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Manager, Design Operations – The North Face

What will you do?

A Day in the life of a Manager, Design Operations at TNF looks a little like this:

Reporting directly to the Chief Design & Creative Direction Officer, this leader drives the overall design strategy to deliver products that define each style’s aesthetic and attitude. The role is critical in creative milestone and event planning, space ideation and execution, calendar optimization, budget management, resource allocation, and elevating taste and professionalism across the team.

This position bridges the gap between creative vision and operational excellence, ensuring design processes are efficient, collaborative, strategically aligned, and beautifully executed.

Your responsibilities will include:

+ **Milestone & Event Planning:** Visualize, plan, and deliver best-in-class creative milestones within the Design & Innovation team and cross-functionally, creating enterprise-wide excitement, inspiration, and clarity of the TNF creative vision.

+ **Operational Leadership:** Manage day-to-day studio operations, optimizing workflows and enhancing productivity. Think of this role as the conductor of an orchestra—ensuring every section plays in harmony.

+ **Process Improvement:** Identify and implement best practices for design processes, including managing seasonal design reviews, creating timelines, agendas, invites, logistics, and communicating expectations clearly.

+ **Tools & Technology:** Act as a change agent for how we work and the tools we use. Support the implementation of new product creation tools (e.g., DPC, PxM, AI), driving productivity and elevating creative practice.

+ **Resource Management:** Allocate resources effectively, including budgets, timelines, and leadership reviews, ensuring designers have the tools and support needed to succeed.

+ **Cross-Functional Coordination:** Serve as a liaison between design, marketing, and merchandising—ensuring clear communication, integrated feedback, and shared understanding across functions. Build strong partnerships with VF colleagues, especially around GTM processes.

+ **Project Oversight** : Monitor progress of key initiatives, ensuring deadlines are met and final outputs align with brand standards and creative vision.

+ **Metrics & Reporting:** Track key performance indicators such as development ratios, late add ratios, and change rates to ensure accountability.

+ **Multiple Workstreams:** Manage across multiple seasons and creation tracks, simplifying workflows to enable creative exploration.

+ **Category Collaboration:** Support across Footwear, Equipment, Accessories, Apparel, and Creative Direction (Concept/Color/Print & Graphics), engaging leaders to stretch beyond comfort zones and elevate creative outcomes.

What do you need to succeed?

We all bring unique skills to work, but for this role you’ll need strong experience (7+ years) in apparel, sporting goods, or outdoor industry operations, with a proven track record of professional achievements. Formal education in a related field is a plus, but practical experience is most important.

Foundational skills for success include:

+ **Process Optimization:** Ability to streamline and elevate design workflows.

+ **Project Management:** Skilled in managing resources, timelines, and competing priorities.

+ **Quality Assurance:** Commitment to high standards across design outputs.

What success looks like:

+ On-time, complete deliverables that improve efficiency and meet brand goals.

+ Implementation of best practices and standards across functions.

+ Opportunities identified for automation, standardization, and optimization.

+ Clear and effective communication with stakeholders to drive alignment and buy-in.

What you bring:

+ Strong analytical skills and the ability to translate business objectives into actionable plans.

+ Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; able to collaborate across all levels.

+ Proven ability to lead change and drive process improvement.

+ Solid business acumen with an understanding of the product lifecycle and a holistic, strategic mindset.

+ Exceptional project management skills—organized, efficient, and collaborative, with experience managing multiple streams of work.

+ Event management expertise in planning and executing large events, including logistics and agendas.

+ Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment, achieving goals through collaboration.

+ Strong decision-making abilities aligned with business priorities.

+ Leadership qualities including decisiveness, integrity, resilience, and initiative.

+ Strong cross-functional leadership, vendor management, strategic planning, and design thinking capabilities.

Mandatory Experience:

+ Proven experience in product or business operations management.

+ Experience in apparel, sporting goods, or outdoor industry.

+ Comfort navigating fast-paced, matrixed environments.

Hiring Range** **:

$96,768.00 USD - $120,960.00 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.

_P_** **_lease 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 are unable to submit your application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at_ [email protected]_ _. VF will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities 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._

VF Diversity Vision Statement

VF is committed to creating an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the differences among all of our associates, customers, suppliers and the communities in which we live and conduct business. The continued success and growth of VF is enhanced through initiatives that promote diversity throughout VF around the world.VF is an equal employment opportunity/ affirmative action employer of minorities, females, protected veterans and the disabled. VF is committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, and treating our VF associates and VF applicants without discrimination on the basis of their race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, HIV/AIDS status, or any other legally protected factor.