Now that you’ve found the job description, what’s next?

Vans is the original brand rooted in the authentic lifestyle of skateboarding. We are driven by our mission to inspire and empower everyone to live “Off The Wall” – embracing the youthful spirit of freedom, non-conformity, and relentless progression. Yesterday’s “Off The Wall” moment is today’s new normal, and at Vans, we believe in constantly outdoing ourselves. Together with our communities across the globe, our vision is to push culture forward because we believe that the pursuit of progression never ends. We are constantly inspired by the future generation of positive catalysts within our community.

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of people who think and live “Off the Wall,” Vans just may be the place for you.

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit Vans Careers or www.vans.com.

What will you do?

A day in the life of a Designer, Lifestyle Footwear, Women's & Kid's SMU (Color/Materials/Graphics) at Vans looks a little like this.

This role sits within the Footwear Design team, focusing on Women’s Lifestyle and Kids SMU categories for the Americas region. The position collaborates closely with Product Development and Merchandising team to deliver innovative and trend-right designs.

At its core, this role is responsible for creating compelling footwear concepts and collections, including seasonal graphics, color strategies, and SMU executions. From initial sketches and CADs to tech packs and material selections, this designer ensures that every product aligns with brand vision and consumer expectations.

This position plays a key role in translating merchandise briefs into market-ready designs that balance creativity, functionality, and brand DNA.

Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

• Use your design skills to create footwear concepts that are original, iconic, unique, and innovative, aligning with Vans’ creative vision and brand culture.

• Adhere to the Vans footwear design process and seasonal direction for Women’s Lifestyle and Kids SMU categories.

• Partner with your Manager and Merchandising on all footwear designs to ensure consistency and alignment with project briefs.

• Create accurate and detailed footwear tech packs for development to ensure proper execution of designs.

• Communicate and collaborate cross-functionally with Footwear Development, Color/Materials, and Product Management teams.

• Demonstrate strong teamwork skills by cooperating with cross-functional partners throughout the design process.

• Establish clear and effective communication with management, team members, and external partners as needed.

• Manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment where challenging timelines are the norm.

• Adhere to all seasonal calendar deadlines and deliverables.

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 3-5 years of experience and professional achievements.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

Bachelor’s degree in Footwear Design, Graphic Design, Fashion Design, or related field.

Proficient in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop rendering footwear concepts and creating tech packs.

Ability to identify emerging footwear trends and translate them into fresh, innovative design ideas that align with Vans’ brand DNA.

Strong knowledge of footwear design processes, including material selection, color strategy, construction techniques, and tech pack creation.

Ability to design within seasonal stories and collaborate effectively in a team environment to ensure cohesive product assortments.

Comfortable managing fast-paced footwear design workload, meeting tight deadlines and seasonal calendar milestones.

Exceptional multi-tasking, communication, and organizational skills to handle multiple projects simultaneously.

Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with cross-functional partners, including Development, Merchandising, and Color/Materials teams.

Location requirement: Hybrid schedule in-office in Costa Mesa, CA.

What do we offer you?

At Vans, we know you expect as much from us as we do from you. That is why we make a commitment to support and grow our people. We offer extensive development and growth opportunities for your current and future positions, a competitive compensation package, and a strong benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and 401(k).

Our commitment extends beyond this and into your daily work life. We strive to foster a diverse and inclusive culture based on respect, connection, and authenticity. Our focus on DEI is at the foundation of who we are and what we do.

To learn more about Vans’ benefits package, follow this MyVFBenefits.com and click “Looking to Join VF”.

To learn more about Vans‘ Diversity and Inclusion efforts, go to www.vans.com.

Now WE have a question for YOU.

Are you in?

Hiring Range:

$82,080.00 USD - $102,600.00 USD annually

Incentive Potential: This position is eligible for additional compensation awards that may include an annual incentive plan, sales incentive, or commission potential. Specific details of the additional compensation eligibility for this position will be provided during the recruiting and interview process.

Benefits at VF Corporation: You can review a general overview of each benefit program offered, including this year's medical plan rates on www.MyVFbenefits.com and by clicking Looking to Join VF? Detailed information on your benefits will be provided during the hiring process.

Please note, our hiring ranges are determined and built from market pay data. In determining the specific compensation for this position, we comply with all local, state, and federal laws.

At VF, we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us at peopleservices@vfc.com. VF will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals to the extent required by applicable law.

Pursuant to all applicable local Fair Chance Ordinance requirements, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, VF will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.