Footwear Developer Portland, Oregon - Hybrid

Product Developer, Footwear

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.

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.

• 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

• 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

• 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 bigger than the fear of failure
• Fosters connection by putting people first and building trusting relationships
• Integrates fun and joy as a way of being and working, aka doesn’t take themselves too seriously