R&D Director Safety Jogger

Thanks to the continuous efforts of its people, Cortina is one of the fastest-growing global fashion footwear and apparel companies in today’s industry. Each year, Cortina delivers over 30 million pairs of shoes and 5 million pieces of apparel to wholesalers and retailers all over the world. Safety Jogger is Cortina’s leading global and certified brand of safety footwear and workwear that is present in over 120 countries. Our mission? To offer protective solutions for every workplace, with a clear focus on quality, comfort and pricing.

Safety Jogger was founded in 2001 as one of the first brands of Cortina. Thanks to Cortina’s know-how in product development, Safety Jogger grew fast in its market and soon became an international brand for personal protective equipment, renowned for its modern designs, outstanding quality and competitive pricing. Today, Safety Jogger offers a full and certified range of footwear and other protective solutions for professions in multiple categories: industrial, professional and tactical. Within this range, Tiger Grip is the leading brand in overshoes, while Safety Jogger Adventure offers a wide collection of outdoor footwear. The result? A one-stop solution for safety and occupational products, with well-balanced, innovative and fashionable collections for both men and women.

The position

The R&D Director Safety Jogger will spearhead the innovation and product development initiatives, ensuring alignment with the strategic goals of operational excellence and sustainability of the Cortina Group. This role demands a visionary leader with a passion for processes and process innovation, product innovation, adept at managing complex product portfolios, and experienced in product lifecycle management. The ideal candidate will foster a culture of continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration to propel the fast-growing Safety Jogger brand to new heights.

Key Result Areas

• Strategic Leadership:
• Develop and implement R&D strategies that align with the company's mission and growth objectives.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, technological advancements, and regulatory changes to inform product development.
• Translate customer needs and market trends into successful product launches.

• Product Development & Innovation:
• Lead the end-to-end product development process, from ideation to market launch, ensuring timely delivery of innovative safety footwear and apparel.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, focusing on enhancing existing products and optimizing SKU management.
• Manage and optimize the route-to-market in close collaboration with marketing and operations.

• Operational Excellence:
• Implement best practices and R&D methodologies (such as stage gate process) in process development and integration to streamline R&D operations.
• Collaborate with supply chain, quality assurance and sales teams to ensure seamless product integration and scalability.
• Strive for operational excellence in collaboration with the Group COO.

• Sustainability Initiatives:
• Integrate sustainable practices into product design and development, prioritizing eco-friendly materials and processes while safeguarding the brand market positioning.
• Set and monitor sustainability goals, ensuring compliance with environmental standards and regulations.

• Team Development & Leadership:
• Manage, mentor, and inspire a diverse team of R&D professionals (including the Technical Director and Product Development Director), fostering a collaborative, and innovative work environment.
• Identify skill gaps and facilitate professional development opportunities to build a high-performing team.

• Data-Driven Decision Making:
• Utilize data analytics to drive product development decisions, assess market trends, and measure project performance.
• Implement metrics to evaluate the success of R&D initiatives and inform strategic planning.
• Strong interest in optimizing our processes through AI.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
• Work closely with marketing, sales, supply chain, and manufacturing departments to ensure cohesive product strategies and successful market introductions.
• Engage with external partners, suppliers, and industry experts to enhance innovation and stay competitive.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Product Design, or a related field;
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in R&D operations with at least 5 years in a leadership role;
• Proven track record in managing complex product portfolios and leading successful product development projects;
• Experience in developing (fast moving) consumer products is a strong asset;
• Strong understanding of product lifecycle management and supply chain processes;
• Commitment to sustainability and experience in implementing eco-friendly practices in product development;
• Exceptional leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate a diverse team;
• Has an excellent customer centricity attitude, is more focused on developing successful products than on fundamental research;
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities;
• Digital mindset (AI);
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with a collaborative mindset;
• Living on an acceptable distance of Oudenaarde (or open to relocate) and flexibility to travel about 20% of total time.

Behavioural competencies

• (People) Leadership: Builds strong teams; sets ambitious goals and supports team members to achieve them; offers opportunities for personal growth and development; creates a work environment and culture that inspires to deliver outstanding results; is an inspiring people leader.
• Long term vision & strategic thinking: Develops a long term (R&D) vision and translates this vision into short term action plans; provides direction and guidance; is innovative, identifies and creates opportunities to further enhance the financial performance.
• Drive for results: Delivers results; is action oriented and takes decisions; switches smoothly between strategic thinking and hands-on action; goes the extra mile to achieve targets and goals; is persistent and has an entrepreneurial attitude.
• Analytical skills: Has excellent analytical reasoning skills; builds strong business cases based on facts, figures and in depth analyses; has a digital mindset; uses Big Data to take decisions and build strong business cases.
• Embodies Cortina’s Core PECT Values: Passion – Excellence – Commitment – Team Spirit.