Creative Studio Director

Ground Up International•New York, NY

About The Position

We are seeking a Creative Studio Director, Licensed Footwear to lead the vision, strategy, and execution of our character licensed footwear portfolio. This role serves as the strategic and creative counterpart to our Branded Director, with full ownership over the Studio division focused on licensed IP (entertainment, animation, gaming, and character-driven brands). This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for building a best-in-class licensed footwear business—balancing creative storytelling with operational rigor. The ideal candidate is a seasoned licensing expert in footwear who thrives at the intersection of licensor partnership, product innovation, and go-to-market execution. You will oversee the end-to-end studio process—from line planning and seasonal storytelling to licensor alignment, product approvals, and calendar management—ensuring the team delivers compelling, on-brand product on time and at scale. This position reports to the Chief Product Officer. About Ground Up: Ground Up is a premier footwear manufacturer retaining an integrated portfolio of licensed and owned brands and has grown to be a leading supplier. The company’s unique capability to design and translate fashion trends offers a fresh perspective on licensed footwear. Ground Up was created with the vision of fulfilling the need for fun, innovative products for the true brand enthusiast. As our product entered the market, we found consumers wanting to express themselves and their fandom in new, creative ways. Consumers connect with us through our brand partnerships, giving them brands they love with a brand they now trust. Ground Up has become a recognizable brand for the whole family that stands for elevated fashion and fun. We aspire to have our teams embody our core values of: Service People Teamwork Opportunity Results Innovation Trust

Requirements

8–12+ years in footwear brand management, product development, or wholesale leadership.
Deep understanding of the vertical retail landscape (e.g., Target, Walmart, Nordstrom, Specialty Retail).
Proven track record of working with major licensors and adhering to strict brand guidelines.
Ability to turn market data into actionable product concepts.
Mastery in Managing Vision and Purpose, Business Acumen, Directing Others, and Strategic Agility.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the creative and commercial strategy for the licensed (character/IP) footwear portfolio.
Identify white-space opportunities across categories, consumers, and retail tiers to drive incremental growth.
Serve as a strategic partner to licensors, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines while pushing creative boundaries.
Build seasonal narratives and product direction that elevate licensed storytelling in footwear.
Own and implement the seasonal and annual product calendar, ensuring all milestones and deadlines are met.
Lead line planning across licenses, ensuring balanced assortments aligned to retail needs and consumer demand.
Establish clear workflows and timelines to improve team efficiency and on-time delivery.
Direct the studio/design team to translate licensed IP into commercially viable and innovative footwear.
Partner closely with PD to ensure feasibility, quality, and cost targets are achieved.
Collaborate with licensing teams to manage approvals, submissions, and compliance with licensor requirements.
Align with Sales to ensure product assortments meet retailer expectations and drive sell-in success.
Streamline studio processes to improve speed, organization, and cross-functional alignment.
Drive accountability across teams for hitting deadlines, approvals, and production milestones.
Implement tools and systems to support workflow efficiency (Adobe, Canva, Excel, AI platforms, etc.).
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing studio team.
Foster a culture of collaboration, creativity, and accountability.
Align the team around clear goals, priorities, and performance expectations.