Director, Color Design - HOKA Footwear

Deckers Brands•Portland, OR

2d•$154,700 - $208,800•Onsite

About The Position

At Deckers Brands, Together, Every Step is a promise kept that every employee can bring their authentic self, is valued and supported, as a whole person, at work and beyond. Together, Every Step is how we continue to deliver exceptional business results, experience an amazing place to work, and have a positive impact on the communities and world around us. HOKA is redefining performance and lifestyle footwear through visionary innovation, emotion, and cultural relevance. As Director, Color Design, you will lead the global color vision for HOKA Footwear, elevating color as a strategic lever to shape consumer perception, storytelling, and commercial impact. You’ll drive long-term color strategy, seasonal direction, and execution frameworks across categories, partnering with Footwear Design, Materials, Product, Merchandising, and Marketing to ensure a cohesive and differentiated HOKA expression—balancing performance authenticity with cultural relevance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in industrial design, product design, or a related field.
10+ years of experience in footwear color design (performance and/or lifestyle).
3–5+ years of leadership experience managing creative teams.
Proven ability to deliver globally relevant, commercially successful product.
Expert in color theory, storytelling, and application in footwear.
Deep knowledge of materials, construction, and product creation.
Strong ability to connect performance innovation to lifestyle expression.
Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).
Experience with 3D / AI design tools (Vizcom, Midjourney, Figma, etc.).
Exceptional visual storytelling, presentation, and communication skills.
Strong organizational, prioritization, and project leadership capabilities.
Ability to lead in fast-paced, cross-functional environments.
Portfolio demonstrating strategic color leadership and execution at scale.

Responsibilities

Define and evolve the global HOKA footwear color vision across Performance and Lifestyle categories.
Develop annual and seasonal color strategies, palettes, and expression frameworks that scale globally.
Translate macro trends, consumer insight, and brand direction into ownable color systems.
Lead color direction across key footwear categories and franchises, ensuring consistency and differentiation.
Drive color storytelling that enhances product innovation, material expression, and performance credibility.
Champion bold, disruptive, and emotionally resonant color solutions that push the brand forward.
Partner closely with Product, Merchandising, Development, Innovation, and Marketing to align color with business strategy.
Lead and develop a high-performing Footwear Color Design team, providing mentorship, feedback, and growth opportunities.
Guide integration of color into broader design storytelling and product narratives.
Maintain strong awareness of lifestyle, sport-style, performance, and performance-crossover landscapes.