Manager, Design Footwear Color

lululemon; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 118,000 - 156,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the technical apparel industry is seeking a Manager, Design Footwear Color. This role involves leading a team of designers, developing seasonal color palettes, and ensuring alignment with brand strategy while fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. The ideal candidate will possess extensive design experience, strong communication skills, and a passion for aesthetics.

Benefits

Extended health and dental benefits

Paid time off

Savings and retirement plan matching

Generous employee discount

Fitness & yoga classes

Parenthood top-up

Extensive catalog of development courses

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of experience in design.
• Proficient in Adobe Suite.
• Ability to create aesthetically pleasing color systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of seasonal color palettes.
• Manage the design team's workload and support their development.
• Research cultural and aesthetic trends relevant to product design.

Skills

Adobe Suite

Design Skills

Communication

Aesthetic Intelligence

Innovative Thinking

Project Management

Team Building

Coaching

Education

BA, BFA or BS in Design

Job description

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Description & Requirements

Who we are: lululemon is a yoga-inspired technical apparel company up to big things. The practice and philosophy of yoga informs our overall purpose to elevate the world through the power of practice. We are proud to be a growing global company with locations all around the world, from Vancouver to Shanghai, and places in between. We owe our success to our innovative product, our emphasis on our stores, our commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we get to make in every community we are in.

About This Team

As a world-class design team, we are at the forefront of the industry in creating transformative products and experiences for our guests. We establish the creative direction for our brand and, through a deep understanding of guest needs, cultural references and the science of feel solutions, we create innovative products that address our guests’ unmet needs. We drive excellence by establishing a strong connection between design, innovation, and raw materials. We create products distinguished by their silhouettes, fit, function, and style. We are responsible for designing the global product assortment, creating the global colour palette, seasonal prints, and graphics. We are dedicated to cultivating a culture of continuous learning and growth, where designers are empowered to push boundaries and unleash their full potential.

A Day In The Life

• Research and stay informed of relevant cultural, color, and aesthetic trends, and global guest preferences. Lead the conceptualization and development of pre-season research into coherent themes across your product category. In partnership with senior leadership, streamline into concepts and design solutions that align with brand strategy.
• Forge seasonal footwear color palettes.
• Support the Director in researching new raw materials and trims to be developed.
• Support the Director in collating materials, visual assets, fabric swatches, and samples for ideation week.
• Support the VP by creating decks and Miro boards to present and share color design ideas and concepts for the line plan.
• Oversee your assigned portfolio to ensure a cohesive collection, including head-to-toe offerings and sets.
• Support the team in the design process, from research and ideation to completion.
• Lead and develop a team of designers to achieve their full potential. Recruit, train, and mentor the team, supporting employee development, performance management, and career pathing.
• Assign style count to the team and manage the seasonal workload of the team. Establish workflow processes, milestones, and timelines to support the execution of GTM milestones and the timely delivery of outputs.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of experience.
• BA, BFA or BS in Design required (or equivalent).
• Proficient in Adobe Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop).
• Design Skills - To creatively conceptualize, design and apply aesthetically pleasing color systems, that are uniquely lululemon, using a blend of artistic vision, technical expertise, and industry/footwear color knowledge.
• Communication - Clearly articulate design ideas and concepts to the team, stakeholders, and cross-functional partners, both verbally and visually. It also involves listening and incorporating feedback.
• Aesthetic Intelligence - Understand and appreciate the nuances of design. It involves an understanding of beauty and style in order to create designs that are visually pleasing and resonate with the target audience. It involves a deep understanding of the brand’s aesthetic and the ability to produce designs that align with the brand’s vision and guests.
• Innovative Thinking - Generate new ideas, processes, and solutions that push the boundaries of product creation. It involves thinking outside of the box to produce fresh, innovative ideas.
• Global market understanding and brand alignment - Translate global fashion trends and consumer behaviors into designs that align and enhance brand’s identity and reputation.
• Delegation & project management - Organize and set priorities and effectively delegate tasks and responsibilities to empower designers to produce high-quality work, in accordance with GTM milestones.
• Team building & collaboration - Foster a sense of unity, shared purpose, and an innovative environment where team members feel valued and contribute ideas.
• Coaching & mentoring - Offer guidance and feedback to help team members grow and develop, providing constructive feedback to improve performance.
• Vision & enrollment - Share ideas in a way that inspires action and articulates an inspiring picture of what the team can achieve.

Must Haves

• Acknowledges the presence of choice in every moment and takes personal responsibility for their life.
• Possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and continuously innovates to achieve great results.
• Communicates with honesty and kindness and creates the space for others to do the same.
• Leads with courage, knowing the possibility of greatness is bigger than the fear of failure.
• Fosters connection by putting people first and building trusting relationships.
• Integrates fun and joy as a way of being and working, aka doesn’t take themselves too seriously.

Additional Notes

Immigration support is potentially available for this role.

Compensation And Benefits Package

lululemon’s compensation offerings are grounded in a pay-for-performance philosophy that recognizes exceptional individual and team performance. The typical hiring range for this position is from $118,400 – $155,400 annually; the base pay offered is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity. As part of our total rewards offering, permanent employees in this position may be eligible for our competitive annual bonus program, subject to program eligibility requirements.

At lululemon, investing in our people is a top priority. We believe that when life works, work works. We strive to be the place where inclusive leaders come to develop and enable all to be well. Recognizing our teams for their performance and dedication, other components of our total rewards include support of career development, wellbeing, and personal growth.

• Extended health and dental benefits, and mental health plans.
• Paid time off.
• Savings and retirement plan matching.
• Generous employee discount.
• Fitness & yoga classes.
• Parenthood top-up.
• Extensive catalog of development courses.
• People networks, mentorship programs, and leadership series.

Note: The incentive programs, benefits, and perks have certain eligibility requirements. The company reserves the right to alter these incentive programs, benefits, and perks in whole or in part at any time without advance notice.

Workplace arrangement

This role is classified as In-Person under our SSC Workplace Policy: In-person collaboration and connection are important to our culture. Work is performed onsite, minimum 4 days per week.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology
• Retail

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