Sr. Designer, Performance Footwear - HOKA

Deckers Brands•Portland, OR

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

As a Senior Designer, Performance Footwear for HOKA, you’ll be a creative leader who shapes the future of performance footwear. You’ll design innovative, athlete-driven products that empower movement and push boundaries. Your vision and craft will bring bold ideas to life, translating insights into meaningful solutions and inspiring the team with your passion for newness and excellence. We celebrate diversity--of your background, your experiences and your unique identity. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and equitable workplace where all of our employees can Come as They Are. We believe that when we bring our different perspectives to work, we are truly Better Together.

Requirements

Hold a Bachelor’s degree in design (Product, Industrial, or equivalent experience)
Bring 5+ years of footwear design experience, ideally in performance product
Possess strong command of Illustrator, Photoshop, Vizcom, and generative AI visualization tools
Have deep understanding of footwear construction, materials, and manufacturing processes
Move fluidly between concept, craft, and technical execution, and receive and apply feedback with openness and intent
Have prototyping or hands-on footwear build experience
Demonstrate strong storytelling skills and comfort presenting design vision to diverse audiences
Bring a collaborative mindset with the confidence to push ideas forward while bringing others along

Nice To Haves

3D design experience and designing athlete-driven footwear

Responsibilities

Design forward-thinking performance footwear that blends innovation, function, and HOKA’s unique design DNA
Translate athlete and consumer insights into compelling concepts and product solutions
Explore new materials, constructions, and aesthetics to deliver meaningful newness to performance products
Contribute to category design strategy and seasonal direction, shaping progressive performance narratives
Create inspiring design stories and develop accurate illustrations, 2D drawings, renderings, and tech packs for production
Collaborate closely with Product, Development, Materials, Color, and PLM partners to create best-in-class footwear
Lead multiple projects from concept through commercialization with clarity, flexibility, and accountability
Engage in open dialogue and shared problem-solving to elevate performance product
Review and refine prototypes with cross-functional partners, balancing design vision, performance, cost, and timelines
Present work confidently in both informal team settings and formal reviews
Travel to Asia-based manufacturing partners to collaborate on prototyping and refine design intent
Mentor and support junior designers through thoughtful feedback, coaching, and shared learning
Inspire the design team with new thinking and diverse perspectives, fostering creativity through a proactive mindset
Build strong relationships across teams through transparency, listening, and alignment
Lead by example through craft, curiosity, and collaboration