Associate Brand Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Associate Brand Designer

Company: Brooks Running

Location: Seattle, Washington, United States

Job Type: Full Time

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Marketing / Retail / Sports & Recreation

Date Posted: 2026-06-09

Experience Level: 0-2 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days in office per week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Develop and execute creative marketing assets and brand expressions across a diverse range of channels, including digital, print, retail, and events, to support global and regional programs.

• Collaborate closely with copywriters and cross-functional teams to translate conceptual ideas into compelling visual designs that align with business objectives and brand identity.

• Apply established brand standards and design fundamentals to produce accurate, high-quality creative work, ensuring consistency and impact across all touchpoints.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of design workflows and processes to enhance team efficiency and deliver best-in-class creative output.

• Manage multiple design projects concurrently, prioritizing tasks, and adhering to strict timelines and budgets while maintaining meticulous file organization and asset accuracy.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is focused on the visual execution of brand creative, requiring a strong understanding of design principles and brand systems. While not a direct operations role, it heavily supports Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies by creating assets for marketing campaigns, retail experiences, and brand communications, which are crucial for sales and revenue enablement. The emphasis on process, workflow, and project management aligns with operational efficiency principles.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Support the design and development of global and regional marketing programs, including but not limited to: OOH advertising, retail marketing, owned retail experiences, event marketing collateral, direct mail campaigns, CRM communications, loyalty program assets, and brand partnership initiatives.

• Create visually compelling designs for internal presentations, meetings, and events, including the development of templates, layouts, and supporting visual assets that effectively communicate ideas and maintain brand consistency.

• Foster strong working relationships with internal teams at Brooks to gain a deep understanding of brand drivers, business objectives, and product strategies, ensuring design solutions are relevant and impactful.

• Partner effectively with copywriters to conceptualize and develop integrated creative assets that meet both business and brand goals, ensuring a cohesive message across all mediums.

• Proactively problem-solve and generate multiple clear, effective design solutions under pressure of short timelines or strict budget constraints, leveraging established design approaches and incorporating feedback.

• Continuously enhance personal design, presentation, and strategic thinking skills through hands-on project work, constructive feedback, ongoing research, and professional development, with an awareness of the long-term implications of design decisions.

• Actively identify and contribute to workflow improvements that enhance the team's ability to produce high-quality, impactful creative solutions efficiently.

• Successfully manage personal time, workflow, and project schedules to consistently deliver exceptional creative on time and within budget, while meticulously organizing files and ensuring asset accuracy for review and final execution.

• Provide support to fellow designers and contribute to additional graphics projects as needed, demonstrating a flexible and team-oriented approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for adaptability and strong project management skills, which are core to operations. The emphasis on "workflow improvements" and "producing best in class creative on time and on budget" directly relates to operational efficiency and GTM execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, or a related creative field.

• Equivalent combinations of education and relevant professional experience will be considered in lieu of a degree. Experience:

• 1+ years of experience in graphic design, preferably within an in-house creative team, agency setting, or a similar environment focused on brand marketing.

• Digital and/or retail design experience is preferred, showcasing an understanding of these specific mediums. Required Skills:

• Creative portfolio demonstrating best-in-class layout, typography, and conceptual skills.

• Strong foundation in design fundamentals and the ability to effectively apply and maintain brand systems across multiple formats.

• Working understanding of both print and digital design spaces and their respective best practices.

• Fluency in essential design software: Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe InDesign.

• Well-versed in design and workflow best practices, with an eye for detail and efficiency.

• Proven project and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.

• Excellent communication skills, capable of clearly articulating design rationale, receiving feedback constructively, and implementing revisions with guidance.

• Collaborative spirit and a drive to improve the Brooks brand; ability to work independently and contribute effectively within a team environment. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in After Effects for motion graphics.

