Brooks Sports, Inc.:
Manager, Apparel Graphics Job in Seattle, VT
Premium
See who posted the job
Premium
Competitive Insights
Premium
Check your commute time
Closed
Seattle, VT
Full-time | Design - Apparel
About the job
Who We Are:
Brooks is a team of passionate people united by a desire to do meaningful work, lead healthy lives and make a difference. We share a focused mission: to inspire everyone to run and be active. That’s it. No distractions—it’s all about the run. Through science, creativity, service, authenticity and connection, we obsess over delivering the best running gear on the planet. We do it our way, with our unique spirit, with a goal of being more relevant to runners than any other brand, day after day and mile after mile. We are determined to innovate, challenging ourselves to lead thought at every turn. Inside these walls and on the roads, tracks and trails, we live and breathe Run Happy, celebrating the positive impact running has on our lives and others. We inject it into all we do because it makes everything better, smarter, more fun and more memorable. Our company culture defines us, bonds us together and creates the conditions for success. It is lived daily as a behavioral expression of our collective set of brand values: Connect with People, Innovate for our Customer, Compete as a Team, Build Trust, Have Fun & Bring Passion, and Be Active. If you’re on our team, it means you’re part of creating something extraordinary. You’re part of Brooks.
Your Job:
Product excellence is at the heart of Brooks’ success. Achieving a leadership position in the marketplace requires innovation and excellence in product design. As the Manager, Apparel Art, you will be responsible for designing and/or overseeing the design of all aspects of art application for apparel on a seasonal basis. From all-over print development to placement graphics for both in-line and events, the Manager, Apparel Art will both actively design as well as manage the Art Team to meet the needs of the product lines as determined by the Apparel Merchandising and Design Team. This role is also responsible for building an awareness of current trends, color, technology, and execution of all types of apparel print applications. As part of the Design team, you will build the Brooks brand, understand the competitive landscape, translate trends to meet runners needs and contribute to the development of seasonal design themes.
Responsibilities:
! Strategize all art concepts for inline & events graphics, textiles, branding and socks by combining current trends with the Brooks design philosophy.
! Collaborate with the color team leader to ensure alignment on seasonal concepts.
! Lead the art team in the execution of the seasonal vision of all art for apparel, accessories & socks by developing a strong consumer-oriented point of view through a deep understanding of the runner.
! Successfully influence decisions across the Apparel functions with full accountability and ownership for the outcome as well as the process.
! Oversee a team of Graphic & Textile Designers that will communicate and present seasonal design concepts to the Apparel triad and create presentation materials that effectively communicate direction for textile prints, graphics, materials, trims and socks.
! Manage (including goal setting, performance review, hiring decisions, team culture, etc.) and support the career development of direct reports to ensure job satisfaction, retention and to identify and develop bench strength.
! Explore, along with your team, innovative ways of creating and applying textiles & graphics by following art & fashion trends in order to keep the line fresh with blue sky concepts.
! Create and guide creation of original artwork that illustrates design concepts and captures seasonal stories to share with the Marketing, Merchandising and Sales teams.
! Work with the Merchandising team to understand market needs and communicate with requirements to your team who will design graphics/textiles/socks aligned to product silhouettes and briefs and meet cost targets.
! Research market trends, competitors and consumer needs and provide recommendations from a textile, graphic and sock design perspective.
! Lead the creation of print, graphic, material, trim & sock artwork for the Materials team for strike offs and prototypes.
! Lead the Graphic & Textile Designers to guide them in updating designs based on feedback from management and other team members.
! Research, along with your team, new techniques and applications that can be used in seasonal product and use findings to innovate our products.
! Partner with apparel and accessories designers to ensure that textile stories and individual prints, materials and trims enhance the product aesthetic and fit with the overall design.
! Meet calendar deadlines and deliverables, including Salesman samples.
! Travel domestically and internationally to collect fresh and innovative ideas to inspire the team and share relevant themes for the designated season with the team via story boards and wall presentations.
! Other responsibilities as required.
Qualifications:
! Degree in Textile, Material or Graphic design or related field (Bachelor’s or portfolio school)
! 8+ years of progressive and technically sophisticated Graphic/Textile design experience; may be substituted by proven skill based on actual work samples
! 3+ years management experience of a design team
! Demonstrated understanding of textile manufacturing, dyeing and design techniques.
! Exceptional design portfolio.
! Expert knowledge in Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop are unequivocally necessary
! Excellent verbal and written communication skills, demonstrating effective listening through concise, clear verbal and written communication.
! Ability to manage multiple and competing work priorities, demands, and changes.
! Excellent interpersonal skills that inspire and build trust resulting in effective working relationships across the company.
! Keen attention to detail in planning, organization and execution of tasks, while still seeing the big picture and understanding how all the pieces fit together and affect one another.
! Ability to anticipate how a decision made can affect our customers, our partners, our products or other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots.”
! Demonstration of innovation and initiative – always looking at improving our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details and help wherever necessary.
! Passionate participation in Brooks’ sports activities a plus, overridden by the ability to understand and empathize with the runner to develop loyal, engaging relationships with our customers and the Brooks community.
! Able to travel domestically and internationally 4 times a year
! Embraces and lives the Brooks values!
