HOKA Digital Design Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: HOKA Digital Design Director

Company: Deckers Brands

Location: US - CA Remote Goleta

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Digital Design, Creative Leadership

Date Posted: 2025-06-12T00:00:00

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Remote

🎨 Role Summary

• Drive HOKA’s brand presence across digital and social platforms through strategic digital design leadership.
• Lead design strategy, innovation, and execution for digital experiences on .com and social channels, focusing on UX, UI, and storytelling.
• Ensure brand consistency across all digital devices and touchpoints, maintaining a cohesive brand experience.
• Collaborate with creative and marketing teams to develop engaging digital/social content for global audiences.
• Stay abreast of digital design trends and emerging technologies to implement impactful campaigns and innovative solutions.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Elevate the design quality and user experience of the HOKA website to enhance the overall e-commerce journey for consumers.
• Develop and implement a clear digital design strategy for social media platforms, crafting engaging narratives that resonate with target audiences.
• Drive innovation within HOKA’s digital ecosystem, enriching digital experiences across various platforms and devices.
• Oversee and direct the design team, providing guidance, mentorship, and creative direction for digital design projects.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, product, and development teams to ensure seamless integration of design into digital initiatives.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Digital Design, UX/UI Design, or a related creative field is typically expected for a role at this level. Relevant professional certifications in digital design or leadership are a plus.

Experience: A minimum of 10+ years of combined agency and brand experience is required. This includes at least 5 years of experience in a senior creative leadership position, managing multidisciplinary design teams.

Required Skills:

• Strong Art Direction and Design Skills: Ability to guide visual direction and ensure high-quality design output.
• Expertise in UX/UI Design: Deep understanding of user experience principles and user interface design best practices for digital platforms.
• Online Storytelling and Content Strategy: Proven ability to craft compelling narratives for digital channels, particularly social media.
• Technical Proficiency in Digital Platforms & E-commerce: Understanding of the technical aspects of digital platforms, including e-commerce websites.
• Leadership and Team Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a team of designers and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Expert proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere).
• Expert proficiency with Figma for UI/UX design and prototyping.

Preferred Skills:

• Basic understanding of HTML and CSS for effective collaboration with developers.
• Experience with A/B testing and conversion rate optimization (CRO) in a digital design context.
• Familiarity with project management tools and agile development methodologies.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a diverse range of digital design projects, including e-commerce websites, social media campaigns, and interactive experiences.
• Present case studies that clearly articulate the design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your design solutions on business goals.
• Highlight examples of leading and directing design teams, demonstrating your leadership style and project management capabilities.
• Include projects that demonstrate expertise in UX/UI design, visual storytelling, and brand consistency across various digital touchpoints.

Process Documentation:

• Detail the research and discovery phases of your projects, including user research, competitive analysis, and defining project objectives.
• Illustrate your ideation and iteration methods, showcasing sketches, wireframes, prototypes, and design variations.
• Explain your validation and testing approaches, including user testing, A/B testing, and how feedback influenced design decisions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $195,000 - $205,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Competitive Pay and Bonuses: Performance-based compensation and bonus structures.
• Financial Planning and Wellbeing: Programs to support financial goals and security.
• Time Away from Work: Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Extras, Discounts and Perks: Employee discounts on Deckers Brands products and other potential perks.
• Growth and Development: Opportunities for professional development, training, and career advancement within the company.
• Health and Wellness: Comprehensive health insurance plans, including medical, dental, and vision, as well as wellness programs.

Working Hours: Full-time, typically 40 hours per week. As a leadership role, some flexibility may be required based on project needs and global team collaboration.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Retail Apparel and Fashion, specifically Footwear and Accessories. Deckers Brands operates within a dynamic consumer goods market with a focus on design, innovation, and direct-to-consumer strategies.

Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees (LinkedIn data indicates approximately 5,777 employees). This size suggests a well-established organization with structured teams and processes.

Founded: 1973. Deckers Brands has a long history in the footwear and apparel industry, indicating stability and experience in brand building.

Team Structure:

• The Digital Design Director reports to the HOKA Sr. Creative Director, Global Brand Creative, indicating a clear reporting line within the creative department.
• The role involves leading a team of multidisciplinary creatives, suggesting a diverse team with various design specializations.
• Collaboration is expected with creative and marketing teams, highlighting a cross-functional approach to digital initiatives.

Methodology:

• While specific methodologies are not detailed, the focus on driving innovation and enhancing digital experiences suggests an agile and iterative design approach.
• Emphasis on storytelling and brand consistency implies a strong focus on user-centered design and maintaining a cohesive brand identity across platforms.

Company Website: http://www.deckers.com

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is a senior leadership role, positioned as a Director. It represents a significant step in a digital design career, requiring extensive experience in both hands-on design and team management.

Reporting Structure: Reporting to the Sr. Creative Director suggests alignment with overall brand creative strategy while having significant autonomy in leading the digital design function for HOKA.

Design Impact: The role is critical in shaping HOKA's digital brand presence and e-commerce experience, indicating a high level of impact on consumer perception and business performance.

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential for advancement to higher-level creative or leadership roles within Deckers Brands.
• Opportunities to expand leadership responsibilities and manage larger or more complex design teams.
• Development of strategic leadership skills in driving digital innovation and brand growth.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: Primarily a remote work environment within approved states.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, Deckers Brands has headquarters in Goleta, CA, and other locations globally. Occasional travel to headquarters or other locations for team meetings or company events may be required, although not explicitly stated.

