The Senior Designer Women’s Sneakers is responsible for the design and execution of women’s casual fashion sneakers within the Cole Haan product portfolio. This role blends modern design, Cole Haan DNA, performance-driven innovation and modern materialization to deliver on-trend, versatile, elevated sneakers that support the Cole Haan woman from work to weekend.
As a senior creative leader, this designer will translate brand strategy, consumer insights, and cultural trends into commercially successful multi-tier products while upholding Cole Haan’s legacy of craftsmanship, comfort, and thoughtful innovation.
CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Lead the design for women’s fashion sneakers and Hybrid sneakers from concept through final execution.
- Create seasonally relevant sneaker silhouettes across good, better and best price tiers that balance style, trend, comfort, and performance.
- Translate Cole Haan brand DNA—craft, innovation, and modern versatility—into compelling women’s product.
- Design uppers and tooling concepts aligned with the Cole Haan seasonal playbook and overall sneaker strategy.
- Partner closely with Design Leadership, Product Management and Product Development to ensure designs meet brand, consumer, margin, and calendar requirements.
- Collaborate with Innovation and Development teams to integrate Cole Haan innovation technologies (e.g., cushioning, flexibility, lightweight construction).
- Review and correct prototypes, providing clear, actionable feedback in partnership with development to improve aesthetics and functionality.
- Present design concepts and seasonal strategies to cross-functional and leadership teams.
- Maintain strong awareness of women’s fashion, sneaker culture, lifestyle trends, and the competitive landscape.
- Bachelor’s degree in Footwear Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, or related field.
- 7–10+ years of multi-tier / multi-channel footwear design experience, with a strong focus on women’s sneakers.
- Demonstrated success designing women’s product that blends style and comfort.
- Experience working with global development and manufacturing partners.
- Strong understanding of sneaker construction, materials, and comfort-driven design.
- Proven ability to balance creativity with commercial viability.
- Strong fashion sensibility with a clear point of view on women’s lifestyle sneakers.
- Excellent sketching, concept development, and visual storytelling skills.
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite; 3D design tools a plus.
- Deep knowledge of premium materials, color, and finishes appropriate for women’s footwear.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across design, merchandising, development, and innovation teams.
- Organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple seasons simultaneously.
This position is not available to be performed in Colorado.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Cole Haan is committed to meeting the spirit as well as the letter of the law. We have been, and continue to be, committed to Equal Opportunity Employment and equal treatment of all qualified individuals -- regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, disability, or any other factors that are not job related.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Footwear Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, or related field
- 7-10+ years of multi-tier / multi-channel footwear design experience focused on women's sneakers
- Demonstrated success designing women's product that blends style and comfort
- Experience working with global development and manufacturing partners
- Strong understanding of sneaker construction, materials, and comfort-driven design
- Proven ability to balance creativity with commercial viability
- Strong fashion sensibility and clear point of view on women's lifestyle sneakers
- Excellent sketching, concept development, and visual storytelling skills
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite
- Familiarity with 3D design tools
- Deep knowledge of premium materials, color, and finishes for women's footwear
- Ability to collaborate across design, merchandising, development, and innovation teams
- Organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple seasons simultaneously
What We Do
Cole Haan became an independently owned company again in 2013 and is growing rapidly in the US and abroad. We have earned a unique leadership position in the marketplace as a pioneer of goods that are as functional and versatile as they are crafted—most notably through our ZerøGrand and GrandSeries products. We are reinventing the world of modern footwear, handbags and accessories for consumers who seek style, versatility, and innovative comfortable function in their products. The company’s worldwide headquarters is in Greenland, NH, with offices in New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Amsterdam, Dubai and sourcing offices in Asia. Cole Haan is sold in more than 500 retail stores globally, digital platforms around the world and within our department store and specialty retail partners. We seek hard-working team members who are entrepreneurial-minded, solutions-oriented who accept and own accountability, model integrity, value individuality and diversity, encourage teamwork and inspire creativity. We invite you to visit us at any time at www.colehaan.com. To keep tabs on us to see what’s happening, follow us at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colehaan Twitter: https://twitter.com/colehaan Instagram: http://instagram.com/colehaan Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ColeHaan/ Google +: https://plus.google.com/+colehaan/posts Let's connect and see what happens. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Cole Haan is committed to meeting the spirit as well as the letter of the law. We have been, and continue to be, committed to Equal Opportunity Employment and equal treatment of all qualified individuals -- regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, disability, or any other factors that are not job related.
