Senior Director, Footwear Development and Strategy (Hybrid)

Overview Great brands reflect culture. The best ones help shape it. At Foot Locker, we’re rooted in sport, powered by style, and driven by the communities that move both. From Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker to Champs Sports, WSS, and atmos, our brands sit at the intersection of sport, style, and self-expression. As part of the DICK’S Sporting Goods family, you’re backed by the resources, reach, and career opportunities of a world-class sports company. That unleashes Foot Locker to keep pushing forward with the agility and edge that define the brand. We’re looking for great people who want to influence culture and the generation that is shaping what’s next. Whether you’re building strategy, shaping innovations, or creating unforgettable customer moments, you’ll contribute to decisions and experiences that define our brands’ impact in the communities we serve. Come change the game with us. Apply today! Great brands reflect culture. The best ones help shape it. At Foot Locker, we’re rooted in sport, powered by style, and driven by the communities that move both. From Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker to Champs Sports, WSS, and atmos, our brands sit at the intersection of sport, style, and self-expression. As part of the DICK’S Sporting Goods family, you’re backed by the resources, reach, and career opportunities of a world-class sports company. That unleashes Foot Locker to keep pushing forward with the agility and edge that define the brand. We’re looking for great people who want to influence culture and the generation that is shaping what’s next. Whether you’re building strategy, shaping innovations, or creating unforgettable customer moments, you’ll contribute to decisions and experiences that define our brands’ impact in the communities we serve. Come change the game with us. Apply today! This role is HYBRID out of our NYC office. Expectations for hybrid in-office schedule is three days a week, typically Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Own the future of sneakers! Our Senior Director, Footwear Development and Strategy role lives at the intersection of product, culture, and innovation—driving global footwear strategy, shaping trend narratives, and bringing heat to market through exclusive drops and high-impact collaborations. From concept to launch, you’ll turn consumer insights and cultural cues into product that resonates, connecting brands, creators, and communities across the globe. You’ll lead the charge on storytelling through footwear—building pipelines of must-have product, managing key partnerships, and delivering moments that move the culture forward. This is for a plugged-in leader who knows the game, understands the hustle behind the hype, and thrives on creating what’s next in sneaker and streetwear culture. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. At this time, Foot Locker will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization, or offer any immigration related support for this position (i.e. H1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, or another type of work authorization). Responsibilities Develop and adhere to strict process checkpoints both internally and externally, inclusive of formal expectations. Curate bi-annual trend positions, specific to footwear, with clear deliverables, to share both internally and externally. Interface with apparel development team to ensure connectivity. Act as a liaison between internal partners and vendors to promote more cohesive partnerships. Understand and embrace lifecycle management, inclusive of incubation, launch, sustain and reload periods. Create, define, and partner with vendors on new opportunities. Inclusive of new products and technologies, new marketing opportunities, new incubation, and collaboration strategies. Create, facilitate, maintain, and attend routine and regular meetings with brand partners. Foster clear expectations and deliverables. Prepare detailed recaps after key vendor checkpoints. Develop best in class relationships both internally and externally. Host routine meetings with merchant SRDs at the banner levels to ensure continuity. Foster best in class global connectivity. Aggregate and cultivate all SMU work across all global banners. Manage distinction targets. Support 3-year forecasting by brand. Attend weekly recap meetings at the banner level. Aggregate global forecasts for the Chief Merchandising Officer as needed. Create and upkeep a global calendar against SMU projects. Manage annual product events and evergreen platforms Provide visibility as needed to internal marketing partners. Create and adhere to a vetting process to evaluate any new brands for consideration. Manage any 3rd party licensing needs, both vendor led partnerships or owned partnerships. Tackle ad hoc projects related to product needs. Qualifications Immense knowledge of and passion for sneaker and streetwear culture, fashion, sports, music, art, and technology Established credibility in the sneaker community Connections to creators, brands, and retailers across youth culture Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience 5+ years of professional experience in product and/or marketing Strong abilities in PowerPoint, Excel, Word AI-curious and data-informed Understanding of Foot Locker, Inc.’s existing infrastructure, assets, and platforms Experience working cross-functionally in a nimble environment Entrepreneurial attitude and creative thinking to develop innovative, outside-the-box strategies Strong analytical skills to capture and report on consumer and market insights Ability to convey creative ideas in a professional, clear, and