Creative Director Bristol Nature HQ

We are seeking a visionary, commercially minded Creative Director to lead the evolution of Vivobarefoot's product direction-balancing creative ambition, performance credibility and regenerative innovation. This role sits at the intersection of design, innovation and brand storytelling, guiding our product strategy from concept to consumer. You'll combine creative excellence with commercial and manufacturing rigor to deliver the best footwear in the world.

OUR PRODUCT DESIGN PILLARS

• Performance Credibility - products that perform naturally, built with biomechanical intelligence and real world testing.
• Everyday Versatility - minimalist design that moves effortlessly between life's terrains.
• Distinctive Identity - unmistakably Vivobarefoot in form, function, and philosophy.
• Sustainable Efficiency - reducing waste, energy, and materials through regenerative design and circular systems.

WHERE YOU'LL PLAY

• Define and own the global product direction, design DNA, and category narratives (style language, materials, silhouettes).
• Lead colour and material strategy, balancing innovation, performance, sustainability, and commercial goals in partnership with Sourcing.
• Act as guardian of the brand's product identity and storytelling, ensuring every design reflects our mission and regenerative promise.
• Inspire and mentor the Product, Design, PLM, ReVivo & Regeneration teams-building a culture of creativity, collaboration, and accountability.
• Direct the range architecture and lifecycle planning-category mix, pricing, continuity vs. newness, and margin management.
• Build clear, cross functional processes linking Design, Development, Merchandising, Brand, and Commercial teams into a feet first approach.
• Champion circular and regenerative innovation, working closely with development, sourcing and ReVivo (resale and repair), Regen (materials and manufacturing), and Innovation pipeline.
• Lead creative and product review cycles-ensuring alignment on design intent, cost targets, and production feasibility.
• Set and track commercial, sustainability, and performance KPIs to drive measurable impact across collections.
• Stay close to consumer and market insight, translating data into meaningful design and range evolution.

ALL ABOUT YOU

• Proven experience (10 years) in senior Design and/or Product leadership, ideally in footwear design across multiple categories (contemporary, outdoor, lifestyle or performance).
• Proven track record leading end-to-end product creation from concept through production.
• Deep technical knowledge of footwear design for manufacture, fit, tooling, materials, and prototyping.
• Skilled in trend analysis, silhouette development, and material innovation- with strong intuition for what drives both performance and desire.
• Passionate about sustainability, regeneration, circular design with a strong portfolio showcasing clear sustainable, regenerative, and circular design principles.
• Proficient in sketching, CAD, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop); experience or openness to 3D tools (CLO, Rhino, etc.).
• Inspirational leader-proven ability to build, coach, and empower creative teams.
• Commercially sharp-understands cost, margin, and manufacturing realities, comfortable managing to performance and financial targets.
• Excellent cross functional collaborator with strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, in a fast paced, purpose driven environment.

At Vivobarefoot, we value different perspectives because they spark creativity, drive innovation and empower everyone to bring their whole selves to work.

Every new team member brings unique talents, experiences and potential. Through collaboration and open feedback, we create space for people to grow, explore new ideas and connect. That's why we are committed to inclusive hiring-welcoming people of all backgrounds, identities and abilities. We look forward to walking this barefoot journey with you!