**Senior Product Development Manager – Viking Outdoor Footwear**
At Viking Outdoor Footwear, we are driven by innovation, quality, and a deep connection to our customers. With over a century of experience crafting durable and functional footwear, we aim to inspire people of all ages, to explore the outdoors every day!
Our product department is central to this mission, making sure kids and adults experience comfort, safety, and quality in every step. By combining expert craftsmanship with innovative materials and design, we create products that keep people warm, dry, and comfortable in every outdoor adventure—no matter the conditions.
We are now looking for a Senior Product Development Manager to lead our product creation process and our team of Product Managers. If you are passionate about turning great ideas into safe, comfortable and high-quality footwear—on time and on cost—we want to hear from you.
**About the role**
As Senior Product Development Manager, you will lead the development of Viking’s footwear range, from development brief to production release. You will report to the CPO, lead the Product Manager team, and work closely with Design, our Technical Coordinator, Buying and our development team in Asia.
You will have clear responsibility for product safety and regulatory compliance, including GPSR, for the comfort, fit and quality of our products, and for driving cost engineering and material innovation. We are looking for a structured and hands-on leader with deep footwear knowledge and a high interest in outdoor activities.
**Your key responsibilities include:**
- Leading the product creation process and season calendar, making sure every style moves from development brief to production release on time.
- Leading, coaching and developing the Product Managers, and setting priorities across categories.
- Owning regulatory compliance and product safety, including GPSR, REACH, product safety assessments and customs classification.
- Setting the comfort, fit and quality standards for our footwear, and owning all fit & wear testing.
- Giving the final sign-off on construction, comfort and quality before production.
- Owning target cost (FOB) and driving cost engineering together with our development team in Asia and Buying.
- Driving material and construction innovation, and leading our sustainability work on materials and certificates.
- Translating the CPO’s commercial brief and range plan into development briefs together with the Product Managers.
- Making sure product data and documentation in our PLM system (Kubix) are complete and correct.
- Following up claims and quality trends, and making sure learnings are built into the next development.
**Competence and Qualifications**
- Proven leader who makes things happen – structured, hands-on and solution-oriented
- 7+ years of experience in footwear product development, including leading people
- In-depth knowledge of footwear construction, lasts, fit, comfort and materials
- Solid knowledge of GPSR, REACH and product safety requirements for consumer products
- Experience with cost engineering, cost breakdowns (CBDs) and supplier negotiations
- Experience with PLM systems and master data (Kubix is a plus)
- Strong written, verbal, presentation and organizational skills, in both Norwegian and English
- Bachelor’s degree in footwear technology, product development, engineering or related field preferred
- Good numerical and analytical skills, and Microsoft Office proficiency
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a growth environment
- Willing to travel regularly to suppliers and factories in Asia
**About You**
**To succeed in this role, you should bring:**
**Experience:**
At least 7 years in footwear product development, including leading a team. Experience with kids’ products is a plus.
**Quality Mindset:**
A strong understanding of what makes footwear comfortable, safe and durable - where fit and safety matter most.
**Leadership:**
A coaching leader who builds a strong, collaborative team and sets clear priorities.
**Regulatory Insight:**
Hands-on experience with product development and compliance, and the drive to stay ahead of new requirements and innovations.
**Cost Awareness:**
The ability to balance comfort, quality and innovation with target cost and margins.
**Project Management Skills:**
Experience leading projects from brief to production release, making sure deadlines and budgets are met.
We are offering an exciting leadership role in a company with strong growth, where you will shape how we develop our products and work with some of the best in the business. We have a motivated and ambitious team who loves what they do.
**Working at our Oslo HQ**
You will be based at our headquarters, together with the rest of the product team. Working in the same office makes it easy to review samples together, solve problems quickly and stay close to the rest of the organisation.
With Oslo’s forests and fjord close by, it’s easy to test our products where they are meant to be used. The role also includes regular travel to our suppliers and factories in Asia.
**How to Apply**
If this sounds like the right adventure for you, we’d love to hear from you! Send your CV and a cover letter by 01.12.2026.
Let’s create the next generation of Viking footwear together!
**About Viking**
The founder of Viking, Peter Mathias Røwde laid down the cornerstone for his rubber factory on the 17th January 1920, in the Norwegian Askim. He realised the vast, outstanding potential of wellington boots, particularly in the damp, Norwegian climate – and so the “Classic Rubber Boot” arose, tailor made to these conditions.
Today Viking stands for premium quality, waterproof shoes which defy the rules of nature despite challenging conditions, often on difficult terrain. Made in Norway’s unrelenting climate.
Viking – Norwegian footwear since 1920!