concise way to peers and upper management Passionate, assertive, and initiative-taking Comfortable driving and enforcing processes Comfortable with public speaking and presentations Team player and displays leadership Positive about good work and exciting opportunities Strong project management skills; ability to prioritize and work in a multitude of ongoing projects at the same time while meeting tight deadlines Highly organized and efficient ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Outstanding communication skills and awareness of linguistic nuances between audiences, from consumers to creators to senior leaders Proficiency in managing internal dynamics. At Foot Locker, we value innovation, authenticity, and integrity in all that we do. To uphold the security and fairness of our hiring process, we ask that candidates refrain from using AI tools, including ChatGPT, during interviews and assessments. To ensure a smooth and secure experience, please review the following guidelines: Cameras must be on for all virtual interviews. AI tools are strictly prohibited during interviews or assessments. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work together to create a transparent and equitable hiring experience. #LI-JJ1 Benefits The annual base salary range is $170000 - $190000 / year. This range represents the anticipated low and high end of the salary for this position. This role is also eligible to receive short term incentives that align with company performance. Salary will be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data. Salary is one component of the Foot Locker, Inc. total compensation package, which includes the below. Foot Locker Benefits: Employee Discount Paid Time Off Paid Parental Leave Medical | Dental | Vision Coverage 401(k) | Roth 401(k) Life Insurance Flexible Spending Account Opportunities for Advancement Tuition Reimbursement for Qualified Courses Strong Company Culture Employee Resource Groups Develop and adhere to strict process checkpoints both internally and externally, inclusive of formal expectations. Curate bi-annual trend positions, specific to footwear, with clear deliverables, to share both internally and externally. Interface with apparel development team to ensure connectivity. Act as a liaison between internal partners and vendors to promote more cohesive partnerships. Understand and embrace lifecycle management, inclusive of incubation, launch, sustain and reload periods. Create, define, and partner with vendors on new opportunities. Inclusive of new products and technologies, new marketing opportunities, new incubation, and collaboration strategies. Create, facilitate, maintain, and attend routine and regular meetings with brand partners. Foster clear expectations and deliverables. Prepare detailed recaps after key vendor checkpoints. Develop best in class relationships both internally and externally. Host routine meetings with merchant SRDs at the banner levels to ensure continuity. Foster best in class global connectivity. Aggregate and cultivate all SMU work across all global banners. Manage distinction targets. Support 3-year forecasting by brand. Attend weekly recap meetings at the banner level. Aggregate global forecasts for the Chief Merchandising Officer as needed. Create and upkeep a global calendar against SMU projects. Manage annual product events and evergreen platforms Provide visibility as needed to internal marketing partners. Create and adhere to a vetting process to evaluate any new brands for consideration. Manage any 3rd party licensing needs, both vendor led partnerships or owned partnerships. Tackle ad hoc projects related to product needs. Immense knowledge of and passion for sneaker and streetwear culture, fashion, sports, music, art, and technology Established credibility in the sneaker community Connections to creators, brands, and retailers across youth culture Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience 5+ years of professional experience in product and/or marketing Strong abilities in PowerPoint, Excel, Word AI-curious and data-informed Understanding of Foot Locker, Inc.’s existing infrastructure, assets, and platforms Experience working cross-functionally in a nimble environment Entrepreneurial attitude and creative thinking to develop innovative, outside-the-box strategies Strong analytical skills to capture and report on consumer and market insights Ability to convey creative ideas in a professional, clear, and concise way to peers and upper management Passionate, assertive, and initiative-taking Comfortable driving and enforcing processes Comfortable with public speaking and presentations Team player and displays leadership Positive about good work and exciting opportunities Strong project management skills; ability to prioritize and work in a multitude of ongoing projects at the same time while meeting tight deadlines Highly organized and efficient ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Outstanding communication skills and awareness of linguistic nuances between audiences, from consumers to creators to senior leaders Proficiency in managing internal dynamics. At Foot Locker, we value innovation, authenticity, and integrity in all that we do. To uphold the security and fairness of our hiring process, we ask that candidates refrain from using AI tools, including ChatGPT, during interviews and assessments. To ensure a smooth and secure experience, please review the following guidelines: Cameras must be on for all virtual interviews. AI tools are strictly prohibited during interviews or assessments. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work together to create a transparent and equitable hiring experience. #LI-JJ1