VIVAIA is a global footwear brand founded in 2020, creating comfortable, stylish shoes with a sustainability-led approach. We combine thoughtful design with innovative materials—including recycled and bio-based options—and advanced footwear technologies to deliver products made for everyday life. As we continue to grow globally, we are looking for an experienced innovation leader to help turn new ideas into scalable product solutions.

About the Role

As our Footwear Innovation & Materials Development, you will lead end-to-end innovation projects across footwear materials, technologies, and manufacturing processes. You will bridge creative exploration and industrial execution, partnering closely with Design, Product Development, Production, Quality, Procurement, suppliers, and external development partners to bring validated innovations into production. This is an opportunity for a technically strong, highly organized footwear professional who is excited by materials innovation, practical problem-solving, and building more sustainable products.

Responsibilities

• Lead footwear innovation projects from early exploration of materials, technologies, and manufacturing processes through sample development, testing, validation, and production implementation.
• Build detailed project plans, milestones, and timelines; monitor progress and proactively remove barriers to on-time delivery.
• Partner cross-functionally with Design, Product Development, Production, Quality, Procurement, suppliers, laboratories, and factories to align technical requirements and execution plans.
• Establish and maintain rigorous project documentation, including development records, test results, technical solutions, alternative approaches, decisions, and stage-gate progress, ensuring complete project traceability.
• Drive the development, evaluation, and application of new and compound materials; maintain a materials library and trial database that captures performance, suitability, and validation outcomes.
• Coordinate laboratory testing and technical assessments, translating results into clear recommendations for product development and production teams.
• Research emerging materials, footwear technologies, manufacturing methods, and sustainability trends; identify opportunities and lead innovation or running-change projects from concept to implementation.
• Prepare technical presentations and project updates for cross-functional stakeholders, clearly communicating progress, results, risks, and practical mitigation plans.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant footwear industry experience in footwear development, shoemaking, manufacturing processes, materials development, or a closely related technical field.
• Demonstrated end-to-end experience developing footwear products, from concept and material selection through sampling, testing, validation, and production.
• Hands-on experience introducing and applying new materials, technologies, or manufacturing methods in a footwear setting.
• Strong knowledge of footwear materials and functional performance, with the ability to assess suitability, limitations, development risks, and production implications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both Chinese and English, along with strong project management, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration capabilities.

Nice to Have

• Experience with international footwear brands or established footwear companies.
• Experience developing compound, sustainable, functional, or other innovative footwear materials.
• Familiarity with laboratory testing, material performance analysis, or materials database management.
• Experience leading footwear innovation, running-change, or cross-functional technical development projects.
• Experience collaborating with material suppliers, laboratories, factories, or other external development partners.
• Strong PowerPoint, presentation, and technical reporting skills.

Equal Opportunity Statement

VIVAIA is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.