Footwear Designer II, Material & Trend

Who We Are:

Since 1906, New Balance has empowered people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. We innovate fearlessly, guided by our core values and driven by the belief that conventions were meant to be challenged. We foster a culture in which every associate feels welcomed and respected, where leaders and creatives are inspired to shape the world of tomorrow by taking bold action today.

As a Footwear Designer 2 specializing in Performance Material & Trend, you will thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced innovative environment. This role demands close collaboration with innovation, material development, and creation teams across all business units to drive cutting-edge advanced materials and trend-forward storytelling for New Balance. You will leverage materials to articulate a premium, athlete and consumer-relevant brand perspective, pushing the boundaries of material design to elevate our footwear offerings.

Key Responsibilities:

• Material Design and Strategy:Lead the creation of new seasonal material designs that captivate and exceed consumer expectations. Develop and execute material design strategies aligned with brand direction and product concepts.
• Trend and Research Integration:Translate consumer insights into trend-relevant, sustainable, and high-performance material solutions. Stay ahead of industry trends to inform design decisions and drive key material initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:Partner with cross-functional product teams throughout the creative and product development process. Communicate material design strategies and collaborate with internal stakeholders, factories, and suppliers.
• Presentation and Communication:Present design concepts and seasonal material palettes to internal audiences and external partners. Develop compelling presentations to showcase material trends and design themes.
• Material Development:Manage a diverse range of projects, ensuring new material developments meet end-use requirements, cost constraints, and logistical needs. Curate seasonal material palettes to support product creation.
• Quality and Detail:Provide aesthetic direction for materials through all stages of the product creation cycle, from initial briefings to key development sample reviews.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 4 years in design, with a focus on material design and footwear.
• Bachelor's degree in Material Design, Textile Design, Product Design, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of footwear construction and material design, including knits, wovens, non-wovens, leather, and synthetics. Familiarity with post-processing techniques is a plus.
• Industry Awareness:Insight into current trends and innovations within the footwear or comparable industries. Passion for sports, streetwear, and fashion.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and collaboration skills. Highly detail-oriented with a refined eye for design. Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator required.
• Ability to work effectively both as part of a team and independently.
• Strong organizational skills with a focus on meeting deadlines and achieving high standards of quality.

Regular Associate Benefits

Our products are only as good as the people we hire, so we make sure to hire the best and treat them accordingly. New Balance offers a comprehensive traditional benefits package including three options for medical insurance as well as dental, vision, life insurance and 401K. We also proudly offer a slate of more nontraditional perks - opportunities like online learning and development courses, tuition reimbursement, $100 monthly student loan support and various mentorship programs - that encourage our associates to grow personally as they develop professionally. You'll also enjoy a yearly $1,000 lifestyle reimbursement, 4 weeks of vacations, 12 holidays and generous parental leave, because work-life balance is more than just a buzzword - it's part of our culture.

Temporary associates are provided three options for medical insurance as well as dental and vision insurance and an associate discount.

Part time associates are provided 401k, short term disability, a yearly $300 lifestyle reimbursement and an associate discount.

Flexible Work Schedule

For decades we have fostered a unique culture founded on our values with a particular focus on in-person teamwork and collaboration. Our North American hybrid model encourages rich in-person experiences, showcasing our commitment to teamwork and connection, while maintaining flexibility for associates. New Balance Associates currently work in office three days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). Our offices are fully open, and amenities are available across our North American office locations. To continue our focus on hybrid work we have introduced "Work from Anywhere" (WFA) for four weeks per calendar year. This model will help us enhance our culture while continuing to maintain elements of flexibility.

Equal Opportunity Employer

New Balance provides equal opportunities for all current and prospective associates and takes affirmative action to ensure that employment, training, compensation, transfer, promotion and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment are provided without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, handicap, genetic information and/or status as an Armed Forces service medal veteran, recently separated veteran, qualified disabled veteran or other protected veteran.