Color Design

Position: Color Design 3
Job Title:
Lead Designer Basketball Footwear Color Design
Location:
Beaverton, OR (WHQ) Hybrid (4 Days Onsite / 1 Day Remote)
Duration: 6-Month Contract (Potential Extension, Not Guaranteed)

Position Overview:
We are seeking a highly creative and strategic Lead Designer Basketball Footwear Color Design to support the Basketball Footwear Expression team. This role will help drive seasonal color direction, develop compelling color stories, and create innovative color concepts across men's and women's basketball footwear collections.
The ideal candidate will possess strong expertise in color design, consumer-driven storytelling, footwear and/or apparel product creation, and the ability to confidently present concepts to senior leadership, athletes, and external collaborators. This position requires a designer who thrives in a fast-paced environment, excels under tight deadlines, and can translate consumer insights into impactful color narratives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop seasonal color direction and color theories for basketball footwear collections.
• Create compelling color stories that connect consumer insights with product design.
• Partner closely with Design, Product Management, Development, and Merchandising teams.
• Translate market trends, athlete insights, and consumer research into innovative color concepts.
• Build and present seasonal color strategies to internal leadership and external partners.
• Develop presentation materials that effectively communicate design intent and storytelling.
• Support prototype reviews and product creation processes throughout the design cycle.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure alignment across product and brand objectives.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting aggressive deadlines.

Required Qualifications:

• 3 5+ years of experience in Color Design, Footwear Design, Apparel Design, or a related creative discipline.
• Strong expertise in Adobe Illustrator.
• Proficiency with:
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Miro
  • CLO 3D
  • Vizcom
• Strong understanding of textiles, materials, and color theory.
• Experience translating consumer insights into compelling product narratives.
• Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
• Ability to present design concepts to diverse audiences.
• Portfolio showcasing color storytelling and design process is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Fashion Design, Footwear Design, Textile Design, Industrial Design, or related field.
• Experience working across both footwear and apparel categories.
• Strong knowledge of sportswear, basketball culture, and emerging fashion trends.
• Experience presenting to executive leadership, athletes, or external partners.
• Passion for sports and consumer-focused product creation.

Soft Skills:

• Excels under tight deadlines.
• Strong prioritization and organizational skills.
• Adaptable and versatile mindset.
• Strong storytelling and creative problem-solving abilities.
• Collaborative team player with excellent presentation skills.

Team Information:

• Basketball Footwear Expression Team
• Reports within Basketball Design organization supporting Men's and Women's Basketball.
• Team size approximately 10 members.
• Extensive cross-functional collaboration across Design, Product Management, Development, and Brand teams.

Interview Process:

• Up to 2 interview rounds.
• Portfolio review required.

Important Supplier Notes:

• Candidates must demonstrate the ability to tell a story through color through their portfolio.
• Strong presentation experience is highly valued.
• Lead-level candidates should be comfortable presenting to senior leadership, athletes, and external collaborators.
• Portfolio submission is mandatory.