Expert Designer - HOKA Performance Footwear

Deckers•Portland, OR

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Expert Designer is a senior individual contributor who provides deep design expertise and creative leadership for advanced HOKA performance footwear concepts. The primary focus is racing, road, and trail running, with additional work across training and hiking. The role shapes complex, distinctive, commercially relevant products that unite athlete needs, technical performance, innovation, and HOKA’s design point of view. Working with Product Management, Innovation, Development, Engineering, Color, Material and Graphic (CMG), Digital, and Merchandising partners, the Expert Designer influences product direction from concept through commercialization and protects design intent throughout the process. The role also contributes to seasonal design standards and reviews, communicates design recommendations to leadership, and mentors designers through project-based guidance, critique, and hands-on problem solving. This is an expert individual contributor role without direct reports. The position is based in Portland, Oregon, with a hybrid schedule that typically requires working in the office three times per week, Tuesday through Thursday.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in industrial design, product design, or a related field.
At least 8 years of footwear design experience.
Demonstrated expertise leading complex footwear design projects and influencing outcomes through craft, credibility, and collaboration.
Experience taking footwear from concept through commercialization, including resolving technical and design challenges.
Experience working in a global product creation environment and partnering across Design, Product, Development, Innovation, Engineering, Merchandising, and Brand teams.
Expert-level creative capability in footwear design, concept development, product storytelling, and visual expression.
Deep understanding of performance footwear needs across running, racing, trail, training, hiking, and outdoor use.
Ability to turn athlete insight, consumer needs, and competitive intelligence into distinctive product solutions and clear recommendations.
Advanced knowledge of biomechanics, footwear construction, proportion, midsole and outsole design, materials, fit, ride, and performance benefits.
Advanced technical drawing, visual communication, prototyping, and presentation skills.
Ability to influence through expertise, thoughtful feedback, collaboration, and consistently high standards of craft.
Understanding of modern digital creative workflows and tools, including 2D, 3D, and AI-enabled exploration.
Portfolio demonstrating creative excellence, performance problem solving, technical depth, and successful commercial footwear design.

Nice To Haves

Footwear design experience spanning racing, road, trail, training, hiking, or outdoor performance categories.

Responsibilities

Create and advance performance footwear concepts across racing, road, trail, training, and hiking in partnership with Design leadership.
Develop distinctive product concepts, design languages, branding, and franchise expressions that strengthen HOKA’s performance leadership.
Translate athlete insights, consumer needs, cultural shifts, competitive intelligence, and emerging opportunities into compelling product experiences.
Balance innovation, performance, usability, manufacturability, aesthetic expression, and commercial relevance in design decisions.
Partner with Color, Material, Graphic, and Digital teams to create cohesive product stories.
Maintain design intent across silhouette, proportion, details, construction, fit, ride, and the overall athlete experience.
Serve as a subject matter expert and creative resource for complex performance footwear challenges, sharing expertise and best practices.
Mentor designers through project-based guidance, design critique, and hands-on problem solving.
Explore and apply advanced 2D, 3D, prototyping, and AI-enabled workflows to improve design quality, exploration, and speed.
Contribute to seasonal design standards, reviews, and creative alignment with the Director.
Collaborate with Product, Innovation, Development, Engineering, CMG, Digital, and Merchandising partners to bring category visions to life.
Influence briefs, innovation opportunities, and seasonal priorities through an expert, design-led perspective.
Protect and elevate design intent from concept through commercialization, resolving technical and aesthetic challenges.
Communicate design narratives and recommendations at key reviews and leadership forums.
Stay informed about athlete needs, emerging technologies, and the competitive landscape to inspire innovation and differentiation.