Design Workspace Context:

• Remote work offers flexibility but requires strong self-discipline and effective remote collaboration tools and practices.
• Collaboration will likely involve virtual meetings, shared design platforms, and digital communication tools.
• Maintaining a strong team connection and fostering a collaborative design culture remotely will be important.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexibility inherent in a remote role, balanced with the need to collaborate across different time zones potentially.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial screening call with HR to discuss experience and fit.
• Interview(s) with the hiring manager (Sr. Creative Director) to assess creative vision, leadership style, and strategic thinking.
• Portfolio review and presentation to showcase relevant work, design process, and impact.
• Interviews with key stakeholders from marketing, product, or other relevant teams to assess collaboration skills and cross-functional fit.
• Potential design exercise or case study presentation to evaluate problem-solving skills and approach to a design challenge relevant to HOKA.
• Final interview with a higher-level executive or team lead.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate your portfolio to specifically highlight digital design projects for consumer brands, particularly in e-commerce and social media.
• Structure case studies to clearly demonstrate your design process, from problem identification and research to ideation, execution, and results. Quantify impact where possible.
• Showcase your leadership experience by detailing your role in managing teams, guiding creative direction, and collaborating with stakeholders.
• Ensure the visual presentation of your portfolio is polished, professional, and reflects your design aesthetic.

Challenge Preparation:

• If a design challenge is part of the process, carefully read and understand the prompt, clarifying any ambiguities.
• Allocate time for research, brainstorming, and developing a clear design solution.
• Prepare a presentation that walks through your process, rationale, and the final design, explaining your choices and how they address the challenge.
• Be prepared to discuss alternative approaches and receive feedback on your design.

ATS Keywords: Digital Design, Creative Director, Design Leadership, UX Design, UI Design, Art Direction, E-commerce Design, Social Media Design, Brand Consistency, Digital Strategy, Innovation, Storytelling, Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Team Management, Cross-functional Collaboration, Consumer Brands, Footwear, Apparel, Retail, Digital Experiences, User Experience, User Interface, Online Storytelling, Social Trends, Technical Proficiency, E-comm, HTML, CSS (basic), Portfolio, Case Studies, Design Process, User Research, Ideation, Prototyping, User Testing, A/B Testing, Conversion Rate Optimization, Project Management, Agile, Remote Work, Leadership, Mentorship, Creative Direction.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere): Essential for visual design, image editing, motion graphics, and video editing for digital content. Expertise expected.
• Figma: Primary tool for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaborative design workflows. Expertise expected.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar for team communication and cross-functional collaboration.
• Project management tools (potentially Jira, Asana, or Trello) for tracking design projects and collaborating with development teams.
• Handoff tools integrated with Figma or separate platforms for providing design specifications to developers.

Research & Testing:

• Potential use of user research platforms or tools for gathering user insights.
• Prototyping tools within Figma or dedicated platforms for user testing and validation.
• Analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) for measuring design performance and user behavior.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• Emphasis on elevating the website's design and enhancing the e-commerce journey, suggesting a value for user-centric and performance-driven design.
• Focus on developing a clear social media strategy and crafting engaging narratives, indicating a value for storytelling and brand communication through design.
• Drive for innovation and enriching digital experiences throughout the ecosystem, highlighting a value for pushing creative boundaries and leveraging technology.
• The company values of "Together, Every Step," inclusivity, and diversity likely extend to the design team culture, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional collaboration with creative, marketing, product, and development teams is explicitly mentioned, indicating a collaborative and integrated workflow.
• Leadership of a multidisciplinary team suggests a collaborative approach to design projects, leveraging diverse skills and perspectives.
• Communication and storytelling are highlighted as key traits, implying a culture where designers are expected to effectively articulate their ideas and rationale.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Balancing brand consistency across a global digital ecosystem with the need for localized and platform-specific content.
• Staying ahead of rapidly evolving digital design trends, social media platforms, and e-commerce technologies.
• Leading and motivating a remote, multidisciplinary design team effectively to deliver high-quality work.
• Translating business objectives and marketing strategies into compelling and effective digital design solutions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Opportunities to enhance leadership and team management skills in a senior role within a large organization.
• Exposure to global digital marketing strategies and e-commerce best practices.
• Potential for professional development through conferences, workshops, and access to learning resources provided by Deckers Brands.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Be prepared to walk through your end-to-end design process for a complex digital project, highlighting your approach to research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.
• Discuss how you approach UX/UI design challenges, focusing on user-centered methods and problem-solving techniques.
• Explain your experience in leading design projects from concept to launch, including managing timelines, resources, and stakeholder communication.

Company Culture Questions:

• Research Deckers Brands' values and culture, particularly their emphasis on "Together, Every Step" and inclusivity, and be prepared to discuss how your values align.
• Ask questions about the design team's structure, collaboration style, and how feedback is given and received within the team.
• Inquire about the company's approach to innovation and how the design team contributes to driving new initiatives.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 2-3 key projects that best showcase your digital design expertise, leadership experience, and strategic thinking for consumer brands.
• For each project, clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your design process, your specific contributions, and the impact of your work (using metrics where possible).
• Practice presenting your portfolio concisely and engagingly, focusing on the story behind each project and your rationale for design decisions.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link.
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant digital design experience, leadership roles, and expertise in UX/UI, e-commerce, and social media design for consumer brands.
• Prepare your online portfolio, ensuring it is easily accessible and showcases your strongest digital design work with detailed case studies demonstrating your process and impact.
• Research HOKA and Deckers Brands thoroughly to understand their brand, target audience, and recent digital initiatives, incorporating this knowledge into your application materials and interview responses.