Key Skills

Job Description

Bata Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers and retailers of quality footwear. A global concern with more than 30,000 employees, 24 production facilities, over 5,000 stores in more than 70 countries across the globe, Bata has been providing the best shoes at the best prices, backed by unparalleled service, for 120 years. Since its founding in 1894 by Thomas Bata, the company has consistently demonstrated its commitment to responsible and innovative business models in the belief that capital is not just money, buildings, or technology, but, more importantly, people, knowledge, and core values. This visionary approach has enabled the company to meet each new challenge with creativity and foresight, while earning the trust and confidence of customers, employees, and the communities in which it does business. Today, Bata's pioneering decentralized production system, featuring semi-autonomous regional facilities guided by three regional business units, allows the company to quickly adapt to changes in the marketplace and seize potential growth opportunities. It also continues Bata's long tradition of being sensitive to cultural and national differences and enables it to proudly function as a local company in every country it serves. Bata Brand SA Bata is the leading international company in the footwear market and is present on five continents. The different continents are represented by five business units. Each business unit is organized according to the specificities of each country. Bata Global headquarters are based out of Avenue d'Ouchy 61, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland. About North Star North Star is a modern athleisure footwear brand positioned at the intersection of sport credibility, everyday comfort, and elevated design. The brand is built around the idea of the "Unreasonably Good Shoe" — footwear that looks refined enough for daily urban wear, yet delivers performance-grade comfort, durability, and fit. Within Bata's brand portfolio, North Star brings this positioning across its footwear ranges — from everyday essentials to purpose-built performance styles, spanning Daily, Field/Workwear, Kids, and Women's collections across North Star's global markets. Description of the Role Reporting to the President North Star, and leading North Star's Global Design team, the VP Design owns end-to-end creative and design leadership for North Star's global footwear and accessories portfolio — spanning Daily, Field/Workwear, Kids, Women's, and regional collections. This role requires an experienced design leader who combines a strong creative point of view with the strategic, commercial, and people-leadership skills required to run a multi-category, globally distributed design organization. The VP Design sets North Star's seasonal design vision and calendar, translating brand DNA into collections that are relevant, desirable, and commercially successful, while building and developing the design talent bench across Amsterdam headquarters and regional design hubs. Leading a team of Senior Designers, Designers, and Colors, Materials & Trends specialists across Daily, Field/Workwear, Kids, Men’s and Women's categories — as well as regional Designers based in India and Latin America — the VP Design ensures North Star's design output is distinctive, on-brand, and commercially relevant across Bata's diverse global markets, balancing global consistency with local consumer relevance. Success in this role requires strategic vision balanced with hands-on design leadership, strong stakeholder management up to ExCo level, and the judgment to build and scale a design organization that supports North Star's growth ambitions across its global footprint. Key Responsibilities Own North Star's global design vision and strategy, setting the seasonal creative direction and design calendar across Daily, Field/Workwear, Kids, Women's, and regional collections. Lead, coach, and develop a global team of Senior Designers, Designers, and Colors, Materials & Trends specialists, spanning Amsterdam headquarters and regional design hubs in India and Latin America. Own the design organization's structure, headcount planning, hiring, and succession, partnering with HR to build design capability across categories and regions. Provide final creative sign-off on seasonal collections across all categories, ensuring coherence, quality, and alignment with North Star's “Unreasonably Good Shoe” brand DNA before handoff to Merchandising and Sourcing. Present seasonal design vision, collections, and trend direction to ExCo, senior leadership, and key stakeholders, building confidence and alignment around North Star's design strategy. Own the design organization's budget and cost center, ensuring resources are allocated effectively across categories, regions, and seasonal priorities. Partner closely with Merchandising, Product Development, Sourcing, and Business Development leadership to ensure design output is commercially viable, properly sized, and aligned with pricing and margin targets. Ensure global design and trend direction is adapted for regional relevance, balancing brand consistency with local market, cultural, and consumer nuance across Bata's OpCos. Champion sustainability, material innovation, and responsible design practices across the design organization, in line with Bata's broader design and sourcing priorities. Represent Design in brief previews, subsidiary/regional reviews, and cross-functional planning forums, in collaboration with the Business Development team. Build and maintain relationships with external trend, material, and design resources to keep North Star's design direction ahead of market and consumer movements. Mentor and develop the Senior Designers and Designers reporting into the role, fostering a culture of creative excellence, collaboration, and accountability across the global design team. Reporting Reports to: North Star Brand Leadership – President North Star Leads North Star's Global Design organization: the Senior Designers (Daily, Field/Workwear, Kids), Designers (Colors, Materials & Trends, Women's), and regional Designers (India, Latin America) report into the role, directly or through category leads. Profile & Leadership Attributes Work Experience The ideal candidate brings: 12+ years of experience in footwear, fashion, or lifestyle design, including at least 5 years leading and developing multi-category design teams. Proven track record building and scaling a design organization, with experience managing globally distributed teams across HQ and regional hubs. Strong strategic and commercial acumen, with the ability to translate brand vision into collections that are desirable, differentiated, and commercially successful across diverse markets and price points. Confident executive presence, with experience presenting design vision and collections to ExCo, senior leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders. Proven people-leadership skills, with experience coaching, developing, and building succession within a design team, including remote and regional talent. Strong understanding of the end-to-end product creation process — from trend and concept through to prototyping, sourcing, and product launch. Deep knowledge of color, materials, and trend forecasting, and the ability to embed this expertise across a design organization. Comfortable operating within a global matrix organization, balancing global brand consistency with regional market, cultural, and consumer nuance. Strong track record of cross-functional partnership with Merchandising, Product Development, Sourcing, and Business Development leadership. Passion for sustainability and innovation, with experience embedding responsible design and material practices into a design organization's ways of working. Language Proficiency English (Fluent) French (an asset, given regular engagement with Bata's Lausanne headquarters) Conditions of Employment On-site Location Amsterdam, The Netherlands Why Work at Bata People are at the heart of what we do. From the consumers and customers we serve to the communities in which we operate, to the employees who drive our success year after year. Through our CSR programs, volunteering, and philanthropy, we deepen our connections with the company, our colleagues, and the communities in which we operate. What We Offer Competitive salary, generous benefits, and a respect for work-life balance form the foundation of what we offer at Bata. We then go the extra mile to train and equip our employees to make the most of the opportunities available to them. We provide industry-leading development programs to foster a Culture of teamwork, Integrity, and Excellence in everything we do. As a global brand, we value diversity and mobility, encouraging our people to pursue positions in new regions that will help them grow professionally and personally. Our multicultural leadership team is representative of this commitment and our brand's international footprint. Joining Bata means joining a company where you can have an impact, where you can help shape the future of a global footwear organization — including our North Star brand.

Core Responsibilities

Lead North Star’s global design organization and set the seasonal creative vision across footwear and accessories categories, ensuring collections reflect the brand’s identity and meet commercial goals. Develop the global design team, manage its structure and budget, and partner with merchandising, product development, sourcing, and regional teams to deliver globally consistent yet locally relevant collections.

Requirements

Candidates should have 12 or more years of footwear, fashion, or lifestyle design experience, including at least five years leading multi-category teams and experience scaling globally distributed design organizations. They should bring strong commercial and strategic judgment, executive communication and people-leadership skills, end-to-end product creation knowledge, expertise in color, materials, and trends, and a commitment to sustainability; fluent English is required, while French is an asset.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• Generous Benefits
• Work-Life Balance
• Employee Training and Development Programs