Footwear Designer (m/w/d)

About the company

Jack Wolfskin is an internationally recognized outdoor brand and part of the ANTA Sports Group, one of the world’s leading sporting goods manufacturers. The company is known in Europe and China for outdoor apparel, footwear, and gear that combine innovation, practical performance, and sustainability. With its own retail network and franchise partners, it is also among the largest franchise operators in German sports retail. The team is looking for people with curiosity, independent thinking, and a passion for the outdoors.

The role is for the Equipment & Footwear Design area at the company headquarters in Idstein, with the position expected to move to Eschborn by the end of 2026, when the primary workplace will also shift there.

Role overview

This position is available as soon as possible for a Footwear Designer who can create forward-looking, customer-focused shoe products aligned with brand vision, category strategy, and commercial targets.

What you will do

• Develop innovative shoe concepts that meet customer needs and fit the brand direction, category plan, and business goals.
• Turn performance needs, market insights, and outdoor trends into strong technical product ideas.
• Continuously research outdoor, sports, lifestyle, and fashion trends, along with competitors, materials, and new innovations.
• Bring design concepts to life through mood boards, sketches, and digital or physical mock-ups.
• Work closely with product management and development teams to ensure all defined requirements are translated correctly.
• Partner with developers and suppliers to protect design intent from the first concept through to production readiness.
• Coordinate with apparel and equipment teams to support a consistent head-to-toe outdoor look, including color direction.
• Present seasonal concepts and product solutions to internal stakeholders.
• Create detailed, production-ready tech packs for development teams.
• Review prototypes and samples, then define clear improvements related to design, performance, quality, fit, and cost.
• Maintain and update seasonal product information in the product data management system (Centric).
• Ensure projects are delivered on time and aligned with schedules and milestones.
• Contribute to the ongoing improvement of design processes, tools, and ways of working.

What we are looking for

• A completed degree in industrial design, footwear design, or product design.
• At least 3 years of professional experience as a footwear designer in the outdoor or sports industry.
• Strong understanding of shoe construction, materials, and manufacturing methods.
• Good knowledge of the outdoor and sports goods market as well as current consumer trends.
• Awareness of global markets, cultural differences, and regional needs.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Comfort working in teams and experience collaborating with international, cross-functional groups.
• A structured, independent way of working.
• A creative, curious, and solution-focused mindset.
• Confident use of Adobe Creative Cloud, especially Illustrator and Photoshop; Vizcom is an advantage.
• Good Microsoft Office skills.
• Very good English skills; Chinese is a plus.
• A genuine interest in outdoor activities, sport, and an active lifestyle.
• Willingness to travel within Germany and internationally.

Benefits and perks

• An exciting product environment in an international, responsible, and sustainability-oriented company.
• German and English are used as company languages.
• 30 days of annual leave.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• Remote work from abroad for up to 4 weeks.
• Attractive employee discounts and additional company benefits.
• Employee referral bonus program.
• Access to exclusive corporate benefit offers.
• Bike leasing with a monthly subsidy for up to two lease agreements.
• EGYM corporate fitness access with more than 7,000 gyms.
• Team events and outdoor sports activities.
• A friendly, informal culture and casual dress code.
• Complimentary water, coffee, and tea specialties.

Additional information

The company headquarters will be relocated to Eschborn at the end of 2026. From that point onward, the main place of work for this role will also be Eschborn.

The company asks applicants to submit their electronic application through its online career portal, including a CV and their earliest possible start date.