Surface Designer II

Overview

Reebok is a pioneer in the sporting goods industry with a rich and storied fitness heritage dating back to 1895. Reebok was founded on athletic footwear that changed the direction of sport. Since then, the art of outpacing expectation has brewed in the brand’s DNA. This is what fuels Reebok to break up boundaries and incite movement. And to make products that help others explore exactly what movement means to them. Reebok strives to deliver each and every athlete, from professionals to enthusiasts, with the opportunity, products and inspiration to reach their full potential. Reebok Classics leverage the brand’s fitness heritage and represent the roots of the brand in the sports lifestyle market. Reebok is an American-inspired global brand with headquarters in Boston, MA.

 

 

Purpose:

 

The Color and Material Designer II will be a storyteller of our iconic, Performance, footwear. This individual is responsible for researching trends, ideation of new concepts and creating compelling footwear product to meet the brand aesthetic through use of color and material application. The Color and Material Designer II will work closely with the footwear team to ensure that each product meets the category’s product brief and the seasonal design direction set by the Creative Director and Senior Management team.

Job Responsibilities

Technical Communication

• Create design and concept boards to communicate seasonal direction and design theme application to a product or product line.
• Utilize imagery, swatches and storytelling tools to communicate holistic ideas and design expressions.
• Create supporting artwork that illustrates design concepts and brings the footwear to life. Create new, as well as use existing footwear CADs to demonstrate concepts.
• Effectively and efficiently navigate and use Reebok software tools and systems.
• Use appropriate Reebok forms and templates, such as briefs and tech packs, to capture, convey, and communicate design and product information to others throughout the design cycle
• Create technical drawings and representations of fabric, trim, graphic artwork, and products such that construction information is interpreted exactly as intended.
• Select appropriate methods of communications to accurately convey technical information in informal and formal situations.

 

Creativity

• Create new products, graphics, seasonal color palettes, or seasonal vision / concepts using trends in fashion and culture, competition, and Reebok past designs as catalysts.
• Translate fashion and culture trends to the brand, products, product lines, design concepts, color, and graphics.
• Work collaboratively with the design team and cross-functional partners. Freely speculate possibilities and if/then scenarios during brainstorming or sketch sessions; employ multi-dimensional thinking to ideate and discover new perspectives, view points, or approaches.
• Use unorthodox or atypical ways of solving problems to conceive innovative, usable concepts, or inspire other concepts / ideas.
• Respond and contribute to design critique with multiple solutions.

 

Reebok Design DNA

• Live by the Reebok Design Ethos. Incorporate seasonal inspiration, fabric/materials/trims, color, and graphics stories in designs that have visual aesthetic as well as relevant product color / graphics themes and placement.
• Ensure the product successfully meets the brand aesthetic by adhering to Reebok design Creative Ethos.
• Ensure construction, finishing techniques, and textiles enhance product usability and consumer appeal.
• Select materials based on their functional properties, aesthetic, cost, and support of the intended design.
• Infuse and apply new technologies, fashion influences or graphics / color to products and ensure they are integral elements of the design.
• Resolve product design and development problems using innovative and open-minded approaches by working closely with cross-functional team.
• Ensure design reflects / incorporates market needs and product brief requirements and understanding of consumer and market feedback.
• Design products that are achievable given construction and manufacturing techniques.
• Ensure execution of 2D into 3D / prototypes meets the vision and intent of the original design, margin expectations, and is of high-caliber.

 

Industry, Market, and Consumer Acumen

• Use relevant and appropriate resources to accurately determine, anticipate, and validate current and future trends, competition, retail landscape, and cultural drivers.
• Use appropriate research methods and resources to efficiently obtain current, reliable, and credible information regarding markets, colors, trends, consumers, retailer strategies, and other required types of information.
• Approach projects with a consumer-first mentality. Interpret and understand consumer dynamics, predict shifts, and react to trends.
• Make accurate assessments and projections of competitors' strengths and weaknesses in the global market relative to the Reebok brand, products, and product lines including market presence, tactics, merchandising, and trends.
• Maintain current information of Reebok and industry factors that can affect products, such as material, technology, and consumer feedback and insight.
• Employ formal and informal methods to gain insight and to research industry, market, consumer, and competitor information.
• Analyze and summarize research data and consumer insights; apply market research and/or consumer feedback to accurately anticipate and fulfill consumer needs and identify consumers and trends.

 

Manage Business (Processes and Projects)

• Improve the design and development process by suggesting / using new, innovative concepts, materials, or manufacturing processes.
• Financial Aptitude
• Create / design products that integrate technology, function, and design aesthetic and remain within cost margins
• Assess potential cost / margin impact of fabric, color, trim, graphics, treatments, technology, components, and construction choices.
• Work collaboratively to resolve cost / margin issues and ensure product / design realization and execution, within budget, against the targeted Go-In-Margin, revenue, quality / pricing, and timelines to meet market requirements.
• Analyze and select design / product elements based on cost and a hierarchy of importance.
• Fulfill product briefs' cost, margin, and competitive pricing requirements.

Qualifications

• 5 years experience as a designer; ideally working with Footwear
• Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts or equivalent experience working in the creative industry stronly preferred

Requirements & EEO Statement

SPARC Group LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We value a culture of inclusion and diversity within our workforce, and are committed to maintaining a workplace free from prohibited employment conduct, including discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, domestic partner status, civil partnership, status as a covered veteran, status in the Uniformed Services of the United States, citizenship and any other characteristic protected by law (“Protected Characteristics”). #mgr