Principal Strategic Footwear Advisor

Who We Are:

At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line.

Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation.

Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success:

·       Runner First  

We act in the best interest of the runner

·       Word is Bond 

We do what we say we’ll do

·       Champion Heart  

We give our all in everything we do  

·       There is no “I” in Run

We stay generous with our humanity

·       Keep Moving

We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic!

We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement — because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there.   

Your Job:

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Principal Strategic Footwear Advisor to partner with and inform our SVP, Footwear by providing strategic direction and insight driven solutions to our product strategy.   This role is critical to our organization and will be instrumental in shaping the future of our footwear division. The ideal candidate will bring a unique consumer and retailer perspective, drive key strategic initiatives to completion, and serve as a strategic partner in various capacities.  You have a unique blend of analytical skills and strong communication skills to influence and lead stakeholders across the business.  

• Drive strategic decision-making with a unique consumer and retailer lens. Leverage deep insights from consumer behavior and retailer dynamics into valuable guidance and to inform impactful strategies.
• Lead & execute high-impact strategic initiatives. Drive the successful completion of cross-functional projects that are critical to achieving overarching business objectives, ensuring timely execution and alignment with strategic priorities.
• Drive Strategic Go-to-Market Success:
• Partner with Merchandising and Product Marketing to optimize line strategies, curate compelling assortments, and develop impactful product marketing narratives while ensuring operational excellence;
• Facilitate seamless communication and collaboration between Product, Sales and Marketing teams to leverage compelling storytelling to effectively communicate product value, vision and go-to-market strategies.  
• Retail Ambassador for Product Teams: Act as a bridge between product creation teams and retailers, ensuring alignment and mutual understanding to enhance product offerings and market positioning.
• Sports Medical Ambassador for Product Teams: Act as a bridge between product creation teams and sports med professionals, ensuring alignment on the latest biomechanical and physiological research and product recommendations.
• Deliver seasonal Market Pulse updates: Partner with the Footwear Merchandising team to deliver timely and insightful seasonal market pulse updates to inform product decisions and GTM strategies. Leverage expert market intelligence to identify emerging trends, competitive shifts, and new growth opportunities within the footwear market landscape.
• Product Assessment Advisor: Contribute to evaluating seasonal product readiness, providing critical feedback and recommendations to ensure market success.
• Integrate consumer and retailer context and trends into the development of business strategies.

•  Strategic Partnership with SVP of Footwear:
• Provide thought leadership and expert counsel on business plans, roadmaps, and key initiatives.
• Partner with the finance team to develop and analyze financial models to assess the viability of strategic initiatives and potential investments.  Analyze the implementation of recommendations and assess the effectiveness of strategies. 
• Support the SVP in achieving strategic goals, fostering a positive organizational culture, and delivering the right product at the right time to the market.
• Develop compelling presentations to communicate strategic growth and product plans and provide actionable recommendations. 

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, or a related field preferred but not required.
• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in running retail leadership and strategic planning.
• Proven track record of leading and executing strategic initiatives with measurable outcomes.
• Strong understanding of consumer behavior, market trends, and retail dynamics.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to influence and inspire cross-functional teams.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to assess product readiness and make data-driven recommendations.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with senior leadership and provide strategic guidance.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with a sharp attention to detail.
• Strong leadership qualities, with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to think critically and strategically about the footwear market, identifying opportunities for growth and innovation.
• Collaboration: Strong team player with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional team leaders and build strong relationships.
• Communication: Superior verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex ideas in a clear and compelling manner.
• Influence: Ability to influence and persuade stakeholders at all levels of the organization, driving alignment and support for strategic initiatives.
• Adaptability: Flexible and open to change, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Innovation: Creative thinker with a passion for developing new ideas and solutions that drive business success.
• Results-Driven: Focused on delivering high-impact results, with a strong sense of accountability and ownership.

Compensation: The pay range for this position, based out of the Brooks Seattle HQ, is $142,253 - $227,605 per year. Base pay offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.  

Brooks is proud to offer a robust benefits package to our employees and their families!  

Benefits: including medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance, HSA and employer contribution, FSA, family & fertility assistance, 401K Savings Plan and match, employee assistance program, and transportation assistance.  

Paid Time Off: Brooks offers generous time off including three to five weeks of paid time off, eleven paid holidays, paid sick and parental leave. 

Bonus: in addition to base pay, Brooks employees may also be offered an annual bonus based on company performance.   

Perks: including product discounts, employee recognition, fitness discounts, volunteer and donation benefits. 

Location: You will spend 3 days per week in our Seattle offices, as we believe our organization flourishes when connections, collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and celebrations happen in person.

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, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, two-spirit identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, the presence of a physical, mental, or sensory disability, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), caste, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, actual or perceived victims of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking, HIV or Hepatitis C infection, political ideology, use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, or any other non-merit based factors.