Designer, Womens Footwear

Johnston & Murphy

. Design women’s footwear across categories, including sandals, sneakers, casual and dress shoes, and boots .

Posted 11/12/2026full-timeNashville • Tennessee • United StatesMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in women's footwear design, including concept development, technical execution, and material application. Proficient in managing projects and collaborating with cross-functional teams to align designs with market trends and production requirements.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Footwear Design ExperienceAdobe Illustrator ProficiencyTechnical Drawing SkillsTrend Analysis and ApplicationCollaboration with Development Partners

ATS Keywords

Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills

Footwear Construction KnowledgeSketching SkillsRendering SkillsCAD ProficiencyMaterial SpecificationColor ApplicationTechnical Package CreationPresentation SkillsConcept DevelopmentFashion Trend Analysis

Soft Skills

Clear CommunicationCreative Problem-SolvingOrganizational SkillsAbility to Manage Competing Priorities

Tools & Technologies

Adobe Photoshop3D Footwear Design Tools

Industry Keywords

Women’s FootwearFashion DesignLifestyle FootwearComfort-Focused FootwearOverseas Factory CollaborationSample ReviewProduction Preparation

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Design women’s footwear across categories, including sandals, sneakers, casual and dress shoes, and boots
Research consumer, fashion, material, color, and competitive trends to develop seasonal concepts, palettes, and collection stories
Create sketches, detailed line art, color CADs, material specifications, and technical packages for development and factory partners
Partner with Product Line Management to align designs with seasonal line plans, customer needs, and business priorities
Collaborate with Product Development and Sourcing to refine designs, resolve construction challenges, and meet cost, quality, and production requirements
Review samples, materials, colors, and fit; communicate revisions while preserving design intent
Present concepts and collections at key milestones and incorporate feedback from leadership and cross-functional partners
Manage multiple projects and development deadlines
Support special projects as assigned

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in Footwear Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
Three or more years of footwear design experience
Portfolio demonstrating concept development, sketching, technical execution, color and material application, and commercially relevant footwear design
Working knowledge of footwear construction, materials, components, and manufacturing processes
Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
Strong sketching, rendering, technical drawing, CAD, and presentation skills
Strong understanding of fashion, color, materials, and proportion
Ability to translate trends into footwear appropriate for the brand and customer
Clear communication, creative problem-solving, and organizational skills
Ability to manage competing priorities in a collaborative environment
Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required
Experience designing women’s fashion, lifestyle, or comfort-focused footwear across multiple categories
Experience working with overseas factories and development partners, including fittings, sample reviews, and preparing products for production
Familiarity with 3D footwear design or visualization tools

Benefits

Comp & perks

Day-one medical, dental, and vision coverage
Day-one 401(k) eligibility with company match and rollover options for existing retirement accounts
40% employee discount across all Genesco-owned brands and retail concepts
Paid time off
Nine paid holidays plus one floating holiday
Life and disability insurance
Flexible spending and health savings account options
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)