VF: Senior Innovation Designer

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vfc. com . What will you do? A day in the life of a Senior Innovation Designer – Performance Footwear at VF looks a little like this. The Senior Innovation Designer for Performance Footwear is a strategic creative leader responsible for shaping the future of the brand’s high-performance product ecosystem.

This role drives the discovery, design, and validation of breakthrough concepts that redefine what athletes can achieve. Operating at the intersection of design, biomechanics, engineering, and emerging technology, the Senior Innovation Designer leads complex projects, mentors teammates, and influences long-term innovation strategy.

This is a role for a visionary maker-builder who thrives in ambiguity, pushes boundaries, and can turn unproven ideas into validated, scalable solutions. The Senior Innovation Designer shapes the future of performance footwear by turning bold ideas into the next generation of athlete solutions.

This role not only creates what comes next—it influences how the brand defines innovation for years to come. Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more. Innovation Leadership & Strategy Lead multi-phase innovation projects from insight development through validated concept handoff.

Identify long-term opportunity areas and influence the creation of the multi-year innovation roadmap. Drive early-stage experimentation, establishing hypotheses and designing test methods to validate performance claims. Communicate project strategy, risk, and impact to cross-functional leadership.

Advanced Concept Creation Develop original, high-impact design concepts across cushioning, traction, upper construction, fit systems, and emerging technologies. Transform athlete insights, biomechanics data, and material science