Product Line Manager II, Footwear

At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive – whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line.

The Product Line Manager II (PLM II) plays a critical role in delivering successful seasonal footwear assortments  this role, you are responsible for executing assigned seasonal footwear projects, ensuring consumer wants and needs, product intent, and business objectives come together from brief through commercialization. You own and execute within a season, translating consumer insights and springboards into strong consumer‑centric product briefs and guiding the product team through the product creation process.

• Own and execute seasonal footwear projects and product brief creation.
• Translate multi‑year strategies, innovation pipelines, and line plan evolution into executable in‑line briefs.
• Ensure seasonal product assortments are competitive, consumer‑relevant, and aligned to business objectives.
• Serve as the seasonal consumer and marketplace expert, staying ahead of trends and evolving runner needs.
• Participate in insights research projects and mentor PLM‑I team members.
• Curate time‑in‑market with key footwear team members, analyzing data and interacting with consumers.
• Maintain regular interactions with retailers to identify insights, opportunities, and future trends.
• Begin each brief with the "Why" and the key consumer problem to solve.
• Combine consumer insights, springboards, biomechanics POV, and innovation capabilities into a crafted story for the product brief.
• Lead the cross‑functional brief creation process, defining consumer benefits, KPIs, development tools, and design concepts.
• Work cross‑functionally with the footwear team to drive product execution and ensure product readiness at key milestones (design review, triad scorecard, calibration presentations, sales meeting).
• Hold continuous optimal experience and knowledge of technical execution across materials, upper construction, foams, midsole, and outsole parts.
• Translate technical verbiage into consumer‑friendly stories while maintaining biomechanical understanding.
• Ensure market and consumer readiness of all products managed within your season at 75% readiness at SPAM 1 and 95% at SPAM 2.
• Travel at least twice a year to Asia development centers to finalize changes for SPAM product creation milestones.
• Partner closely with cross‑functional colleagues in design, development, costing, and engineering to cover all product considerations.
• Build consumer‑driven stories and present them to internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide product expertise to Merchandising, Product Marketing, PR, Sales, and Marketing for presentations, videos, and marketing events.

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or a related field (preferred) or equivalent education/experience.
• Proven experience in bringing a footwear product line to market.
• 5+ years of experience in a footwear running product related role.
• 3+ years in a product management role.
• Working knowledge of the footwear product management process, retail environment, and consumer buying habits.
• Business orientation with demonstrated financial ability in managing gross margins, inventory, and costing.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills – skilled presenter.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Ability to influence, persuade, and negotiate to achieve progress toward goals.
• Results‑oriented, high sense of urgency and self‑motivation.
• Demonstrated ability to conceive new ideas for consumer and product line.
• Ability to work professionally and efficiently within a team and across departments.
• Passion for the running enthusiast and active lifestyle.

The pay range for this position, based out of the Brooks Seattle HQ, is $98,286 – 147,428 per year. Base pay offered will vary depending on job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Brooks offers a robust benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance, HSA and employer contribution, FSA, family & fertility assistance, 401K…