Expert Designer - HOKA Performance Footwear

Deckers Brands • Portland, OR

3d • $137,500 - $185,600 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Expert Designer, Performance Footwear at HOKA brings deep design expertise and creative leadership to advanced footwear concepts across HOKA’s performance categories, with a primary focus on racing, road, and trail running, and additional work across training and hiking. As a senior individual contributor, the role shapes complex, distinctive, commercially relevant products that unite athlete needs, technical performance, innovation, and HOKA’s design point of view.

The position collaborates with Product Management, Innovation, Development, Engineering, Color, Material and Graphic (CMG), Digital, and Merchandising partners to influence product direction from concept through commercialization. It also contributes expertise to the broader design team through project-based mentoring, design critique, and hands-on guidance, without direct reports. The role explores advanced 2D, 3D, prototyping, and AI-enabled workflows and helps maintain seasonal design standards and creative alignment.

The role is based in Portland, Oregon, with a hybrid schedule typically requiring in-office work three times per week, Tuesday through Thursday. It reports to the Senior Director, Footwear Design - HOKA.

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 hands-on resolution of technical and design challenges.
• Experience collaborating in a global product creation environment across Design, Product, Development, Innovation, Engineering, Merchandising, and Brand teams.
• Expert 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 insights, 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 the Director and broader 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, while contributing as an individual contributor without direct reports.
• 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 in partnership with the Director.
• Collaborate across Product, Innovation, Development, Engineering, CMG, Digital, and Merchandising to bring category visions to life.
• Influence briefs, innovation opportunities, and seasonal priorities through a design-led expert 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.
• Maintain a strong understanding of athlete needs, emerging technologies, and the competitive landscape to inspire innovation and differentiation.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation programs and bonuses.
• Financial planning and wellbeing plans to help protect income, pay expenses, and invest in the future.
• Time-away-from-work plans supporting family needs, health, and recharging.
• Employee discounts and other perks, including community-based programs.
• Personal and professional growth and development opportunities.
• Comprehensive health and wellness programs and offerings.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior