Sr. Manager, Material Design - HOKA Footwear

At Deckers Brands, Together, Every Step is a promise kept that every employee can bring their authentic self, is valued and supported, as a whole person, at work and beyond. Together, Every Step is how we continue to deliver exceptional business results, experience an amazing place to work, and have a positive impact on the communities and world around us.

Job Title: Sr. Manager, Material Design - HOKA Footwear

Reports to: Director, Materials Design

Location: Portland, OR (In Office)

As Sr Manager, Material Design for HOKA Footwear, you will define and drive the future of material innovation across our footwear portfolio. This strategic leadership role shapes the long-term material design vision, translating brand ambition into seasonally relevant, athlete-informed, and commercially impactful product experiences. You’ll pioneer innovative material concepts, processes, and storytelling that deliver meaningful newness, increase speed to market, and unlock growth opportunities.

Sitting at the intersection of design, product, and merchandising, you elevate footwear material and process as a strategic tool, driving emotion, storytelling, and brand differentiation at scale.

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.

• Lead seasonal material vision, design strategy, and application direction for lifestyle and performance footwear
• Define seasonal material palettes, expression frameworks, and application strategies aligned with brand and consumer insights
• Shape material design direction and dimensional strategy across product collections
• Translate consumer trends and insights into compelling, trend-driven material narratives and storytelling
• Refine and evolve existing material executions while pioneering new material innovation opportunities
• Lead material design execution on strategic footwear priority projects, driving solutions from concept through execution
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional partners to deliver material and finish solutions
• Serve as the material design expert at both the product and collection level, influencing strategic decisions and design direction
• Foster alignment across functions to deliver innovative material and finish solutions that support business and consumer objectives
• Mentor design teams through material storytelling, design thinking, and consumer-centered innovation

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in industrial design, material design, product design, or related field
• 8+ years’ experience in footwear material design, with a focus on lifestyle or performance categories
• Advanced understanding of footwear material, construction, and process (Tooling + Upper)
• Ability to interpret consumer insights and translate them into compelling product narratives
• Skilled in concept creation and exploring material innovations
• Experience building inspiration presentations and mood boards for seasonal concepts
• Ability to edit/adjust shell patterns, create tech packs, and communicate creative + technical intent to internal and external development partners
• Proficient in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, PowerPoint, Miro or Lucid
• Familiarity with generative AI platforms (e.g., Midjourney, Vizcom)
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Expert level knowledge of performance and lifestyle trends and competitive landscape

• Competitive Pay and Bonuses - This item was reformatted to a list item to maintain content fidelity.
• Financial Planning and wellbeing - No matter what financial goals our employees have set, we want to help them get there. Our plans provide powerful ways to protect income, pay for expenses and invest in the future.
• Time away from work - Sometimes we need time away to be with family, focus on our health or just simply recharge. Our plans support our employees’ needs to get out, get healthy and come back stronger than ever.
• Extras, discounts and perks - Being a valued member of the Deckers Brands…