Senior Designer – Women’s Sneakers

About the role

The Senior Designer for Women’s Sneakers will lead the creation of on‑trend, versatile footwear that blends Cole Haan’s heritage of craftsmanship with performance‑driven innovation. You will shape the design direction for casual and hybrid sneaker lines that support the modern woman from work to weekend.

Key responsibilities

• Lead design of women’s fashion and hybrid sneakers from concept through final execution.
• Create seasonally relevant silhouettes across multiple price tiers, balancing style, comfort and performance.
• Translate Cole Haan brand DNA into compelling product designs and tooling concepts.
• Partner with Design Leadership, Product Management and Development to meet brand, consumer, margin and calendar goals.
• Collaborate with Innovation teams to integrate new cushioning, flexibility and lightweight technologies.
• Review prototypes, provide actionable feedback, and ensure aesthetic and functional quality.
• Present design concepts and seasonal strategies to cross‑functional and leadership teams.
• Maintain awareness of women’s fashion, sneaker culture and competitive trends.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Footwear, Industrial, Fashion Design or related field.
• 7–10+ years of multi‑tier footwear design experience, focused on women’s sneakers.
• Proven success designing products that blend style and comfort.
• Experience working with global development and manufacturing partners.
• Strong understanding of sneaker construction, materials and comfort‑driven design.
• Ability to balance creativity with commercial viability.
• Excellent sketching, concept development and visual storytelling abilities.
• Organized, detail‑oriented and capable of managing multiple seasons simultaneously.

Required skills

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience with 3D design tools (preferred).

What we offer

• Base salary range $130,000–$150,000 annually.
• Eligibility for an annual performance‑based bonus.
• Comprehensive health benefits.