Principal Designer - Footwear, HOKA Innovation

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:  Principal Designer, Footwear - HOKA Innovation

Reports to:  Sr Director, Design - HOKA Innovation

Location: Portland, OR (Hybrid),

Typically 3 times per week in office, Tuesday – Thursday

The Role

As Principal Designer, Footwear – HOKA Innovation, you’ll drive the creative exploration of what’s next in performance footwear. You’ll collaborate with elite athletes, engineers, sports scientists, and developers to translate insights into innovative concepts and technologies. Your energy, passion, and expertise will help shape breakthrough solutions that transform athlete experiences and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

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.

Your Impact

• Design and engineer future performance footwear that blends innovation, athlete needs, and HOKA’s design DNA
• Manage and drive innovation projects aligned to the HOKA innovation strategy, roadmap, and calendar
• Develop and refine accurate 2D and 3D design techpacks, renderings, and compelling product storytelling
• Collaborate with elite athletes and the HOKA sports science and testing team to test, iterate, and refine products
• Translate athlete and consumer insights into advanced concepts and radical product solutions
• Explore new materials, constructions, and aesthetics that bring meaningful newness to performance product
• Travel with the team for design, development, and inspiration trips to factories, tradeshows, and athlete events
• Contribute to HOKA global design strategy and seasonal direction, shaping progressive performance narratives

Who You Are

• Bachelor’s degree in apparel, footwear, industrial, transportation design, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 8-10+ years of related performance footwear design experience
• 1-3+ years of people management experience preferred
• Lead by example, set a high creative standard, and inspire teammates through collaboration and constructive feedback
• Confident working fast, generating provocative ideas, and visualizing radical new concepts
• Balance creativity and high design with technical manufacturing possibilities and constraints
• Strong written and verbal communication, collaboration, ideation, and brainstorming skills
• Mastery of advanced digital AI co-creation design tools (Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Figma, Rhino, Grasshopper, Blender, Clo, Keyshot, Gravity Sketch, Vizcom, Midjourney, Claude) and proficiency in Microsoft applications
• Ability to self-start, tinker, build, and prototype early concepts into tangible mockups and samples
• Advanced design thinking, creativity, and strategic approach, translating ambiguity into clear design direction
• Expertise in technical performance footwear, including materials, construction, fit, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing
• Deep care and understanding of sustainability and circularity concepts and practices
• Manage complex projects, meetings, timelines, and competing priorities with organization and attention to detail
• Build and maintain a strong creative vision across projects and industry landscape
• Partner effectively with internal and external teams, including consumer insights, athlete science, design, testing, development, engineering, and agency partners
• Create compelling narratives, presentations, and design stories for senior leadership and cross-functional partners

What We'll Give You –

• Competitive Pay and Bonuses - We’ve created a variety of competitive compensation programs to foster career development, reward success and to show our employees just how much they’re valued.
• 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 team means more than just a paycheck. From generous discounts to community-based programs, we offer a variety of cool extras
• Growth and Development - Deckers Brands was built on the idea of pursuing passion. That’s why we offer extensive opportunities and support for personal and professional development.
• Health and Wellness - There’s nothing basic about our comprehensive health and wellness programs and offerings. While at work and at play, we aim to support a healthy lifestyle.

$137,500.00 - $185,600.00

The salary range posted reflects the estimated minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for this role in:

Portland, Oregon

Individual pay will be determined by location and additional factors, including job related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Equal Employment Opportunity
Diversity and inclusion are key to our success. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and our employees are people with different strengths, experiences and backgrounds who share a passion for our brands. We welcome qualified applicants regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, mental or physical disability, medical condition and all the other beautiful parts of your identity.