LACOSTE
At the crossroads of fashion and sport, Lacoste liberates and creates movement.
Both universal and timeless, it crosses cultures, oceans and generations to inspire each and every person.
Two Lacoste items are sold every second in the world.
As a global brand, our 8,500 team members are present in more than 100 countries, on all continents. We offer a wide range of jobs, from manufacturing to omnichannel distribution. We provide to our customers a complete range of products: apparel, footwear, leather goods, underwear, fragrances, eyewear and watches, all of them being developed with a unique “savoir faire”, in the most qualitative, responsible and ethical way.
Working at Lacoste is belonging to a community of talents on the move to build the future. We foster equal opportunities to gather promising people regardless of their differences.
Together we can make our crocodile always greater to have a meaningful impact: on the fashion industry and on society.
Lacoste is one of the inspiring brands driven by passionate people of the MF Brands Group, alongside with Aigle, Gant, Tecnifibre (https://mf-brands.com/)
CONTEXT AND PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
This Manager Development Footwear is responsible for leading the product development process for assigned footwear categories, ensuring designs are translated into commercially viable, innovative, and consumer-right products. Based in Hai Phong, this role partners closely with Design, Product Management, Sourcing, and Paris-based development teams to bring seasonal collections to life on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.
Monthly housing support for the candidate is willing to relocate from hometown to Hai Phong.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: Reports to Manufacturing Operations Manager
MAIN REPONSIBILITIES
Product Development
- Manage the end-to-end development process for assigned categories, from design handoff to final confirmation.
- Translate design concepts into manufacturable products, balancing creativity with technical feasibility.
- Ensure all products meet brand standards for quality, fit, performance, and cost.
- Review prototypes, wear-test results, and production samples; provide actionable feedback to Asia teams.
- Partner with Materials and Engineering teams to integrate innovation and sustainability goals.
Project Management
- Oversee seasonal calendars and ensure all deadlines are achieved across multiple categories.
- Coordinate daily communication between HQ and Asia development offices/factories.
- Anticipate and resolve issues in sampling, costing, or production that may affect deadlines.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Design to problem-solve construction, fit, and material challenges.
- Partner with Product Merchandising on target costing, product briefs, and line planning alignment.
- Collaborate with Paris development managers to ensure smooth handoffs and execution.
- Provide leadership visibility on risks, opportunities, and progress updates throughout the season.
MAIN SKILLS, COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED
- Solid footwear development experience, with established leadership experience.
- Strong technical knowledge of footwear construction, pattern engineering, and manufacturing processes.
- Proven track record of bringing consumer-right footwear to market on time and to standard.
- Experience working with Asia-based factories or development centers.
- Skilled in calendar management and project prioritization.
- Proficiency in PLM systems and digital development tools (3D CAD preferred).
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with experience in cross-cultural collaboration