Senior Footwear Designer

Join to apply for the Olu Kai Senior Footwear Designer role at Olu Kai

This range is provided by Olu Kai. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience—talk with your recruiter to learn more.

$/yr - $/yr

Who We Are:

At Olu Kai, we build premium products for the ocean lifestyle. Our footwear is created using the highest quality materials and crafted into beautiful, functional and incredibly comfortable designs that reflect the spirit of the ocean lifestyle we all enjoy.

We are committed to creating quality products for our customers while leaving the smallest footprint possible on the planet. Our company philosophy is to be environmentally responsible as manufacturers and to pledge Olu Kai to actively support and work for a clean environment and a better quality of life.

Our customers and staff embody the connection that exists between people and the ocean, it is our Culture. We want to build a team of individuals who embrace this culture, and have a passion for providing premium products and service to our customers.

The Senior Footwear Designer is responsible for creating innovative and brand-right footwear concepts that combine consumer insights, functional performance, and premium craft. This role will drive the design process from concept through final product, bringing fresh ideas that elevate our existing franchises while introducing new opportunities for growth. Working cross-functionally with merchandising, development, and brand teams, the Senior Designer will balance creativity with commercial awareness to deliver product solutions that resonate with consumers across wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels.

This role requires a deep understanding of materials, color, graphics, and construction, along with the ability to translate insights into compelling product stories. The Senior Designer will also play a key role in delivering seasonal SMU programs that bring differentiation and marketplace energy through color, print, and material execution. Experience with in the sneaker category is strongly preferred, as this position will help drive both the evolution of existing franchises and the development of new footwear expressions.

• Lead the design of seasonal footwear concepts across multiple categories, from early sketch and ideation through final design handoff.
• Design and execute seasonal SMU programs, leveraging color, material, and graphic expertise to create consumer-right and market-relevant expressions.
• Partner with Merchandising to ensure designs align with consumer needs, market opportunities, and business goals.
• Collaborate closely with Development and Product Engineering to balance innovation, cost targets, and manufacturability.
• Translate seasonal narratives and brand storytelling into compelling footwear product solutions.
• Research and interpret cultural, fashion, and performance trends, bringing forward insights that drive modern, relevant, and differentiated design.
• Build and present design concepts, CADs, and prototypes to cross-functional teams, articulating both creative inspiration and technical rationale.
• Mentor and guide more junior designers, fostering a culture of creativity, curiosity, and excellence.
• Partner with material and color design teams to ensure cohesive seasonal palettes and material executions across the line.
• Ensure all design work upholds the brand’s commitment to comfort, craft, and quality.

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Footwear Design, or a related field.
• 12-18 years of progressive experience in footwear design, with a portfolio demonstrating both creative vision and commercial success.
• Expertise in footwear design tools, including Adobe Creative Suite and 3D design software.
• Strong understanding of lasts, construction methods, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated experience in color, material, and graphic application, particularly in seasonal SMU execution.
• Experience in sneaker product classification strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to create product that balances innovation with consumer and business needs.
• Excellen…