing quality returns consumer feedback and previous seasons are incorporated into future product anddevelopment decisions.
• Partners with Innovation leadership to transition new concepts technologies materials constructions and manufacturing processesfrom prototype through validation commercialization and scale.
• Anticipates future development capability needs and recommends investments in talent technology systems processes equipmentand external partnerships.

Product Creation Operations & Continuous Improvement

• Partners with Product Operations to continuously improve the globalproduct creation operating model including seasonal calendarsdecision gates workflows accountability and communication.
• Establishes development KPIs and drives performance across product readiness sample efficiency cost and margin achievementfit testing quality commercialization and organizational capacity.
• Uses data business results and post-season learning to identify systemic opportunities and improve the effectiveness and efficiencyof the global development organization.
• Ensures development teams maintain accurate timely product and technical information in Centric and effectively use digital productcreation tools to support decision-making and execution.

Cross-functional & Global Leadership

• Serves as a senior leader within the Global Product & Innovationorganization representing Development in key product seasonalstrategic planning and leadership discussions and contributingDevelopment expertise to broader organizational priorities.
• Builds strong partnerships across Product Management Design Innovation Color & Materials Merchandising Fan Insights ProductOperations Sourcing Costing Engineering Quality regional teamsand manufacturing to align priorities resolve complex issues anddeliver strong consumer product marketplace and businessoutcomes.

Please note this job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities duties orresponsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties responsibilities and activities maychange at any time with or without cause.

Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Product Development Footwear Design Engineering Manufacturing or related field required.
• Minimum ten (10) years of progressive footwear product development experience including significant leadership responsibility across complex footwear programs and multiple product categories.

Any equivalent combination of experience and education which clearly indicates the ability to perform theessential functions of the position may substitute on a year for year basis.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience leading and developing footwear development teams and other senior-level footwear professionals.
• Expert-level understanding of footwear construction commercialization pattern engineering fit materials tooling costing testing quality and manufacturing.
• Deep understanding of the end-to-end footwear creation process from concept through commercialization and production.
• Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with global factories sourcing organizations engineers designers product managers merchants and business leaders.
• Strong commercial acumen with demonstrated understanding of product cost margin complexity capacity and development trade-offs.
• Proven ability to lead organizational and process change in a global matrixed product organization.
• Demonstrated strategic planning organizational leadership and talent-development capabilities.
• Advanced written verbal facilitation and presentation skills with the ability to communicate complex technical and business issues to all levels of the organization.
• Strong working knowledge of PLM systems and product creation data.
• Proficiency in Excel PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat required. Adobe Illustrator and digital product-creation experience preferred.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fluid fast-paced highly collaborative global environment.

Travel Required:Yes up to 30% of the time

Base Salary: $226000 - $250000

The salary range posted for this position represents the anticipated hiring range for this role. Offers are made within this range based on factors such as relevant experience skills education internal equity and market considerations. This is the hiring range for the position; compensation above the posted maximum is not typically available at the time of hire.

Work Location:Hybrid

This role is based in the Portland OR area and follows a hybrid work model. Employees are expected to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of our Portland office and generally work on-site four days per week with flexibility based on business and team needs.

Why Work at KEEN:Driven by a passion for life outside KEEN is a values-led independently owned brand from Portland Oregon thats on a mission to create original and versatile products improve lives and inspire outside adventure. Founded in 2003 KEEN launched a revolution in the footwear industry with the introduction of the Newport adventure sandal and has donated more than $18 million to non-profit organizations and causes around the world to promote responsible outdoor recreation including conservation efforts to protect open spaces. KEEN strives to show the world through its products and its actions that a business for good can actually be good for business. By giving back reducing impact and activating communities and individuals to protectthe places where we work and play KEEN puts its values in motion and takes action to leave the world a better place.

Fuerst Group KEEN and Chrome are equal opportunity employers. We value an inclusive and diverse community. Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply and will be considered without regard to race color religion sex national origin age sexual orientation gender identity gender expression veteran status or disability.