CMF/Color Designer II

At YETI, we believe that time spent outdoors matters more than ever and our gear can make that time extraordinary. When you work here, you’ll have the opportunity to create exceptional, meaningful work and problem solve with innovative team members by your side. Together, you’ll help our customers get the high-quality gear they need to make the most of their adventures. We are BUILT FOR THE WILD™. 

As a CMF / Color Designer II, you will lead product and category color work, and contribute across the full scope of the color function – including color trend research, concept and creative direction, color strategy and planning, design at the collection and product level, color development, and customer experience.  You will be part of a creative, collaborative, high-output color design and development team, and will report to the CMF Manager in the Austin office.

Position Type (See Workplace Approach Below): Hybrid

Responsibilities:

Design

• Lead product and category color work and contribute across the full scope of the color function – including color trend research, concept and creative direction, color strategy and planning, design at the collection and product level, color development, and customer experience.
• Participate in ongoing color and trend research, synthesizing future themes and big ideas and translating those into actionable color applications. Keep current on directional CMF and color trends across fashion, art, culture, interiors, outdoor, mobility, and tech.
• Contribute to seasonal color palette build at the global and category level.
• Create a color design perspective for seasonal color applications as well as new product launches, with input from color director and color team, in a highly collaborative environment.
• Lead category and project specific CMF / color work from design through development and pre-production, across both soft goods (soft coolers) and hardgoods. Represent the color function in cross-category, core team meetings and touch points.
• Maintain both a big picture and detailed design view, balancing the color design choices for the product with the overall color direction and strategy of the YETI collection.
• Apply color to product at the detailed level, through digital renderings and line art, to bring to life the color vision and strategy while considering unique product needs, material and components specifications, and technical considerations.
• Create visual color tools – both physical and digital, to present concepts, inclusive of mood boards, palettes, color renderings, and visual line plans.
• Manage seasonal color swatch library in both physical and digitally calibrated formats.  Responsible for color swatch ordering, management, physical color tools creation, and sending to suppliers.
• Collaborate with Marketing / Content teams to ensure color launch campaign and site assets are color accurate.
• Consumer Research – Knows the consumer. Displays in-depth understanding of the YETI consumer and brand-positioning needs as it relates to category and product. Utilizes knowledge of unique YETI pursuits, communities, and consumers and their culture and preferences to improve product color performance & aesthetic.
• Demonstrates strong knowledge about competitor products, consumer retail habits, color, and market trends. Applies these insights into color solutions and is able to articulate this in a way that balances brand and business.
• Communicate and champion the color design POV throughout the design and development process, all while working collaboratively and balancing inputs from design, material, engineering, marketing and product strategy partners.
• Responsible for understanding and balancing the creative direction, design POV, and commercial impact of color decisions to ensure the optimal color execution to product through the YETI brand lens.

Development

• Lead CMF / color development for category and products across soft goods and hardgoods.
• Maintain color design vision throughout the development process across categories and products, multiple material substrates, and finishes.
• Review textile lab-dips and hard goods material submits (paint, resin, metal) – leveraging digital spectrophotometer readings and visual evaluations.
• Maintain and improve the color development standards, tolerances, and processes at YETI, as related to unique material substrates, productions methods and supplier specifications.
• Communicate with suppliers throughout the lab dip process.
• Manage physical lab dips and material submits, tracking comments and approvals, and managing PLM/Centric documentation to ensure accurate color execution and quality throughout product life cycle and supply chain.
• Contribute to the product calendar and process creation representing the color function and individual product categories
• Work with Materials, Design, Development, Category and Procurement teams to ensure commercial viability and appropriate timelines.

Qualifications and Attributes:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Color and Material Design, Fashion Design, Textile Design, Industrial Design, or a related field.
• At least 4 years professional experience in CMF or Color design and development.  Must have experience in a product / consumer-goods based company (preferably with a mix of hard goods and soft goods or apparel).
• Strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in CMF / Color concept, design, and strategy, including color theory, material selection, and finishes.  Design work should show collection level thinking as well as application of color to product.
• An elevated taste level and a strong design POV.  Understanding of color research and macro trend forecasting, with a current pulse on color trend evolution.
• Keen eye for detail and precision, with a passion for innovative and future focused CMF applications and emerging design technologies.
• Must be highly proficient in Adobe Creative Suite- Photoshop, Illustrator (both must haves), InDesign (nice to have).  3D software knowledge and rendering skills are preferred, but not required.
• Understanding of and experience in the CMF / color development process, and manufacturing processes across soft goods/textiles and hard goods.
• Proven knowledge of manufacturing feasibility and finished goods production lead times
• Superior color acuity, an extensive knowledge of color theory, and an understanding of diverse technical fibers and materials.
• Must pass the Munsell 100 color hue test.
• Excellent verbal, written, and visual communication and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively articulate CMF concepts and design thinking to cross-functional teams at all levels, and to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.   
• Ability to understand challenges or underlying concerns, share ideas, and develop effective responses or elevate to higher management.
• Collaborative mindset and ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams, particularly with product strategy, marketing, industrial design, and engineering. 
• Consistently takes initiative to lead work and contribute ideas.
• Ability to network, influence, and champion design vision across the organization and throughout the product lifecycles, utilizing internal and external resources.
• Demonstrated leaderships skills, including mentoring and guiding junior designers in design and development. 
• Excellent organization and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment, often working on multiple seasons, work streams, and projects simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail, ability to self-manage, and anticipation of department needs and solutions. 
• Role is hybrid, and must be based in Austin, TX.  The color team is in office/on-site between 3-5 days per week, depending on work phase and specific deliverables.

US Workplace Approach:

• Onsite: Role requires you to be onsite full-time.
• Hybrid: Role requires you to be located in Austin, Texas and is a mixture of onsite and remote.
• Remote: Role is full-time remote.

Approach may vary based on role.

YETI is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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