VF Corporation · 22 hours ago
Senior Manager, Innovation (Making & Making Facility - Footwear Concepts)
Denver, CO
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
$124K/yr - $155K/yr
7+ years expVF Corporation is dedicated to fostering a culture of belonging and respect. The Senior Manager of Innovation will lead the Making Facility for Footwear Concepts, overseeing daily operations and managing prototype creation while collaborating with design and engineering teams.
Apparel & Fashion
Responsibilities
Lead daily operations of the Making Facility, ensuring the space is safe, organized, and set up for consistently high-quality work
Manage how prototype requests are received, prioritized, and scheduled so the team can support concepts generated across design and engineering
Personally build the most complex and experimental prototypes—setting the standard for craft, accuracy, and execution
Translate briefs, sketches, CAD models, and materials direction into clear build plans, including method selection and tooling needs
Troubleshoot challenging builds and develop new techniques, fixtures, or processes to solve unique fabrication problems
Lead, coach, and mentor a multidisciplinary team of makers, technicians, and specialists through hands on guidance and skill building
Manage all tools, equipment, and machinery within the Making Facility—including maintenance, upgrades, and new capability investments
Create and maintain SOPs, safety practices, and documentation that support high quality, repeatable builds
Collaborate closely with cross functional partners to support concept creation needs and share making knowledge across teams and geographies
Provide feasibility feedback on early ideas, acting as the bridge between conceptual direction and physical execution
Qualification
Required
7-10+ years of experience and professional achievements
Extensive experience in footwear prototyping, model making, fabrication, or hands on craft environments
Deep mastery across multiple making methods, including cut and sew, patternmaking, molding/casting, foam construction, and digital fabrication
Experience managing a makerspace, fabrication lab, or advanced prototyping environment
Proven capability to personally build complex prototypes with exceptional craft and attention to detail
Strong leadership skills, with the ability to mentor and guide a technical team
Excellent communication, planning, and organizational skills to manage workflows and prioritize work effectively
Ability to develop, document, and maintain fabrication methods, processes, and safety practices
Strong problem-solving skills and the creativity to develop new fabrication techniques when needed
Preferred
Experience leading a high volume or highly complex prototyping environment
Proficiency in digital modeling tools such as Rhino, Fusion 360, or Blender
Experience documenting fabrication techniques or developing new methods
Familiarity with advanced materials, automation, or emerging fabrication technologies
Benefits
Incentive Potential : This position is eligible for additional compensation awards that may include an annual incentive plan, sales incentive, or commission potential.
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.
Company
VF Corporation
VF is redefining what it means to be the world’s best apparel, footwear and equipment company, powering iconic active lifestyle brands including The North Face®, Vans® and Timberland®.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
VF Corporation has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (21)
2024 (22)
2023 (23)
2022 (40)
2021 (20)
2020 (26)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Benno Dorer
Former Interim President & CEO
Bracken Darrell
Chief Executive Officer
Recent News
2024-05-05
Benzinga
2024-04-10
Company data provided by crunchbase