Footwear Developer Portland, Oregon - Hybrid

Position: Footwear Developer - (Portland, Oregon - Hybrid)
Location: Portland

This job is with lululemon, an inclusive employer and a member of my Gwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

Description & Requirements
Product Developer, Footwear

Who we are
lululemon is a yoga-inspired technical apparel company up to big things. The practice and philosophy of yoga informs our overall purpose to elevate the world through the power of practice. We are proud to be a growing global company with locations all around the world, from Vancouver to Shanghai, and places in between. We owe our success to our innovative product, our emphasis on our stores, our commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we get to make in every community we are in.

About this team
The Footwear Development team is a diverse group of creative and solution-oriented thinkers. They are product experts with deep industry knowledge of the footwear creation process, working cross functionally with raw materials, design, sourcing, costing, and merchandising. The team is responsible for the global development of product from conception to commercialization, driving the seasonal product strategy and design vision. This is a team of high performers who are constantly striving to develop personally and professionally, practicing open feedback in a trusting space.

A day in the life:
Execute the development strategy for footwear product creation, while simultaneously communicating cross functionally and ensuring alignment with multiple product teams and stakeholders
Thorough understanding of the footwear product creation process including raw materials, design, product development, sourcing, costing and merchandising
Create, update, and share tech package creations and BOMs to communicate design intentions, material information resulting in accurate prototypes and samples
Collaborate and communicate with cross functional stakeholders, such as design, material development, innovation, wear testing, procurement and vendors
Accurately understand and continuously build knowledge base surrounding vendor capabilities, performance, vendor relationships, materials pricing, and lead timelines
Adhere to predetermined timelines and gates, actively tracking progress and giving senior leadership updates on agreed upon basis
Utilize understanding of industry knowledge and past work experience to operate within guidelines and policies, driving key business strategies and complex problem solving
Manage projects to hit costing, performance, and manufacturing targets while maintaining Design intent and Merchandising brief requirements

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree or 7  years directly related manufacturing, product creation, or associated field experience
A minimum 5 years of product creation experience
Very well organized and able to track progress on multiple projects at once
Strong understanding of shoemaking, manufacturing, and commercialization of footwear
Ability to navigate project management successfully on and off seasonal calendars
Exceptional written and verbal communication/presentation skills
Natural leader and collaborator; ability to unite a team around a common cause regardless of differing points of views and perspectives
Able to deliver product on time and at cost; ability to navigate costing framework and supply chain levers
Able to play an active role in identifying performance attributes in footwear and identifying how to measure, analyze, and problem solve around them
Good understanding of various material types, applications, and limitations
Ability to read and scrutinize 2D and 3D patterns
Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Excel, Power point, Word)
Use of digital resources to provide clear and concise visuals for aid in communication
Always curious and aware that learning has not limits

Must haves
Acknowledges the presence of choice in every moment and takes personal responsibility for their life
Possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and continuously innovates to achieve great results
Communicates with honesty and kindness and creates the space for others to do the same
Leads with courage, knowing the possibility of greatness is…