At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, the presence of a sensory, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military status, marital status, pregnancy or child birth, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, status as a victim of domes
Brooks is a team of passionate people united by a desire to do meaningful work, lead healthy lives and make a difference. We share a focused mission: to inspire everyone to run and be active. That’s it. No distractions—it’s all about the run. Through science, creativity, service, authenticity and connection, we obsess over delivering the best running gear on the planet. We do it our way, with our unique spirit, with a goal of being more relevant to runners than any other brand, day after day and mile after mile. We are determined to innovate, challenging ourselves to lead thought at every turn. Inside these walls and on the roads, tracks and trails, we live and breathe Run Happy, celebrating the positive impact running has on our lives and others. We inject it into all we do because it makes everything better, smarter, more fun and more memorable. Our company culture defines us, bonds us together and creates the conditions for success. It is lived daily as a behavioral expression of our collective set of brand values: Connect with People, Innovate for our Customer, Compete as a Team, Build Trust, Have Fun & Bring Passion, and Be Active. If you’re on our team, it means you’re part of creating something extraordinary. You’re part of Brooks.
Your Job:
Product excellence is at the heart of Brooks’ success. Achieving a leadership position in the marketplace requires innovation and excellence in product design. As the Manager, Apparel Art, you will be responsible for designing and/or overseeing the design of all aspects of art application for apparel on a seasonal basis. From all-over print development to placement graphics for both in-line and events, the Manager, Apparel Art will both actively design as well as manage the Art Team to meet the needs of the product lines as determined by the Apparel Merchandising and Design Team. This role is also responsible for building an awareness of current trends, color, technology, and execution of all types of apparel print applications. As part of the Design team, you will build the Brooks brand, understand the competitive landscape, translate trends to meet runners needs and contribute to the development of seasonal design themes.
Responsibilities:
! Strategize all art concepts for inline & events graphics, textiles, branding and socks by combining current trends with the Brooks design philosophy.
! Collaborate with the color team leader to ensure alignment on seasonal concepts.
! Lead the art team in the execution of the seasonal vision of all art for apparel, accessories & socks by developing a strong consumer-oriented point of view through a deep understanding of the runner.
! Successfully influence decisions across the Apparel functions with full accountability and ownership for the outcome as well as the process.
! Oversee a team of Graphic & Textile Designers that will communicate and present seasonal design concepts to the Apparel triad and create presentation materials that effectively communicate direction for textile prints, graphics, materials, trims and socks.
! Manage (including goal setting, performance review, hiring decisions, team culture, etc.) and support the career development of direct reports to ensure job satisfaction, retention and to identify and develop bench strength.
! Explore, along with your team, innovative ways of creating and applying textiles & graphics by following art & fashion trends in order to keep the line fresh with blue sky concepts.
! Create and guide creation of original artwork that illustrates design concepts and captures seasonal stories to share with the Marketing, Merchandising and Sales teams.
! Work with the Merchandising team to understand market needs and communicate with requirements to your team who will design graphics/textiles/socks aligned to product silhouettes and briefs and meet cost targets.
! Research market trends, competitors and consumer needs and provide recommendations from a textile, graphic and sock design perspective.
! Lead the creation of print, graphic, material, trim & sock artwork for the Materials team for strike offs and prototypes.
! Lead the Graphic & Textile Designers to guide them in updating designs based on feedback from management and other team members.
! Research, along with your team, new techniques and applications that can be used in seasonal product and use findings to innovate our products.
! Partner with apparel and accessories designers to ensure that textile stories and individual prints, materials and trims enhance the product aesthetic and fit with the overall design.
! Meet calendar deadlines and deliverables, including Salesman samples.
! Travel domestically and internationally to collect fresh and innovative ideas to inspire the team and share relevant themes for the designated season with the team via story boards and wall presentations.
! Other responsibilities as required.
Qualifications:
! Degree in Textile, Material or Graphic design or related field (Bachelor’s or portfolio school)
! 8+ years of progressive and technically sophisticated Graphic/Textile design experience; may be substituted by proven skill based on actual work samples
! 3+ years management experience of a design team
! Demonstrated understanding of textile manufacturing, dyeing and design techniques.
! Exceptional design portfolio.
! Expert knowledge in Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop are unequivocally necessary
! Excellent verbal and written communication skills, demonstrating effective listening through concise, clear verbal and written communication.
! Ability to manage multiple and competing work priorities, demands, and changes.
! Excellent interpersonal skills that inspire and build trust resulting in effective working relationships across the company.
! Keen attention to detail in planning, organization and execution of tasks, while still seeing the big picture and understanding how all the pieces fit together and affect one another.
! Ability to anticipate how a decision made can affect our customers, our partners, our products or other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots.”
! Demonstration of innovation and initiative – always looking at improving our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details and help wherever necessary.
! Passionate participation in Brooks’ sports activities a plus, overridden by the ability to understand and empathize with the runner to develop loyal, engaging relationships with our customers and the Brooks community.
! Able to travel domestically and internationally 4 times a year
! Embraces and lives the Brooks values!
At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, the presence of a sensory, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military status, marital status, pregnancy or child birth, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, status as a victim of domes