Footwear Materials Design Manager

Are you ready to leave an indelible mark on the future of athletic and lifestyle footwear? As a key creative leader, you will have the unique opportunity to champion material innovation, translating cutting-edge concepts into high-impact designs that resonate with athletes and trendsetters globally. Partnering with Aquent, you will join a visionary team where your artistic vision and problem-solving prowess will directly shape iconic products and elevate the consumer experience to new heights.

About Our Partner

Aquent is partnering with an industry-leading company renowned for shaping the future of athletic and lifestyle products through innovation and groundbreaking design. This organization is at the forefront of integrating art, science, and cultural trends to create high-performance products that resonate globally. Dedicated to pushing boundaries and fostering a culture of relentless innovation, this organization offers an inspiring environment where creative minds collaborate to shape the future of consumer experiences.

The Opportunity

In this dynamic and influential role, you will lead the creative charge in material design, crafting compelling narratives that bridge the gap between imagination and reality. You will collaborate with cross-functional design and development teams to pioneer groundbreaking material concepts, elevate existing textiles, and ensure design intent is flawlessly executed from concept to market. If you are passionate about youth culture, design excellence, and leading collaborative teams, this is your stage to shine.

What You Will Do

• Collaborate closely with leadership and diverse cross-functional teams, including Product Designers, Color Design specialists, Developers, and Product Line Managers, to advance innovative materials and manufacturing approaches on strategic projects.
• Shape design direction and dimensional strategy, consistently elevating existing materials while pioneering groundbreaking new material concepts.
• Translate complex consumer insights into compelling, trend and performance-driven narratives, establishing yourself as a recognized expert at both the product and collection level.
• Seamlessly integrate design, development, and manufacturing processes to achieve unparalleled product excellence.
• Leverage extensive research and a deep understanding of youth culture, color trends, fashion, art, and sports to position the brand at the absolute forefront of material innovation.
• Work in close partnership with color teams, developers, merchandisers, and project managers across performance and athletic footwear product lines.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in design, art, or a closely related field (such as fashion, product, industrial, accessory, footwear, or textile design), or equivalent education, experience, or training.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant design experience in advancing material design, textile design, or footwear design, with a strong preference for 10+ years specifically in footwear design.
• Demonstrated collaborative nature and a solution-oriented mindset, thriving in team environments.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
• Deep product creation knowledge, encompassing construction techniques and build processes.
• Proven people management skills or a strong, demonstrable desire to lead and develop high-performing teams.
• Exceptional ability to interpret consumer insights and translate them into compelling product narratives.
• Skilled in concept creation and adept at exploring material innovations and technologies.
• Extensive experience building inspiring presentations and mood boards for seasonal concepts.
• Comprehensive understanding of the Footwear Product Creation process from concept to market.
• Experience collaborating effectively with manufacturing partners to ensure precise design intent and material execution.
• Experienced with presentation programs such as Keynote, PowerPoint, Acrobat, and Miro.
• Strong presentation skills, comfortable and effective in both small and large group settings.
• A collaborative, positive individual who is a good listener, receptive to candid feedback, and open to diverse points of view.
• Passion for design, culture, and a relentless pursuit of design excellence.
• Highly organized and self-sufficient, capable of managing multiple priorities.
• The courage to advocate for yourself and your team.
• A portfolio showcasing your expertise and creative vision is required with all submissions.

Skills That Will Set You Apart

• Proficiency in 3D rendering skills.
• Prior experience with leading brands within the athletic or fashion industry.
• Strong consumer and market acumen, with a keen eye for trends.
• Ability to ideate using digital platforms such as Gravity Sketch or CLO.
• Experience creating 3D samples and hands-on mockups.