Vans: Director, Brand Strategy

Now that you’ve found the job description, what’s next?

Vans is the original brand rooted in the authentic lifestyle of skateboarding. We are driven by our mission to inspire and empower everyone to live “Off The Wall” – embracing the youthful spirit of freedom, non-conformity, and relentless progression. Yesterday’s “Off The Wall” moment is today’s new normal, and at Vans, we believe in constantly outdoing ourselves. Together with our communities across the globe, our vision is to push culture forward because we believe that the pursuit of progression never ends. We are constantly inspired by the future generation of positive catalysts within our community.  

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of people who think and live “Off the Wall,” Vans just may be the place for you.

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit Vans Careers or www.vans.com.

What will you do?

A day in the life of a Director, Brand Strategy at Vans looks a little like this.

Reporting to the Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, helps lead the development of Vans’ long-term growth strategy by establishing KPIs, and driving the actions behind those leading indicators. Conducts consumer, channel, competitor and category research to drive decision-making and achievement of short and long-term financial goals. Manage global brand dashboards, presentations and deliverables to VF Corporate.

Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

·       Guide the implementation of VF's strategic planning to develop and evolve the brand’s global strategy, including market research, consumer segmentation, competitive analyses, benchmarking, and collaborative decision making with brand leadership to inform strategic choices and contextualize current performance.  

·       Identify growth opportunities: Analyze industry category and adjacent business opportunities with crossover to Vans consumer. Use market information to identify opportunities, build financial models, make recommendations to senior management and assist with senior-level decision-making for Vans’ strategic plans.  

·       Lead 5yr LRP for Global Vans brand – process, financial model, functional deliverables.

·       Partner with brand leadership to create, activate, and monitor the development of the strategy, including annual planning (V2MOM), and ensure plans tie tightly to annual financial targets and budgets. 

·       Maintain the dashboard of strategic priorities and V2MOM achievements for the senior management team.   

·       Manage global brand reporting to VF leadership, including presentations for quarterly business reviews. Provide information and answer requests for Corporate Investor Relations. 

·       Lead strategic cross-functional initiatives designed to drive sales growth, margin improvement or expense reduction that support the delivery of brand and business goals.  Plan and execute strategic and financial-based projects initiated by senior management focused on issues impacting the business now and in the future.  Research complex issues and create solutions to drive company performance. 

·       Mentor and direct staff to develop and deliver personal objectives tied to timely, operationally effective, and profitable business strategies. 

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 10+ years of experience and professional achievements. 

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

·       Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance or related field; MBA strongly preferred 

·       Demonstrated ability to develop and drive strategy and brand direction in a global context 

·       Excellent interpersonal and communication skills 

·       Highly driven, analytical and results oriented 

·       Ability to interact and influence senior executives and business partners 

·       Advanced computer skills: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint 

·       Strategic planning, financial acumen, market analysis & leadership

·       E-Commerce & Omni Strategy – understanding of DTC, digital marketplace, and seamless online/offline customer experience

There are also a few skills that are not required but preferred.

• Experience in Global Retail and familiarity of performance/lifestyle culture

• Global Market Expansion – experience in international retail growth strategies, especially in emerging markets

• Data Science & AI – familiarity with AI-driven consumer insights, predictive analytics, or machine learning

• Supply Chain Optimization – knowledge of logistics, sustainability, or inventory forecasting

• Consumer Psychology & Trend Forecasting – ability to anticipate and react to youth culture trends

• Product Development & Merchandising Insights – good grasp of product curation, collaborations, or licensing

• Crisis Management & Adaptability – experience navigating economic downturns, brand repositioning

• High-Profile Partnership Development – connections with influencers, athletes, or major retail/tech companies

• Entrepreneurial Mindset – background in startups, scaling brands, or intrapreneurship within a corporation

What do we offer you?

At Vans, we know you expect as much from us as we do from you. That is why we make a commitment to support and grow our people. We offer extensive development and growth opportunities for your current and future positions, a competitive compensation package, and a strong benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and 401(k).

Our commitment extends beyond this and into your daily work life. We strive to foster a diverse and inclusive culture based on respect, connection, and authenticity. Our focus on DEI is at the foundation of who we are and what we do.

To learn more about Vans’ benefits package, follow this MyVFBenefits.com and click “Looking to Join VF”.

To learn more about Vans‘ Diversity and Inclusion efforts, go to www.vans.com.

Now WE have a question for YOU.

Are you in?

Hiring Range:

Incentive Potential: This position is eligible for additional compensation awards that may include an annual incentive plan, sales incentive, or commission potential. Specific details of the additional compensation eligibility for this position will be provided during the recruiting and interview process.

Benefits at VF Corporation: You can review a general overview of each benefit program offered, including this year's medical plan rates on www.MyVFbenefits.com  and by clicking Looking to Join VF? Detailed information on your benefits will be provided during the hiring process.

Please note, our hiring ranges are determined and built from market pay data. In determining the specific compensation for this position, we comply with all local, state, and federal laws.

At VF, we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws.  If you are unable to submit your application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at peopleservices@vfc.com. VF will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities to the extent required by applicable law.

Pursuant to all applicable local Fair Chance Ordinance requirements, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, VF will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.