• Digital and/or retail design experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a strong portfolio, proficiency in specific design tools, and project management skills are critical for this role. The "ability to work within a brand system" and "develop multiple clear, effective design solutions under short timelines" are key indicators of the need for efficient execution and adherence to established frameworks, akin to operational discipline in creative production.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive online portfolio is mandatory for application, serving as the primary demonstration of design capabilities.

• The portfolio must showcase best-in-class layout, typography, and conceptual skills, illustrating a strong understanding of design fundamentals.

• Demonstrate the ability to work effectively within established brand systems and apply them consistently across various design formats and touchpoints.

• Include examples of work that highlight problem-solving abilities, particularly under constraints such as short timelines or strict budgets.

• Provide clear examples of digital and/or retail design projects if applicable, showcasing proficiency in these specific mediums. Process Documentation:

• While not directly requiring process documentation in the operations sense, the portfolio should implicitly demonstrate an understanding of design process:

  • Conceptualization and ideation phases.

  • Application of design fundamentals and brand guidelines.

  • Iterative design and feedback incorporation.

  • Final asset production and organization for various channels.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirement is paramount for this role. It acts as a visual resume, demonstrating not just creative output but also an applicant's ability to follow established brand guidelines and execute efficiently, which are operational considerations for brand consistency and deployment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• $29.38 - $44.10 per hour.

• Base pay will be determined based on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Life and AD&D insurance.

• Disability insurance.

• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contribution.

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

• Family & fertility assistance.

• 401K Savings Plan with employer match.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Transportation assistance.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO), including five weeks of paid time off.

• Eleven paid holidays.

• Paid sick leave.

• Paid parental leave.

• Annual bonus potential based on company performance.

• Employee perks including product discounts, employee recognition programs, fitness discounts, and volunteer/donation benefits. Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, likely around 40 hours per week.

• This is a hybrid role requiring 4 days per week in the Seattle office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The detailed benefits package is competitive and comprehensive, reflecting a company that values employee well-being and work-life balance. The hybrid work arrangement with specific in-office days is a key detail for candidates to consider regarding their work schedule and operational planning.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Sports & Recreation / Athletic Footwear & Apparel. Brooks Running is a leading brand focused on helping people find their run and feel more alive through movement.

Company Size: The company employs over 1,000 individuals globally. This size suggests a structured yet dynamic environment with opportunities for specialized roles and cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: Brooks Running was founded in 1914, bringing over a century of experience and evolution in athletic gear.

Team Structure:

• The Associate Brand Designer will be part of the Global Creative team, which is responsible for all brand creative concepts, campaigns, and assets.

• This team collaborates closely with various departments, including marketing, product development, sports marketing, and retail.

• The role will involve working within the Brand Design team, likely reporting to a Senior Brand Designer or Creative Director. Methodology:

• Brooks operates with a "Runner First" philosophy, ensuring all decisions and creative outputs are centered around the runner's needs and experience.

• Collaboration and innovation are key drivers, with a focus on using movement to inspire and connect people.

• The company values are integral to daily operations: Runner First, Word is Bond, Champion Heart, There is no "I" in Run, and Keep Moving.

Company Website: https://www.brooksrunning.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Brooks Running has a strong, values-driven culture centered on the runner. The "Runner First" principle and other core values (Word is Bond, Champion Heart, etc.) are crucial for understanding the company's operational ethos and how decisions are made, particularly in creative execution and brand messaging.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level:

• This is an Associate-level position, typically for individuals in the early stages of their design career (0-2 years of experience).

• It provides a foundational experience in brand design within a well-established company, focusing on execution and application of existing brand systems. Reporting Structure:

• The Associate Brand Designer will likely report to a Senior Brand Designer or a Creative Director within the Global Creative team.

• They will collaborate closely with copywriters, other designers, and marketing stakeholders. Operations Impact:

• While not a direct operations role, the Associate Brand Designer's work is critical for Go-To-Market (GTM) success.

