Altra: Color Designer II

ALTRA – Color Designer II

Now that you’ve found the job description, what’s next? At Altra, we are on a never-ending journey to seek out opportunities to unlock potential in ourselves and others and to create a more diverse and inclusive running community. When we’re all working together as the best versions of ourselves, we can feel empowered both individually and as a community. So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side‑by‑side with a team of people driven to discover more about ourselves and the world around us, Altra just may be the place for you. To learn more about our values and our culture, visit Altra Careers or

What will you do?

A day in the life of a Color Designer II at Altra looks a little like this. As part of Altra’s Footwear Design team, this role drives seasonal color design and execution across the footwear line. The Color Designer II partners closely with Design, Product, Merchandising, and Development to bring Altra’s creative vision to life through compelling color solutions. This role leads color palette development, creates color CADs and tech packs, researches trends, and ensures accurate color execution throughout the product creation process. This role reports to the Senior Manager, Color, Graphics and Material Design.

Let’s break down that day‑in‑the‑life a bit more.

• Participate in seasonal color palette building
• Translate Brand’s Creative Vision principles and Visual Brand Language onto physical product through captivating color executions.
• Collect accurate and up‑to‑date trend information and translate them to tangible & realistic footwear designs.
• Be a calculated risk taker who can push boundaries in color and drive commercial success to grow the business.
• Be nimble with an entrepreneur mindset.
• Work cross‑collaboratively with Product, Merchandising and Development teams to realize designs, achieve merchandising goals, meet price targets, and testing standards.
• Work cross‑functionally with design and product development to understand material choices/characteristics and design limitations to ensure accurate color application and execution on product.
• Create and deliver powerful presentations of seasonal design proposals that effectively communicate the concept behind the line for internal and external audiences.
• Plan and execute the product color details and review all samples, troubleshoot for achievability issues and clearly communicate changes to ensure timely completion of each project
• Strong understanding of color technology and how to achieve desired color effects: materials, dyes, finishes and color achievability.
• Produce accurate color cads & detailed tech packs to factory standards.
• Delivery of projects on time and in line with Altra development calendar.

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 3-4 years of experience and professional achievements.

• Be a good team member. Work well with others.
• Passion for storytelling with the ability to translate narratives onto physical product.
• Strong understanding of color theory and how it translates to performance footwear.
• Love of sport, curiosity for athlete insight and connection to sport style trends.
• Ability to collaborate with other designers/Design Directors to create palettes and color flow based on category color strategy.
• Expert understanding of color technology application and how to achieve desired color effects: materials, dyes, finishes and color achievability.
• Knowledge of footwear construction processes, finishes/materials and limitations.
• Knowledge of color mixing, color compatibility, and color placement.
• Knowledge of emerging/declining graphic and material trends.
• Highly proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop) and Keynote or PowerPoint.
• Ability to develop effective processes and procedures.
• Ability to identify and predict trends.
• Ability to adapt to and work with feedback on short notice.

What do we offer you?

At Altra, we know you expect as much from us as we do from you. That is why we make a commitment to support and grow our people. We offer extensive development and growth opportunities for your current and future positions, a competitive compensation package, and a strong benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). Our commitment extends beyond this and into your daily work life. We strive to foster a diverse and inclusive culture based on respect, connection, and authenticity. Our focus on DEI is at the foundation of who we are and what we do.

Hiring Range: $73,440.00 USD - $91,800.00 USD annually

Incentive Potential: This position is eligible for additional compensation awards that may include an annual incentive plan, sales incentive, or commission potential. Specific details of the additional compensation eligibility for this position will be provided during the recruiting and interview process.

Benefits at VF Corporation: You can review a general overview of each benefit program offered, including this year's medical plan rates on and by clicking Looking to Join VF? Detailed information on your benefits will be provided during the hiring process. Please note, our hiring ranges are determined and built from market pay data. In determining the specific compensation for this position, we comply with all local, state, and federal laws.

At VF, we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws.

If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io. VF will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals to the extent required by applicable law. Pursuant to all applicable local Fair Chance Ordinance requirements, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, VF will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

From inspiration to innovation to an evolution. Altra Running was founded on an innovative approach to running shoes. An approach that took us from the back room of a specialty running store to the front of the pack on roads and trails across the world. An approach that has kept us going for a decade and aims to keep you running for a lifetime. And an approach that ultimately inspired—and continues to inspire—every single Altra shoe. Naturally, Altra Co‑Founders Brian Beckstead and Golden Harper met on the first day of cross‑country practice their sophomore year at Orem High School in Utah. From there, it was off to the races, both literally and figuratively. When it comes to shoes, innovative thinking runs in the Harper family. So it was no surprise when Golden toasted a pair of shoes, heating them just enough to be able to remove the heel and form a Balanced Cushioning platform. What was surprising was the result: For the first time in his life, Golden was wearing a running shoe that he felt wasn’t obstructing the way he ran. Wide‑lacing shoes inspired a FootShape™ design. A household toaster oven inspired Balanced Cushioning. FootShape™ and Balanced Cushioning inspired 1,000s of people to purchase brand new, unmodified shoes and take them to a shoe cobbler to hack them up and balance them out. That’s the foundation of Altra Running: innovative, disruptive thinking. We’re going to continue to innovate. Continue to inspire that break‑free feeling of getting out there, far from expectation and constraint. We will continue to earn new perspectives by reaching new heights. We will continue to blaze trails and explore new roads. And continue to show up unapologetically ourselves as we encourage all who run to do the same.

Join us.

VF Diversity Vision Statement VF is committed to creating an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the differences among all of our associates, customers, suppliers and the communities in which we live and conduct business. The continued success and growth of VF is enhanced through initiatives that promote diversity throughout VF around the world. VF is an equal employment opportunity employer of minorities, females, protected veterans and the disabled. VF is committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, and treating our VF associates and VF applicants without discrimination on the basis of their race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, HIV/AIDS status, or any other legally protected factor. VF is committed to meeting the diverse needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner that is consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity, and will do so by striving to identify, prevent and remove barriers to accessibility wherever possible as well as by meeting the accessibility requirements under the ADA, AODA, and other applicable state, local or provincial regulations. VF is committed to digital accessibility, and to conforming to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA and complying with the ADA and AODA Standards for Accessible Design, and other applicable regulations. If you need an accommodation or have any questions regarding this statement, please send your request to View email address on click.appcast.io.