The Senior Director, Product Line Management - Hybrid Sneakers & Sport Footwear will serve as the enterprise leader and in house expert for Cole Haan’s sneaker and sport footwear businesses, spanning lifestyle sneakers and performance categories including golf and running.
This role sits at the intersection of sport, performance, and fashion, drawing inspiration from both the world of athletic innovation and the broader fashion, style, and cultural landscape to create products that are technically credible, commercially compelling, and brand right.
Partnering closely with Product Management leadership and cross functional teams, this role is accountable for defining product line strategies and leading execution plans that deliver against financial, brand, and consumer objectives across global markets.
Operating with a general manager mindset, this leader will oversee the full product lifecycle from consumer insight and line architecture through margin delivery and go to market execution while working across Design, Product Development, Merchandising, Sales, and Marketing to translate strategy into commercial results.
CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Category & Business Leadership
- Act as the business leader for sneaker and sport footwear categories, contributing to revenue growth, gross margin and line productivity.
- Define long‑range category strategies and seasonal product roadmaps aligned with brand vision, consumer demand, sport performance needs, and fashion‑driven trends.
- Develop clear product, assortment, and commercialization plans to achieve established financial and commercial targets.
Product Line Strategy & Management
- Lead end‑to‑end Product Line Management across men’s and women’s assortments, ensuring cohesive line architecture with clear differentiation by gender, usage occasion, performance need, style expression, and price tier.
- Translate consumer insights, cultural and fashion trends, sport influence, and competitive intelligence into clear product strategies and actionable briefs.
- Balance innovation, core continuity, and commercial franchises to support sustainable, long‑term category health.
Cross‑Functional Enterprise Leadership
- Serve as the primary integrator across Design, Product Development, Merchandising, Sales, and Marketing to ensure alignment from concept through commercialization.
- Partner closely with Design to shape category vision, design direction, and storytelling that reflects both sport authenticity and fashion relevance.
- Collaborate with Development and Operations partners to support feasibility, timing, and margin delivery through the product lifecycle.
Go‑to‑Market & Commercialization
- Lead seasonal line reviews, milestone gates, and go‑to‑market planning to ensure product readiness, differentiation, and clarity at launch.
- Partner with Channel and Marketing teams to support channel strategies, key account priorities, and regional market needs.
- Ensure compelling product narratives, pricing strategies, and value propositions across channels and markets.
Team & Organizational Leadership
- Build, lead, and develop a high‑performing Product Line Management team.
- Establish clear ways of working, decision frameworks, and performance standards.
- Mentor and develop talent with a focus on strategic thinking, consumer mindset, and commercial acumen.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
- 12+ years of progressive experience in footwear with significant leadership experience in Product Line Management, Category Management, or general‑management‑style roles.
- Deep expertise in sneakers and performance footwear with a strong appreciation for fashion, design, and cultural influence.
- Proven experience building and executing category strategies that deliver against revenue, margin, and growth objectives
- Demonstrated success leading dual‑gender assortments across multiple price points, channels, and global markets.
Skills & Capabilities
- Strong commercial orientation with the ability to translate strategy into executable plans.
- Strategic thinker with a balance of analytical rigor and creative sensibility.
- Highly effective cross‑functional leader with strong influence and stakeholder management skills.
- Data‑driven decision‑maker with comfort using insights to inform assortment, pricing, and investment decisions.
- Clear, confident communicator with executive presence.
This position is not available to be performed in Colorado.
