About the role
Job Description
As Lead Exploration Innovator, you will lead R&D innovation projects from early-stage exploration through to concept development, creating the conditions for breakthrough ideas to emerge. You will bring multidisciplinary teams together to transform promising ideas and technologies into compelling, relevant, feasible and differentiated opportunities for Salomon.
Working at the intersection of innovation, footwear development, design, consumer insight and technical expertise, you will contribute directly to Salomon’s innovation strategy and take ownership of complex projects with development horizons of approximately two to five years.
This is a senior, hands-on role within a focused multidisciplinary innovation team. Reporting to the Senior Director of R&D, Innovation and Science, you will combine long-term vision with a detailed understanding of footwear development, prototyping and manufacturing realities, guiding ambitious concepts towards tangible product opportunities.
Your ability to challenge established approaches while navigating technical and industrial constraints will be essential. By creating alignment around a shared direction, you will help ensure that the strongest concepts can progress into Salomon’s future product ranges.
Your Main Missions 1. Manage R&D exploration projects
* Lead strategic innovation projects from early-stage exploration through to concept development.
* Define project scope, objectives, timelines, budgets, resources, deliverables and key decision points.
* Structure and drive projects with development horizons of approximately two to five years.
* Identify the internal and external expertise required to move each exploration forward.
2. Drive concept development
* Create the conditions for breakthrough ideas to emerge through ideation, experimentation and multidisciplinary collaboration.
* Generate, evaluate and refine innovative product ideas, technologies, features and functionalities.
* Translate early-stage ideas into clear, compelling and actionable product concepts.
* Align concepts with Salomon’s innovation strategy, brand direction and evolving consumer needs.
3. Assess and prioritize innovation opportunities
* Evaluate opportunities based on brand relevance, consumer value, innovation potential, technical feasibility and sustainability ambitions.
* Balance creative ambition with technical, industrial and commercial realities.
* Identify risks, constraints and areas for improvement early in the exploration process.
* Recommend the most promising opportunities and establish clear priorities for further development.
4. Turn concepts into prototypes and product samples
* Bring together multidisciplinary teams including design, product development, engineering, research, consumer insight and technical experts.
* Provide clear direction and create alignment around the objectives and expected outcomes of each concept.
* Guide concepts towards functional prototypes and product samples through hands-on experimentation and iterative development.
* Apply a strong understanding of footwear construction, materials, tooling, assembly and manufacturing processes to improve concept viability.
5. Build external innovation partnerships
* Develop relationships with universities, laboratories, start-ups, agencies, technology providers and manufacturing partners.
* Identify emerging technologies, materials and processes that could create relevant opportunities for Salomon.
* Explore, test and validate external solutions before integrating them into formal innovation projects.
* Build productive partnerships that complement Salomon’s internal expertise and support future product development.
6. Ensure continuity through to product development
* Maintain continuity between upstream exploration and downstream product development.
* Ensure that promising concepts progress towards implementation in line with Salomon’s design principles and sustainability ambitions.
* Work closely with development and manufacturing teams, including Asian partners, to anticipate technical and industrial constraints.
* Transfer project knowledge, technical learnings and recommendations clearly to the teams responsible for further development.
Qualifications
What you’ll need
* 10+ years of professional experience in footwear development, product innovation or a closely related area within the sports industry.
* Demonstrated experience leading complex footwear innovation or development projects from exploration through to prototyping, validation or market introduction.
* Deep knowledge of footwear construction, materials, tooling, assembly, sampling and industrial development processes.
* Strong understanding of Asian footwear development and manufacturing environments, including factory capabilities and sample room operations.
* A proven ability to combine creative thinking, technical depth and commercial or consumer relevance.
* Experience facilitating ideation, evaluating opportunities and translating early-stage ideas into structured, actionable concepts.
* Strong project leadership skills, including the ability to manage priorities, timelines, budgets, resources, stakeholders and deliverables.
* The ability to influence and to bring multidisciplinary teams together around a shared objective.
* A hands-on approach, with the ability and willingness to work directly on prototypes, samples and practical problem-solving.
* Strong communication, presentation, active listening and stakeholder engagement skills.
* The ability to coach others, share expertise and contribute constructively within a small, collaborative team.
* Fluent English.
Nice to have
* Broader product knowledge across apparel, bags or other soft goods.
* Experience with rapid prototyping, 3D modelling or digital concept development tools.
* Professional experience living or working in Asia.
* Hands-on model-making, prototyping or workshop experience.
* An engineering or design background.
* Knowledge of outdoor sports and their consumers.
* French language skills.
Additional Information
Contract: Permanent contract Location: Annecy, France Travel: Approximately 10%-15%, primarily to Asia, with occasional travel within Europe.