• High-quality, on-brand creative assets are essential for effective marketing campaigns, retail experiences, and overall brand perception, directly influencing sales and customer engagement.

• Efficient creative production supports timely campaign launches and consistent brand messaging, which are operational imperatives. Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development: Opportunity to hone design skills across a wide range of channels (digital, print, retail, OOH) and gain experience with industry-standard tools like Figma and Adobe Creative Suite.

• Brand System Mastery: Deepen understanding and application of brand guidelines and design systems.

• Industry Exposure: Gain experience in the competitive athletic apparel and footwear market.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance to a full Brand Designer role, Senior Brand Designer, or specialize in areas like digital design, retail design, or campaign creative direction.

• Cross-functional Learning: Exposure to marketing strategies, product storytelling, and Go-To-Market planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Associate Brand Designer role is a stepping stone, offering significant opportunities for skill enhancement and practical application within a structured creative department. Understanding how creative output impacts GTM strategy is key for career growth in this field.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type:

• The role is hybrid, requiring 4 days per week in the Seattle offices. This indicates a strong emphasis on in-person collaboration and a belief in the value of physical presence for creative work, problem-solving, and team bonding. Office Location(s):

• Seattle, Washington (Brooks HQ). Specific office details are not provided but assume a modern, collaborative workspace typical of a leading athletic brand. Workspace Context:

• The environment is designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and innovation, aligning with Brooks' company culture.

• Expect access to relevant design tools and technology, including Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with fellow designers, copywriters, and marketing teams to facilitate idea exchange and project development.

• The hybrid model allows for focused individual work time while ensuring ample opportunities for team synergy and brainstorming. Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time schedule, likely Monday-Friday, with a requirement to be in the Seattle office for 4 days each week. The specific in-office days may be flexible or set by the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a critical aspect of the work environment, emphasizing in-person collaboration essential for creative ideation and problem-solving, which aligns with operational efficiency for creative development.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of application, resume, and crucially, the online portfolio link.

• Portfolio Review & Skills Assessment: Candidates will likely be asked to walk through their portfolio, explaining their design process, rationale, and how they approach brand systems and conceptualization.

• Creative Challenge/Design Test: May involve a small design task or case study to assess practical skills, problem-solving ability, and adherence to brand guidelines under timed conditions.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interviews: Discussions to assess alignment with Brooks' values (Runner First, Word is Bond, etc.), collaboration skills, communication style, and overall attitude.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interviews: Deeper dives into experience, technical skills, and fit within the Global Creative team.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Ensure your online portfolio is easily accessible via the link provided on your resume.

• Curate your best work, focusing on projects that demonstrate layout, typography, conceptual thinking, and brand system application.

• For each project, clearly articulate your role, the problem you were solving, your design process, and the outcome.

• Highlight projects that align with the responsibilities mentioned in the job description (e.g., digital, retail, OOH).

• Be prepared to discuss your design choices and how they met business objectives. Challenge Preparation:

• Familiarize yourself with the Brooks brand identity, visual language, and recent campaigns.

• Practice articulating your design decisions clearly and concisely.

• Be ready to adapt quickly if given a design challenge, focusing on understanding the brief and delivering a thoughtful, on-brand solution.

• Prepare to discuss how you handle feedback and revisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is the most critical element of the application. Candidates must meticulously prepare it to showcase not only creative talent but also the foundational skills and process-oriented thinking that align with efficient brand execution.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for collaborative design, prototyping, and creating design systems. Proficiency is required.

• Adobe Illustrator: For vector graphics, logo design, and illustration.

• Adobe Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation.

• Adobe InDesign: For layout design, print collateral, and multi-page documents.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a direct analytics role, understanding how creative assets perform across digital channels (e.g., website analytics, CRM engagement) is beneficial. Familiarity with how design impacts user engagement metrics is a plus. CRM & Automation:

• Experience designing for CRM platforms (e.g., email marketing templates) and understanding how design integrates with marketing automation workflows is preferred. Preferred Tools:

• Adobe After Effects: For motion graphics, animations, and video elements, which can enhance digital and social media campaigns.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) is non-negotiable. Experience with After Effects is a strong plus, indicating a need for dynamic visual content creation capabilities.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Runner First: All creative decisions must ultimately serve the runner, ensuring authenticity and relevance.

