Summary

The Technical Shoes Specialist serves as the expert and technical anchor for the footwear category. Acting as the vital bridge between product development, quality technicians, and merchandising team, this role oversees the complete product development life cycle which includes the initial concept, last creation, sample development, product engineering and material sourcing. By embedding deep manufacturing and material proficiency into daily operations, this role ensures product excellence, accelerates development timelines, and safeguards commercial credibility. 

What you'll do

Technical Leadership & Category Expertise

• Act as the technical lead, elevating product knowledge and standards across-functional teams and Germany Headquarter.
• Guide LKA team and suppliers with technical insights to boost commercial confidence, drive client discussions and secure trust of LKA
• End-To-End Product Construction & Development
• Drive complete footwear construction, managing technical parameters from initial design concept, last creation/ development, upper construction design, outsole tooling, sample development, commercialization and mass manufacturing.
• Oversee last creation/ development, fit optimization and pattern engineering to guarantee performance, comfort and production viability
• Material Sourcing & Technical Expertise
• Oversee material selection and evaluation, analyzing properties of leathers, synthetic textiles, rubbers, foams, adhesives, and hardware for durability, compliance, and cost-efficiency.
• Establish material testing standards, physical performance metrics, and quality assurance criteria in collaboration with supply partners and testing labs.
• Stay updated on emerging footwear technologies, sustainable materials, and modern manufacturing practices to drive innovation within the category.
• Stakeholder Support & Capability Building
• Partner closely with the Shoes team, providing technical advisory and domain expertise during key account discussions, vendor negotiations, and brand reviews.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for internal escalations regarding footwear construction, performance parameters, and material performance.

What you'll need

Experience & Technical Background

• Proven Track Record: 5+ years of hands-on technical experience in footwear engineering, shoe making, or technical product development within the footwear industry.
• Complete Construction Mastery: Expert-level knowledge of end-to-end footwear manufacturing from scratch, including lasting, welt/stitching processes, molding, vulcanization, and cement techniques.
• Material Fluency: Deep understanding of footwear material science—leather grading/tanning, synthetic textiles, polymer outsoles, midsoles (EVA/PU), and structural components.

Skills & Competencies

• Technical Communication: Ability to translate complex engineering and shoe-making concepts into simple, actionable insights for commercial and non-technical teams.
• Pattern & Tooling Proficiency: Strong command of footwear pattern making, last creation, fit analysis, and production specification sheets (Tech Packs).
• Problem Solving: High diagnostic capability to troubleshoot footwear production defects, fit issues, and material failures rapidly.

What you'll receive

We are dedicated to fostering a family-friendly culture and work environment. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all candidates with the required skills and experience. We enable fair pay within the company by creating non-discriminatory salary systems. Working at Lidl & Kaufland Asia is rewarding, in every sense, because we give you the training to succeed in your role and plenty of opportunities to progress your career here. We are accredited as a Fair and Progressive employer by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP).

 
Market Leading Remuneration Package:

• Double pay and discretionary bonus
• Choice of MPF provider
• Life Insurance
• Medical Insurance
   

Supportive Environment:

• Out-Of-Office leave for important appointments
• In-house training courses
• Training sponsorship scheme
• Health Check
• Vision Check

Work-Life Balance:

• 5 day week
• Competitive Annual Leave
• Charity, Community and Sporting Events

 
If you are not invited for an interview within 4 weeks, we regret that your application was not suited to this vacancy.

For more company information, please feel free to visit: http://www.lidl.asia

Personal data collected will be used for recruitment related purposes only and will be destroyed after 12 months.