Footwear Materials Design Manager [AQ-24459]

Aquent; Beaverton (OR); Presencial; USD 150.000 - 190.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Aquent is seeking a Senior Manager, Footwear Material Design to lead material strategy for high-performance footwear. You will guide cross-functional teams, shape material concepts, and translate consumer insights into compelling narratives that elevate our consumer products.

With extensive experience in footwear design and a passion for culture and color trends, you will drive innovation from concept to manufacturing, collaborating with partners across color, development, and merchandising to

Formación

• Bachelor’s degree in design, art, or related field, or equivalent education/experience.
• 8+ years in material/textile/footwear design; 10+ years preferred in footwear design.
• Collaborative, solution-oriented mindset.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Deep product creation knowledge, including construction and build processes.
• Proven people management skills or desire to lead and develop teams.
• Ability to interpret consumer insights into compelling product narratives.
• Experience presenting with Keynote, PowerPoint, Acrobat, and Miro.
• Strong presentation skills for small and large groups.
• Collaborative, receptive to feedback, and open to diverse views.
• Passion for design, culture, and excellence.
• Highly organized and self-sufficient.
• Portfolio is required.

Responsabilidades

• Collaborate with leadership and cross-functional teams on innovative materials and manufacturing approaches.
• Shape design direction and material concepts for footwear.
• Translate consumer insights into compelling product narratives.
• Integrate design, development, and manufacturing processes for product excellence.
• Leverage research and youth culture to drive material innovation.
• Collaborate with color teams, developers, merchandisers, and project managers on cleated footwear products.

Conocimientos

Collaboration

Leadership

Presentation skills

Storytelling

Mood boards

Material design

Product creation

Consumer insights

Construction/build processes

Educación

Bachelor’s degree in design

Herramientas

Adobe Creative Suite

Keynote/PowerPoint/Acrobat/Miro

3D rendering tools

Gravity Sketch/CLO

Descripción del empleo

We are seeking an exceptional individual to join a dynamic team as a Senior Manager, Footwear Material Design. This is an incredible opportunity to make a profound impact, combining your expertise, problem-solving abilities, and creative vision to shape the future of sport footwear material design. You will be instrumental in elevating the consumer product experience by seamlessly integrating art, science, and streetwear culture into high-performance products. If you are passionate about crafting compelling narratives and storytelling through innovative material concepts, and eager to drive material innovation, this role offers a platform to truly leave your mark on iconic products.

What You Will Work On

• Collaborate closely with leadership and cross-functional teams, including Footwear Product Designers, Color Design, Developers, and Product Line Managers, to advance innovative materials and manufacturing approaches on strategic projects.
• Shape design direction and dimensional strategy, elevating existing materials, and pioneering new material concepts.
• Translate consumer insights into compelling, trend and performance-driven narratives, becoming a recognized expert at both the product and collection level.
• Integrate design, development, and manufacturing processes to achieve product excellence.
• Leverage extensive research and a deep understanding of youth culture, color trends, fashion, art, and sports to position the brand at the forefront of material innovation.
• Work closely with color teams, developers, merchandisers, and project managers on all cleated footwear products, including training and golf footwear.

Who You Will Work With

• Your design partners in product design, color design, and graphic design.
• Technical and material development partners.
• Product management and merchandising teams.

What You Bring (Required Skills & Experience)

• Bachelor’s degree in design, art, or a related field (fashion, product, industrial, accessory, footwear, or textile design), or equivalent education, experience, or training.
• 8+ years of relevant design experience in advancing material design, textile design, or footwear design, with a strong preference for 10+ years in footwear design.
• Demonstrated collaborative nature and solution-oriented mindset.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Deep product creation knowledge, including construction and build processes.
• Proven people management skills or a strong desire to lead and develop teams.
• Ability to interpret consumer insights and translate them into compelling product narratives.
• Skilled in concept creation and exploring material innovations and technologies.
• Experience building inspiration presentations and mood boards for seasonal concepts.
• Comprehensive understanding of the Footwear Product Creation process.
• Experience collaborating with manufacturing partners to ensure design intent and material execution.
• Experienced with presentation programs such as Keynote, PowerPoint, Acrobat, and Miro.
• Strong presentation skills for both small and large groups.
• Collaborative, positive, a good listener, receptive to candid feedback, and open to diverse points of view.
• Passion for design, culture, and design excellence.
• Highly organized and self-sufficient.
• Courage to speak up for yourself and the team.
• A portfolio is required with all submissions.

Skills That Will Make You Stand Out (Nice-to-Haves)

• 3D rendering skills.
• Prior experience with leading brands in the athletic or fashion industry.
• Strong consumer and market acumen.
• Ability to ideate using digital platforms like Gravity Sketch or CLO.
• Experience creating 3D samples and hand mockups.

Client Description

Global leader in athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment. Our client focuses on innovation, performance, and marketing, partnering with top athletes and teams. The company emphasizes sustainability and digital advancements to enhance the sports experience.