Urban Shoemakers is a family owned footwear importer and wholesaler that has enjoyed a preeminent position in the specialist independent footwear wholesale market in Australian and New Zealand for over 30 years. From our Port Melbourne head office we design, develop, manufacture (utilizing overseas sub-contracted resources), import and wholesale footwear into the Australian and New Zealand markets across two in-house footwear brands, EOS Footwear and Los Cabos. We also have distribution of both our brands throughout Canada and the USA.
Shoe Designer & Product Developer
This role will, at a minimum, require a tertiary degree in design ideally majoring in footwear and/or fashion together with extensive industry experience both in Australia and/or overseas.
For this part of your role, you must have a passion for shoes and the shoe industry and we need you to ultimately take charge of the brand under your control. You will be required to thoroughly study the brand, develop a thorough understanding of the targeted consumer segment, review their current target markets, and understand the characteristics that have contributed to their recent growth. Then, in conjunction with our product and business development team, identify and execute new opportunities to ensure their continued growth.
Your duties will require you to;
- Continually conduct international and national trend research in order to develop an ability to reliably assess the relevance of these trends to both our existing markets and any new targeted markets.
- Design, develop and build product groups that form a coherent and consistent continuation of the evolving brand(s) brief that are relevant to both our existing markets and new-targeted markets, based on the above research. This may include 2D sketching, last shell sketching, 3D design, digital rendering and general development plans, selecting and specifying all relevant materials, suggested production techniques and all required finishes and finishing techniques.
- You will be required to develop these concepts, regularly and coherently present them to senior management for assessment, feedback and final approval.
- A proven ability to communicate and when necessary, negotiate range design solutions to sales staff, agents, major clients and outsourced manufacturing resources.
- Be an active part of an ongoing brand identity development, updating & documenting the brand brief and assisting in the maintenance of vibrant market brand awareness in conjunction with the marketing team.
- Ongoing high quality range development and on time production delivery.
- Maintain strong ongoing communications with our factories, sales network and major customers.
You will be successful in this part of your role by utilising your extensive experience (8 plus years) that has been gained in similar sized or larger importing/wholesaling business either in Australia or Overseas. Be able to travel extensively overseas to visit suppliers and to attend trade fairs in both Europe and Asia in order to study current relevant trends, plan and discuss prototype sample and range development and their timely delivery back to Australia.
Oversee the whole range development cycle (including active participation in internal sales conferences, interstate shoe sells, shoe fairs and exhibitions, attend business networking forums), management and distribution of confirmation samples thereby insuring the integrity and forward sales of your brand.
Areas under your control will include;
- Planning and management of the whole range building cycle of the brands you are given responsibility for.
- Monitor, review and report on stock turns, inventory levels and the like to ensure you keep updated on the current market success or otherwise of your brand.
- Assist with and contribute to continual brand awareness in both the Australian and New Zealand markets as well as the growing North American markets.
- In conjunction with our Production Management team liaise with overseas suppliers with regard to on-time delivery and all quality issues.
- Investigate new potential revenue opportunities for your brand and prepare full seasonal brand reports to management.
- Present and review proposed product range at bi-annual sales conferences
- Ensure all brands are fully costed in line with Urban’s guidelines and meet the retail pricing requirements of our wide and varying customer base.
Footwear Technician
For this part of your role, you will be responsible for all the technical footwear issues associated within the Urban business – be they from the current ranges and/or any new ranges introduced.
To be successful you will need to have advanced proficiency in the following skill sets:
- Last design and last prototype development and correction.
- Footwear Pattern cutting.
- Thorough Footwear Component knowledge including the ability to design and correct all major footwear components.
- Extensive Footwear material knowledge relevant to all major footwear genres.
- Thorough knowledge and hands on experience in all major footwear manufacturing technologies.
- Thorough knowledge of all major footwear finishing techniques and an ability to communicate them to and reliably train relevant manufacturing resource staff.
- Thorough knowledge of major relevant international ‘Chemical testing’ regulations and requirements.
- Ability to systematically and scientifically ‘fit’ all prototypes and adjust for the relevant targeted market segment.
- Be a team player.
Key Selection Criteria
- Ability to think strategically, coolly and decisively under all circumstances
- Having a ‘results’ driven approach to the role and be able to show previous success in building brand awareness
- Ability to travel extensively is a pre-requisite
- Possess a natural flair for design, fashion and sales
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively under often tight pre-determined deadlines
- A highly motivated and focused approach to work
- A hands-on approach that will see you roll up your sleeves and assist in miscellaneous operational and administrative task as may be necessary
- Excellent computer skills with specific emphasis on Excel, Word, Email, In-Design, Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, eCommerce and Social Networking
- Proven skills to negotiate and liaise with suppliers, customers, service providers, sales agents and colleagues
- Able to work independently, while contributing strongly to our whole business and product development team
- A working knowledge of Portuguese, Italian, Spanish,Mandarin, Vietnamese and/or Hindi will be very favourably assessed.
- Possess excellent time management
- Be able to multi-task and
- Have a confident communication style
An excellent salary package (including superannuation and KPI based bonus scheme) will be negotiated to attractive the right candidate for this role. On-site parking and an attractive staff discounts program are also available.
If you have what it takes, please email (careers@eosfootwear.com) your CV and a cover letter that tells us about your experience and why you would be a great candidate for this role.
FURTHER INFORMATION
This is a full-time permanent position and applicants must be eligible to work long-term in Australia
Contact will be made only with successful candidates
No agencies need reply to this job advertisement