Brand Design Director

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: Brand Design Director            

Reports to: Sr. Global Creative Director - HOKA 

Location:  Remote - US, west coast preferred

Interested applicants must reside in one of the following approved states:

Arizona, California, Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Washington

The Role

We’re seeking a Global Design Director to join our in-house creative team. This role is responsible for developing and maintaining a cohesive, impactful brand identity that reflects our core values. This role is at the heart of building and evolving the visual identity that connects with our audience and defines our brand globally. This role is perfect for a strategic thinker and hands-on creative with a passion for driving brand consistency while pushing the boundaries of modern graphic design. You will drive the creation and evolution of the brand's look & feel while guiding designers and agencies to execute across a variety of platforms. From physical to digital assets, you’ll ensure every element aligns with our strategic goals and reinforces our identity in a modern and culturally relevant way.

As a global role, you will establish the overarching look and feel and design system for the brand worldwide and collaborate with regional teams to adapt and execute locally. The Global Design Director will lead brand design efforts across lookbooks, campaigns, collabs, toolkits, social, retail and paid assets (including graphic design, layout, color, type treatment…). This role demands an exceptional ability to craft striking designs for campaigns while staying true to the brand’s essence and maintaining strong visual consistency across all assets will be a cornerstone of your success in this position. Collaboration with other creative professionals is key in this role, working closely with the Editorial Director and Brand Art Director. Finally ,a strong background in graphic design, layout, photography, and branding is essential, with bonus points for experience in 3D and experiential design.

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

The primary functions of this role, include but are not limited to:

• 1. Creative Direction and Brand identity
• 2. Creative Vision and Leadership
• 3. Cross functional Collaboration
• 4. Consistency across all touchpoints

Who You Are

• Emotional Intelligence
• Great communication skills
• Solution Driven

We’d love to hear from people with

Experience in brands like Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Puma, The North Face, Arc’teryx… and / or experience in design studio (pentagram, wolf ollins, collins, porto rocha, the new company, recess studio, M35, Fisk project, public library, actual source…).

Education/Experience:

• 10+ years of brand design experience in an agency or in-house team.
• At least 5 years’ experience in a senior creative leadership position leading a team of multidisciplinary creatives at varying levels of experience.
• At least 5 years’ experience directing photography.
• Significant career experience in leading brand design and creative direction. Including creating design system, branding and campaign key visuals.
• Graphic design, brand identity, photography, 3D experience.
• BA in Graphic Design or relevant related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• An authentic connection to performance lifestyle brands, culture and working for a value driven company.
• A diverse portfolio reflecting sophistication in graphic design, typography, layout, photography, motion and 3D.

Skills/Programs/Knowledge/Behavior:   

• Expertise with the Adobe Creative Suite including Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere and Figma. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Able to think strategically and conceptualize creatively.
• You push ideas and projects in news ways within the graphic design landscape.

• An inspirational leader, you love the energy that comes from diving into a project, as well as mentoring a team of in-house designers and managing external vendors (when needed)
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to balance creative vision with practical execution.
• Experience in a global brand and also agency setting is a plus.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts and strategies to diverse stakeholders.
• Passionate about bold design, branding and culture.
• You are curious, ask questions and dig deep to find solutions.
• Ability to succeed in a matrix organization through influence, partnership and respect for shared and differing objectives.
• Highly motivated self-starter and team player that likes to win.
• Keep a pulse on industry news and always searching for inspiration and new influences.
• Stay up to date on the ever-changing design landscape, design trends, cultural landscape and innovative tools.
• Instill and reinforce the highest standards for collaboration and teamwork within HOKA brand marketing team and across the Deckers’ brand portfolio. Identify synergies, fostering idea sharing, and establish common goals for creative excellence and continuous innovation
• Foster an environment of inclusion and belonging where all employees feel valued, where differences are embraced, and everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work. Champion best practices to improve representation and diversity at Deckers.
• Develop, motivate and retain high potential talent via clear goals, coaching and identifying stretch opportunities.
• Ability to anticipate project workload demands and scale resources by hiring freelancers as needed.
• Detail oriented, process-friendly, and capable of working within tight timelines on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Exhibits a high level of personal integrity, empathy and respect for others.
• Passion for sports and understanding of the athletic footwear market is a plus.

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.

$185,000 - $206,000

The salary range posted reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for this role in our Goleta, CA location. 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 of the other beautiful parts of your identity.

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