Career Profile, Salary & Job Outlook —
What does a Product Line Manager do?
Footwear Product Line Managers are responsible for managing inline footwear projects each product cycle season. In general, they oversee the development of product lines and decide what new models release each season. They present line concepts, products, and strategic vision to management retailers, sales associates, and peers. Footwear Product Line Managers also use competitive data, trends, and innovative ideas to create a comprehensive assortment planning strategy for product line(s).
How much does a Product Line Manager make?
According to Comparably, Footwear Product Line Managers at Jordan make an average of $138,695 annually or $66.81 an hour in 2021. However, nationally, entry-level footwear product line associates make around $75,000 annually, with senior-level product line managers making $144,850 a year.
What impact does this career have towards the sneaker industry?
Footwear Product Line Managers are responsible for creating market-leading sneakers that enable a brand to grow and meet business goals by evolving, developing, and organizing a product line. Because of their understanding of the sneaker market, they influence product direction with new opportunities.
What is the job outlook for a Product Line Manager?
The Footwear market is expected to show a volume growth of 4.0% in 2022. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job growth in the fashion design industry (including Footwear Product Line Managers) is projected to grow one percent during the 2018-2028 decade (www.bls.gov).
How to kick-off your career:
- Stay up to date on sneaker releases pushing the capabilities of design, materials, and technology.
- Collect inspiration of your favorite sneaker lines.
- Take an Analytics class in order to understand and communicate data to forecast trends.
- Download our Ultimate Sneaker Career Guide to understand the pathway into this career.
- Explore our Sneaker Essentials online course to understand the Design & Materials process.
Learn from:
Jon Tang
Sneaker Essentials contributor, Fronteer
Experiences: Founder & Creative Director, Fronteer
Senior Designer, Collaborations & Special Projects, K-Swiss
Related Careers:
Men’s Footwear Designer | Women’s Footwear Designer | Kid’s Footwear Designer | Footwear Graphic Designer | Materials Designer | Design Engineer | Product Development Manager | Color Designer | Athletic Footwear Designer | Product Developer | CAD Engineer, Footwear | Business Development Manager | Product Manager | Marketing Manager | Email Marketing Specialist | Public Relations | Social Media Manager | Buyer, Merchandising Coordinator | Footwear Authentication Specialist | Reseller | Visual Merchandiser | Store Manager | Sneaker Order Fulfillment Associate | Customer Service Representative
