Senior Manager, Innovation; 3D CAD & Additive Manufacturing, Footwear

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A day in the life of an Innovation Sr. Manager, 3D CAD & Additive Manufacturing (Footwear) at VF looks a little like this.

We are seeking a hands on, technically strong Sr. Manager to lead our 3D CAD and additive manufacturing capabilities within a fast paced footwear development environment. This role combines people leadership, expert level 3D CAD creation, and operational ownership of our additive manufacturing equipment. The ideal candidate can guide a high performing team and personally execute complex modeling and prototyping work—while understanding the unique innovation needs of footwear.

Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 3D CAD designers and additive manufacturing specialists, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive innovation in digital creation, prototyping methods, and modeling workflows that enhance speed, quality, and product insight.
• Partner closely with Footwear Design, Product Creation, Engineering, Innovation, and Advanced Concepts teams to identify new opportunities for digital tools and rapid prototyping.
• Establish and enforce best-in-class CAD standards, modeling practices, and documentation tailored to the needs of footwear creation.
• Create and modify high-fidelity 3D models for footwear components including uppers, midsoles, outsoles, traction systems, and integrated assemblies.
• Apply advanced surfacing and parametric strategies optimized for rapid iteration, testing, tooling, and manufacturability.
• Conduct design reviews and provide expert technical feedback to ensure models meet performance, aesthetic, and biomechanical requirements.
• Remain fluent in industry standard CAD tools relevant to footwear (e.g., Rhino, Modo, Siemens NX, Solid Works, Creo, Fusion 360).
• Oversee daily operations of the 3D printing lab, ensuring uptime, quality, and safety across all additive equipment.
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot printers across multiple technologies (FDM, SLA, SLS, MJF, etc.).
• Develop optimized printing workflows for footwear prototypes, including midsoles, cushioning systems, traction components, uppers, and functional test samples.
• Manage consumables, capacity planning, preventive maintenance, and vendor relationships for AM equipment.
• Evaluate new materials, machines, and workflows to advance prototyping and innovation capabilities.

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 7-10+ years of experience and professional achievements.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design, Product Creation, or related field—or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience working in the footwear industry is required, ideally within product creation, innovation, advanced development, or tooling.
• 8+ years of professional experience in 3D CAD modeling, with at least 2+ years in a leadership, mentorship, or project management role.
• Strong capability in organic surfacing, complex assemblies, and detailed modeling relevant to footwear construction.
• Hands‑on experience with additive manufacturing processes, technologies, and prototyping workflows.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and cross‑functional leadership skills.

There are also a few skills that are not required but preferred.

• Experience with advanced additive systems used in footwear innovation (e.g., Carbon, Formlabs, EOS, HP MJF).
• Knowledge of footwear tooling, materials, biomechanics, DFM, and wear‑testing principles.
• Experience implementing CAD standards and digital workflows or working with PLM/PDM systems.
• Background in performance footwear, consumer electronics, hardware…