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Johnston & Murphy · 1 day ago

Director of Design, Men's Footwear - Johnston & Murphy

Nashville, TN

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

10+ years exp

Johnston & Murphy is a leading company in men's footwear, seeking a Design Director to shape the strategic direction and growth of their product line. This role involves overseeing all aspects of product design, leading a team of designers, and collaborating with various departments to ensure successful product delivery.

ApparelRetail

Hiring Manager

Jennifer Simpson

Responsibilities

Partner with the Product Line Manager to define the strategic and creative vision for the men’s footwear line each season

Foster a performance-driven culture that inspires a team commitment to consumer-focused, innovative, and market-relevant footwear solutions

Lead the development of seasonal design direction informed by consumer insights, fashion forecasts, and market trends, from initial inspiration through final selling tools

Oversee all phases of the product creation process—from concept development through commercialization handoff—ensuring timely execution and delivery

Maintain a cohesive product assortment by balancing synergy and differentiation across the line, while managing an effective mix of core and seasonal 'energy' product

Build strong cross-functional partnerships with retail and wholesale teams, as well as the apparel and accessories team, to ensure alignment on seasonal objectives and execution strategies

Guide and support the selection of seasonal lasts, materials, components, and color palettes to meet design, performance, and commercial goals

Lead innovation across product design and development—advancing comfort technologies and construction—while continuously improving team processes and ways of working

Qualification

Footwear designProduct creation lifecycleIndustrial Design degreeFootwear manufacturing methodsTeam leadershipAnalytical skillsCommunication skillsOrganizational skillsCreative problem solving

Required

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design or related field of study

Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in men's fashion footwear design and development

Proven expertise managing the end-to-end product creation lifecycle, including product briefs, ideation, design execution, technical packages, cost management, prototyping, and overseas development

Comprehensive working knowledge of modern footwear manufacturing methods, with the ability to oversee and direct all design and development processes

Highly creative with a passion for fashion design and deep understanding leather, textiles, components, and color concepts

Demonstrated success building effective partnerships across an organization, with factory partners, and with suppliers

Experience leading a footwear design teams, balancing structured process management with a creative culture that encourages innovation and new ideas

Excellent communication and organizational skills with the ability to adapt quickly and manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment

Strong blend of analytical, decision-making, and creative problem solving skills

Domestic and international travel required