Kids Footwear Designer – BATA

Bata Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers and retailers of quality footwear. A global concern with more than 30,000 employees, 24 production facilities, over 5,000 stores in more than 70 countries across the globe, Bata has been providing the best shoes at the best prices, backed by unparalleled service, for 120 years.

Since its founding in 1894 by Thomas Bata, the company has consistently demonstrated its commitment to responsible and innovative business models in the belief that capital is not just money, buildings, or technology, but, more importantly, people, knowledge, and core values. This visionary approach has enabled the company to meet each new challenge with creativity and foresight, while earning the trust and confidence of customers, employees, and the communities in which it does business.

Today, Bata's pioneering decentralized production system, featuring semi-autonomous regional facilities guided by three regional business units, allows the company to quickly adapt to changes in the marketplace and seize potential growth opportunities. It also continues Bata's long tradition of being sensitive to cultural and national differences and enables it to proudly function as a local company in every country it serves.

Bata Brand SA

Bata is the leading international company in the footwear market and is present on five continents. The different continents are represented by five business units. Each business unit is organized according to the specificities of each country. Bata Global headquarters are based out of Avenue d'Ouchy 61, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Description of the Role

Reporting to the VP Global Design, and part of the Kids design team within Bata's Global Design organization, the Designer – Kids Footwear contributes to the development of seasonal collections that bring Bata's design vision and brand DNA to life for the Kids category.

This role requires a capable, detail-oriented designer with solid technical and creative skills, and a genuine interest in trends, materials, safety, and consumer needs relevant to Kids footwear. The Designer works under the guidance of the Senior Designer, Kids Footwear, taking ownership of specific product families and design deliverables within the wider Kids collection.

Each season, the Designer supports the development of a successful Kids collection in keeping with the spirit of quality, safety, and innovation that defines Bata, contributing designs, sketches, and technical specifications that are handed off to Prototyping, Sourcing, and Product Development.

Success in this role requires attention to detail and a willingness to learn how design decisions connect to commercial outcomes, working within Bata's brand guidelines while being sensitive to age-appropriate fit, safety requirements, and the diversity of markets, cultures, and consumers Bata serves.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop specific product families within the Kids seasonal collection — styles, silhouettes, and playful colourways — in collaboration with the Designer, Colours & Materials, and under the direction of the Senior Designer, Kids Footwear.
• Produce sketches, technical drawings, and design specifications that translate collection direction into production-ready designs, incorporating age/size segmentation and safety requirements.
• Support the Senior Designer in drawing up the Kids collection plan each season, contributing sales and consumer insight analysis, including parent and child feedback, where relevant.
• Liaise with stylists and modelists on the development of assigned styles, ensuring design intent and fit and safety integrity are respected through to sample and production stages.
• Contribute to pricing and margin discussions for assigned product families, ensuring designs are commercially viable and aligned with market positioning.
• Support competitor studies and market trend monitoring relevant to Kids footwear, feeding insights back to the Senior Designer and wider team.
• Support prototype development and feasibility reviews for assigned styles, liaising with the studio and, where needed, Legal Affairs on model registration and children's product safety compliance.
• Help maintain visual and brand consistency for the Kids collection across internal design and communication tools.
• Contribute to the preparation of sales support and sales training materials for the Kids collection, in liaison with the Business Development team.
• Take part in brief previews and subsidiary/regional reviews for the Kids collection, alongside the Senior Designer.

Reporting

• VP Global Design – Bata (direct)

Part of the Kids design team, alongside a Senior Designer, Kids Footwear and a Junior Designer, Kids Footwear, all reporting to the VP Global Design.

Profile & Leadership Attributes

Work Experience

The ideal candidate brings:

• 3 to 5 years' experience as a Designer within the footwear, fashion, or lifestyle environment, ideally with exposure to Kids or family product categories.
• Solid technical design skills, including sketching and technical specification, with a working knowledge of materials, construction, and children's footwear safety standards to collaborate effectively with the Colours & Materials team.
• Product and quality awareness, with attention to detail, organization, and rigor across the design and development process.
• Fashion sense and creativity, with a developing ability to analyse, formalize, and present design ideas in a proposal-driven way, balanced with an understanding of age-appropriate design.
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with Merchandising, Product Development, Product Line Management, and Prototyping.
• Genuine interest in trend intelligence, competitor activity, and consumer insight — including parent and child perspectives — and how these translate into design decisions.
• Comfortable working within global brand guidelines and open to feedback and coaching from the Senior Designer and VP Global Design.

Language Proficiency

• English (Fluent)

Conditions of Employment

• On-site

Location

• Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Why Work at BATA

People are at the heart of what we do. From the consumers and customers we serve to the communities in which we operate, to the employees who drive our success year after year. Through our CSR programs, volunteering, and philanthropy, we deepen our connections with the company, our colleagues, and the communities in which we operate.

What We Offer

Competitive salary, generous benefits and a respect for work-life balance form the foundation of what we offer at Bata. We then go the extra mile to train and equip our employees to make the most of the opportunities available to them. We provide industry-leading development programs to foster a Culture of teamwork, Integrity and Excellence in everything we do. As a global brand, we value diversity and mobility, encouraging our people to pursue positions in new regions that will help them grow professionally and personally. Our multicultural leadership team is representative of this commitment and our brand's international footprint. Joining Bata means joining a company where you can have an impact, where you can shape the future of a global footwear organization.