Manager, Footwear Technician

Tapestry•New York, NY

1d•$85,000 - $110,000•Hybrid

About The Position

We believe that difference sparks brilliance, so we welcome people and ideas from everywhere to join us in stretching what’s possible. At Tapestry, being true to yourself is core to who we are. When each of us brings our individuality to our collective ambition, our creativity is unleashed. This global house of brands – Coach and Kate Spade New York – was built by unconventional entrepreneurs and unexpected solutions, so when we say we believe in dreams, we mean we believe in making them happen. We’re always on a journey to becoming our best, but you can count on this: Here, your voice is valued, your ambitions are supported, and your work is recognized. A member of the Tapestry family, we are part of a global house of brands that has unwavering optimism and is committed to being innovative and wholly inclusive. Primary Purpose: The Manager, Footwear Technician supports the operational strategy for all Tapestry Footwear products from prototype to final delivery, working closely with the Sr. Director. This role assists in product development and commercialization, collaborating with the Sr. Director and cross-functional teams including Design, Merchandising, Asia Teams, Materials, Quality, and Factory/Service providers. Hybrid schedule: In-office three days a week (Tuesday–Thursday), and as needed two days (Monday & Friday).

Requirements

5+ years of experience in footwear & technical development. Preferably in luxury fashion shoes.
Demonstrated basic knowledge of fit, paper patterns, lasts, materials, and footwear constructions variations.
Basic skills to handle masking tape, marker pen, scissors, and craft knife to help assisting fit and pattern lines corrections during prototype review meetings.
Experience in working with footwear factories is a plus (local and/or abroad).
Sharp eye and ability to translate design sketch information into prototypes.
Strong organizational skills, great attention to detail and capturing comments to translate to CRF/TRF notes.
Demonstrate ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects and work independently.
Express understanding of footwear costing.
Strong collaboration skills with ability to work effectively with global & cross functional teams across all levels.
Aptitude in Microsoft Office – 365, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint and EcVision.
Knowledge of Photoshop and Rhinos (3D, Cad) is a plus.

Nice To Haves

A diploma in footwear fashion & technology or footwear manufacturing experience. A bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field is a plus. A relevant combination of education and work experience will be considered.
Product eye and ability to recognize design information into prototypes.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Basic footwear costing.
Ability to multitask and keen sense of teamwork.
Effective communication skills in written and oral English.
International work travel capability.
Availability for video meetings with South Asia team members and factories as needed.
Self-motivated, able to work under pressure and with a sense of urgency.
Demonstrate passion for footwear and the footwear industry, and keep up with the latest trends, technologies, and customer preferences.
Creativity & Problem-solving mind are essential attributes for problems and challenges that need innovative and original ideas during the footwear development process, such as design flaws, material defects, or production issues

Responsibilities

Maintain a constant flow of communication between NY PD, cross functional partners from Design to Merchandising, Asia PD and Factory/Service provider partners.
Oversee and communicate development and fit specifications from initial concept to final product, creating, sharing and updating the CRF’s (Construction Review Form) and TRF’s (Tooling Review Form).
Support reviewing prototypes and final samples, taking comments in preparation for development meetings.
Basic knowledge of sample fit analysis and upper line/paper pattern corrections to translate design and production needs into CRF comments.
Manage the NY wear test (WT) program charts, samples distribution and comments’ forms files & communication.
Create forms/charts (as CRF, TRF, WT) and organize comments files in share drive Teams.
Basic knowledge of shoe development and size system.
Basic knowledge of blueprint reading and interpretation (as soles, heels, ornaments).
Understand the Product Development Timeline (PDT) calendar and associated milestone dates.
Follow up samples shipping and tracking.
Organize the fitting schedule and fit model according to sample receipt.
Establish strong relationships with cross functional and global partners.
Participate in research and development of new techniques and fits where applicable to support design and product development to drive product innovation.