Vans: Senior Manager, Strategic Initiatives

Vans is the original brand rooted in the authentic lifestyle of skateboarding. We are driven by our mission to inspire and empower everyone to live “Off The Wall” – embracing the youthful spirit of freedom, non-conformity, and relentless progression. Yesterday’s “Off The Wall” moment is today’s new normal, and at Vans, we believe in constantly outdoing ourselves. Together with our communities across the globe, our vision is to push culture forward because we believe that the pursuit of progression never ends. We are constantly inspired by the future generation of positive catalysts within our community. So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of people who think and live “Off the Wall,” Vans just may be the place for you. To learn more about our values and our culture, visit Vans Careers or What will you do? A day in the life of a Senior Manager, Strategic Initiatives at Vans looks a little like this. This role sits within the team focused on unlocking incremental growth opportunities beyond the core business, with responsibility for licensing, collaborations, and strategic partnerships that can scale across categories, channels, and regions. You’ll work closely with Product, Marketing, Brand, Operations, Finance, and Legal, while also partnering with external licensors and collaborators. At the highest level, this role identifies, evaluates, and helps bring revenue-generating opportunities to market, balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution. This role reports to the Vice President, Strategy & Chief of Staff at Vans. Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more. Identify and evaluate licensing, collaboration, and non-traditional revenue opportunities, building business cases and revenue forecasts to help determine where to invest. Support partnerships from early concept through launch and beyond, helping shape deal structures, track performance, and inform renewal or exit decisions. Manage day-to-day relationships with external partners and licensors, working with internal teams to support contracts, governance, and ongoing business reviews. Partner cross-functionally with Product, Design, Marketing, Operations, GTM, Finance, and Legal to align timelines, deliverables, and go-to-market plans across multiple initiatives. Build and manage a pipeline of future partnership opportunities while helping establish the tools, reporting, and processes needed to support scale over time. What do you need to succeed? We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. The foundation skills you will need in this position are: 7–10+ years of experience in licensing, partnerships, business development, or a related commercial role. Experience developing and executing licensing or partnership initiatives with external partners. Strong analytical and financial skills, including experience building business cases, revenue forecasts, and performance tracking. Proven ability to lead cross-functional work in a matrixed organization and keep multiple initiatives moving forward. Strong communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively across internal teams and external partners. There are also a few skills that are not required but preferred. Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or other advanced degree is a plus. Experience supporting opportunities that can scale across regions, channels, or product categories is preferred. Now WE have a question for YOU. Are you in? Hiring Range: $132,192.00 USD - $165,240.00 USD annually Incentive Potential: This position is eligible for additional compensation awards that may include an annual incentive plan, sales incentive, or commission potential. Specific details of the additional compensation eligibility for this position will be provided during the recruiting and interview process. Benefits at VF Corporation: You can review a general overview of each benefit program offered, including this year's medical plan rates on and by clicking Looking to Join VF? Detailed information on your benefits will be provided during the hiring process. Please note, our hiring ranges are determined and built from market pay data. In determining the specific compensation for this position, we comply with all local, state, and federal laws. At VF, we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io. VF will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals to the extent required by applicable law. Pursuant to all applicable local Fair Chance Ordinance requirements, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, VF will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Vans is about a state of mind. Thinking differently. Embracing creative self-expression. Authenticity and progression. Choosing your own line on your board and in your life. Vans holds 50 years of youth culture connectivity, Vans continues to advance its roots in action sports while recognizing the global 'Off the Wall' connection between the brand and art, music and street culture enthusiasts. Today, the Vans brand evolution continues- from its foundation as an original skateboarding company since '66, to a leading action sports brand, to defining its anthem of living 'Off the Wall' as youth culture. From its birthplace on the West Coast, Vans has grown beyond a shoe. It's a global movement- reaching from Barcelona to Beijing, Sao Paulo to Sydney, Orange County to New York. Vans goes to market through its network of deeply rooted wholesale partners and its direct-to-consumer platform with more than 450 owned retail stores worldwide. Given this amazing platform to connect with consumers, we're constantly looking for better and more creative ways to amplify the brand's in-store presence. And equally strong is the Vans' extraordinary e-commerce and social media presence, inclusive of its digital video platform, OffTheWall.tv. Through its various online channels, Vans has access to over 14 million brand loyalists at any given time. At Vans, providing consumer-focused product is essential and among perhaps one of the staunchest critics there is - the world's youth - the continued relevance and authenticity of Vans' product, whether performance-based or fashion-forward, must be in the right balance at all times. From weatherizing the head-to-toe collections to enhancing the durability of the performance based footwear, Vans is elevating the level of quality and technology and enabling active consumers everywhere to enjoy Vans through all four seasons. We also believe it's important to deliver more than just great products. Vans supports the action sports lifestyle, youth culture and creative self-expression by promoting the sports, music, art and culture that matter most. The Vans team includes many top names in action sports including skateboarding legends Steve Caballero and Christian Hosoi, skate pros Geoff Rowley, Anthony Van Engelen, Gilbert Crockett and Tony Trujillo, BMX riders Dakota Roche and Scotty Cranmer, surfers Dane Reynolds, Nathan Fletcher, Joel Tudor and Leila Hurst and snowboarders Louri Podladtchikov, Andreas Wiig, and Hana Beaman. Vans owns and sponsors world-class events in skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding and BMX including the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing®, the Vans Pool Party, the Van Doren Invitational and surfing’s most prestigious contest the Vans US Open of Surfing. Vans supports original and creative music acts ranging from Band of Horses to Public Enemy to Turbonegro by bringing memorable shows to global audiences at the House of Vans roving music venue that echoes Vans’ Brooklyn-based cultural hub and to more than half a million fans each summer at the Vans Warped Tour, America’s longest-running music tour. Click here to see all VF job postings! VF Diversity Vision Statement VF is committed to creating an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the differences among all of our associates, customers, suppliers and the communities in which we live and conduct business. The continued success and growth of VF is enhanced through initiatives that promote diversity throughout VF around the world.VF is an equal employment opportunity employer of minorities, females, protected veterans and the disabled. VF is committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, and treating our VF associates and VF applicants without discrimination on the basis of their race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, HIV/AIDS status, or any other legally protected factor. VF is committed to meeting the diverse needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner that is consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity, and will do so by striving to identify, prevent and remove barriers to accessibility wherever possible as well as by meeting the accessibility requirements under the ADA, AODA, and other applicable state, local or provincial regulations. VF is committed to digital accessibility, and to conforming to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA and complying with the ADA and AODA Standards for Accessible Design, and other applicable regulations. If you need an accommodation or have any questions regarding this statement, please send your request to View email address on click.appcast.io.