Designer II, Color & Trend Footwear Design

Who We Are At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line. Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation. Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success: Runner First: We act in the best interest of the runner Word is Bond: We do what we say we’ll do Champion Heart: We give our all in everything we do There is no “I” in Run: We stay generous with our humanity Keep Moving: We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic! We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement — because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there. Your Job As a Designer II, Color & Trend Design, you will create the seasonal aesthetic direction for footwear product creation. You will produce color stories and palettes through global trend research and integration of sports performance color standards that enhance and support brand direction. You will create design balance between the most progressive and the most acceptable solutions within seasonal collections. You will work closely with inline footwear designers on color‑design compositions, execute seasonal line coloration, and collaborate with cross‑functional teams to merchandise color and enhance aesthetic appeal. Your Responsibilities Color Design Research and surface consumer, design, color, material, and finish trends to influence and impact footwear product direction. Stay current in the athletic footwear market, lifestyle trends, industry trends, and category trends. Own application and execution of primary and secondary footwear color palettes to designated styles and lines. Ensure all colorways support brand creative vision, uphold standards of design excellence, and meet organizational standards for quality and accuracy. Responsible for all aspects of color selection and usage, logos and trims, treatments and finishes, and final aesthetics related to Crafted Beauty in collaboration with design and development. Answer critique with a curious mindset – propose alternative options after more design exploration. Finalize product details and proactively follow through on the execution of color at all rounds. Partner with 3D Visualization Designers to support colorway visualization and review. Create, maintain, and share robust, impactful, informational presentations, concept debuts, and color tools to drive communication, influence, and implementation. Provide counsel, feedback, and mentorship to more junior designers. Apply intellectual curiosity, problem‑solving skills, and a deepening knowledge of color, finishes, and application to maximize perceived value and superior aesthetic competitiveness across the brand’s footwear product lines. Travel as necessary to Asia, Europe, trade shows, retailers, or other external events. Team Collaboration Partner with and support product creation teams to deliver industry‑leading products and stories. Manage conversations with Footwear Designers and Developers on color and finish design trials and color executions. Collaborate with Merchandising Team to execute trend‑tuned lines from concept to commercialization. Present concepts, points‑of‑view, and renderings with convincing confidence to inform audience decisions. Support Designer I in growing their knowledge of performance footwear creation and production advancements. Work closely with Apparel Design to collaborate on head‑to‑toe color execution within seasonal merchandising stories. Create, manage, and communicate physical and digital color tools, strategy documents, and databases for use by Color Team and partners. Maintain calendars and timelines to ensure timely completion of all projects. Work closely with the Sustainability Team to ensure color palette selection meets sustainability goals. Seek out mentorship from more tenured Designers and Leaders. Accountability Time Management: Establish and monitor personal deadlines, ensure adherence to overall timelines, and accurate completion of multiple projects. Identify and communicate potential barriers as soon as they arise. Quickly adjust designs based on feedback. Workload Expectation: Own 3‑5 new styles per season while updating color and finish execution on 4‑6 carryover styles. CAD File Management and Optimization: Optimize files for performance, ensuring assets are easy to share, edit, and repurpose. Have a strong understanding of the design jet stream to keep informed on what’s trending and how this may influence design. Conduct visits to our factories and material suppliers to gain insights and grow a high level of understanding of the footwear manufacturing process. Travel as necessary to Asia, Europe, trade shows, races, retailers, or other external events. Innovation Learning/Education: Continually expand knowledge and techniques, and educate junior designers on Brooks’ best practices. Stay up to date on advancements in color technologies and tools. Industry Knowledge: Deepen understanding of performance footwear construction, consumer knowledge, biomechanics, and design philosophy. Workflow Improvements: Explore automated, procedural, and AI‑integrated workflows to enhance the process. To be considered for this position, please submit a portfolio of your work along with your application materials. Qualifications Bachelor’s Degree in Design or related field required; may substitute education for specific experience. 5+ years of experience in a graphic, color, CMF, or industrial design role, or related role. Power user in vector‑based graphics software applications. Mastery of Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop, Mac operating system. Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.). Understanding of color composition and theory with a quick, learned eye for color, materials, and finishes. Thorough knowledge of art and design with clear understanding of visual design and trend forecasting. Proven experience creating and leading the execution of vision and strategy. Ability to understand design concepts and think conceptually. Ability to create designs that meet category needs and commercial opportunities. Ability to operate in a fast‑paced, ever‑changing work environment. Ability to build and foster relationships in a team environment. Ability to influence and collaborate with key business partners. Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution of tasks. Demonstration of innovation and initiative: always looking at improving product and process while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details and help out where necessary. Travel 10% (domestically/internationally). Excellent presentation skills. Excellent written and communication skills. Compensation The pay range for this position, based out of the Brooks Seattle HQ, is $104,217- $156,324 per year. Base pay offered will vary depending on job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. Other Brooks is proud to offer a robust benefits package to our employees and their families! Benefits: medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D insurance, disability insurance, HSA and employer contribution, FSA, family & fertility assistance, 401(k) savings plan and match, employee assistance program, and transportation assistance. Paid Time Off: generous time off, including three to five weeks of paid time off, eleven paid holidays, and paid sick and parental leave. Bonus: annual bonus based on company performance. Perks: product discounts, employee recognition, fitness discounts, volunteer and donation benefits. Location – You will spend 3 days per week in our Seattle offices. At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, two‑spirit identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, the presence of a physical, mental, or sensory disability, marital status, pregnancy, caste, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, actual or perceived victims of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking, HIV or Hepatitis C infection, political ideology, use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, or any other non‑merit based factors. #J-18808-Ljbffr