Principal Innovation Prototype Designer (Footwear)

Job description

At VF, we strive to foster a culture of belonging based on respect, connection, openness, and authenticity . So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture - visit VF Careers or www.vfc.com . What will you do?: A day in the life of a Principal Innovation Prototype Designer (Footwear) at VF looks a little like this. The Principal Innovation Prototype Designer (Footwear) is a senior-most technical creative leader who defines how footwear innovation is made tangible—shaping prototyping strategy, standards, and capability roadmaps across multiple programs. This role operates at the intersection of industrial design, engineering, and advanced fabrication to translate ambiguous opportunities into aligned concept directions, proof-of-principle builds, and decision-ready prototypes. The principal designer influences product and research roadmaps, mentors makers and cross-functional partners, and drives scalable making systems that increase innovation throughput and reduce technical risk from the earliest phases. Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more. 1. Concept Prototyping Strategy & Signature Builds Define protot...