• Word is Bond: Reliability and commitment to delivering high-quality work on time are expected.

• Champion Heart: A passionate, dedicated approach to creative execution and brand building.

• There is no “I” in Run: Emphasizes teamwork, collaboration, and a generous spirit in sharing ideas and supporting colleagues.

• Keep Moving: A value that encourages continuous improvement, adaptability, and a proactive approach to creative challenges.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, involving close partnerships with copywriters, other designers, marketing teams, and potentially product teams.

• Open communication and active listening are encouraged to foster innovative solutions.

• A culture of constructive feedback and shared learning to elevate the overall quality of creative output.

• The hybrid work model reinforces the value placed on in-person collaboration for brainstorming and problem-solving.

📝 Enhancement Note: The strong emphasis on Brooks' core values is central to the team's culture. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate how they embody these values in their work and interactions, particularly "Runner First" and "There is no 'I' in Run."

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Consistency with Creative Innovation: Maintaining strict brand guidelines while developing fresh, engaging creative concepts.

• Managing Multiple Projects and Tight Deadlines: Effectively prioritizing and executing diverse design tasks under pressure.

• Adapting to Evolving Marketing Channels: Staying current with digital trends and platform requirements for effective creative deployment.

• Collaborating Effectively Across Teams: Synthesizing feedback and requirements from various stakeholders to produce cohesive designs.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Skill Enhancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite, and potentially learn After Effects.

• Brand System Mastery: Gain in-depth knowledge of applying and evolving brand identity across a global scale.

• Industry Insight: Learn about the dynamics of the athletic footwear and apparel market.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Understand the broader Go-To-Market strategy and how creative contributes to business objectives.

• Mentorship: Potential for guidance from senior designers and creative leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers substantial growth potential by immersing the candidate in a professional creative environment with clear pathways for skill development and career progression within the brand.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Be prepared to discuss your design philosophy and how you approach creative problem-solving.

• Explain how you ensure brand consistency across different marketing channels and formats.

• Describe a time you had to work with tight deadlines or under budget constraints and how you managed it.

• How do you incorporate feedback and revisions into your design process?

• Discuss your experience with Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite, highlighting specific projects where you utilized these tools effectively. Company & Culture Questions:

• Why are you interested in Brooks Running and this specific role?

• How do you align with Brooks' core values (Runner First, Word is Bond, Champion Heart, etc.)?

• Describe your ideal team environment and how you contribute to collaboration.

• How do you stay updated on design trends and industry best practices? Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent the skills and experience required for this role.

• For each project, clearly outline the objective, your role, the creative process, key challenges, and the outcome.

• Be ready to discuss your design choices, typography, color palettes, and layout decisions.

• Emphasize how your designs effectively communicate the brand message and meet client/business goals.

• If possible, include examples of digital or retail-focused work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview will heavily rely on your portfolio and your ability to articulate your creative process and cultural fit with Brooks Running. Demonstrating an understanding of their brand and values will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Associate Brand Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date and easily accessible. Curate your best work, highlighting projects relevant to brand design, digital, and retail marketing. Clearly label your contributions and provide context for each piece.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight relevant experience, skills (especially Figma and Adobe Creative Suite), and achievements. Quantify results where possible and explicitly mention any experience with brand systems, digital design, or retail marketing.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, articulating your design process, and answering common interview questions related to creativity, collaboration, and brand alignment. Prepare to discuss how you embody Brooks' core values.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Brooks Running, its brand mission, values, recent campaigns, and target audience. Understand their positioning in the market and how the Global Creative team contributes to their overall success.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.