Who We Are:
Since 1906, New Balance has empowered people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. We innovate fearlessly, guided by our core values and driven by the belief that conventions were meant to be challenged. We foster a culture in which every associate feels welcomed and respected, where leaders and creatives are inspired to shape the world of tomorrow by taking bold action today.
JOB MISSION:
The Senior Product Developer manages the overall concept to consumer development execution for seasonal In-Line footwear projects and market SMUs within the Football GBU. You will be responsible for utilising and leveraging technical engineering and manufacturing capabilities to ensure best in class execution of football performance footwear that meets the needs and ambitions of elite athletes. You will lead product Testing & Validation activities through coordinating wear test strategies and on-time product validation. Working closely with product, athletes and clubs, this is a great opportunity to help shape the future of football footwear at New Balance.
This role will require occasional travel in UK and to Asia. We offer hybrid working and a flexibility to working hours to accommodate for a healthy work life balance.
MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES:
- Responsible for development & manufacturing buy-ready status for specific segments of New Balance’s seasonal Global Football cleated and non-cleated performance products
- Ensure key development stage gates and protocols are met & optimised to ensure product performance, cost, quality, manufacturability, and commerciality are optimized and in accordance with the category targets and goals
- Deliver consumer facing seasonal products through the utilization of existing processes, new technology & value engineering techniques that translate into sustainable category growth
- Build effective relationships and utilize key communication channels with product creation, global development, Asian sourcing counterparts, and strategic internal and external resources to drive key category deliverables
- Manage the preparation & governance of production creation processes aligned with engineering, tooling, production, commercialization, and manufacturing to ensure category financial & product performance targets are met
- Oversee coordination of existing and new tooling for seasonal projects from concept to commercialization in accordance with design, CAD team, engineering best practices, D4M, and seasonal tooling timeline
- Engage in and facilitate the transition of Innovation workstreams and projects to support the inline seasonal calendar. Analyze risks and opportunities and make timely recommendations to facilitate the progress during exploration phase
- Ensure testing alignment with Fit & Wear teams and Sports Marketing to ensure elite and club level athletes are incorporated to strengthen product feedback loop and development direction.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS:
- Educated to degree or equivalent combination of Relevant Industry Experience
- Experienced in the development of performance footwear is essential; cleated development experience is preferred
- High level project management skills
- Strategic thinker capable to manage projects from concept to validation and is extremely comfortable in a fast-paced and changing environment
- Strong leadership skills required, with an ability to work independently and drive cross functional alignment and mentor team members
- Excellent communication and presentation skills across different levels of understanding
- Ability to establish strong target consumer relationships with the capability to inform and communicate on multiple levels
- Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and use of engineering tools and 3D software would be advantageous
- Domestic and International travel required
BENEFITS:
- Discretionary Bonus Opportunity
- Private Medical Insurance
- Dental Scheme
- Pension Scheme
- Flexible Working Hours (07:00 – 9:00 start, 15:00 -17:00 finish)
- Hybrid working (3 days on-site)
- 25 days Annual Leave per year
- Life Insurance
- On Site Gym
- Employee Discount
- Opportunity to work abroad for four weeks per year
- Wellbeing and Mental Health Benefit (24/7 Employment Assistance Program & Support)
Equal Opportunity Employer:
New Balance is committed to equality of opportunity for all current and prospective associates regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership and gender reassignment. We are an equal opportunity employer and support a culture of diversity and inclusion.
If you have not already done so, please let us know if you require any support so we can make the right adjustments and considerations should they be required.
Top Skills
What We Do
In 1906, New Balance began as a humble one-man operation founded on the belief that “we were born to move,” and has since grown into an international corporation, selling footwear and apparel in over 120 countries and employing over 8,000 associates worldwide. Our mission has always been to support the performance of athletes, and with an unparalleled focus on quality and craftsmanship, we’ve come to set the standard for comfort and fit in an industry all too often driven by hype.
We’re incredibly proud of our history and how far we’ve come, but companies don’t thrive for over a century by being content.
Whether it’s setting a new style trend, retooling our manufacturing process, or building a new state-of-the-art headquarters, we pursue innovation with a spirit of fearless independence. As the only privately held major footwear company in the world, we’re free to do things our way, pushing limits and testing boundaries as we continually reimagine what could be. After all, the status quo isn’t static.
But doing things our way wouldn’t mean much if we weren’t also doing them the right way. We invest in our associates as they invest in us, and as we move forward, we make a point of giving back, supporting communities around us through ambitious philanthropic efforts and involvement programs. We are a company that cares, and our culture is one of integrity and teamwork where together we become greater than the sum of our parts.
