Industrial Design Manager

Bring your life

At Thule, all designers work with the realization of our design philosophy. We work with user-centered design. For every product, we identify needs, gather insights, and rigorously test ideas. We use creativity and a hands-on approach to craft innovative solutions. We build prototypes, relentlessly question ideas, and iterate to get us further.

But these are not the only principles that guide our creative process. Every Thule design embodies our core brand philosophy of enabling an active life. Our designs go beyond looks; we create purposeful solutions for real-life challenges. We strive for authenticity in everything we do, making honest material choices.

Outlined in the Thule Brand Essence, our design philosophy is tied to the core Thule values that guide our path. The three values that describe our design philosophy are: functional, emotional, and social. In other words, these are the values of our brand and the values we aim to deliver on with every product.

What you’ll do at Thule

As a Design manager at Thule you lead and carry the staff responsibility and resource planning for approximately 6 industrial designers with different product focus areas. The team is part of the global design organization with concept design, CMF and Surface design & Visualization.

You and your team are involved in pre-studies and product projects for a wide range of different products within our assortment.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of industrial designers across multiple product categories.
• Foster a high performing collaborative culture that encourages creativity and growth.
• Manage project timelines, resources, and deliverables to ensure on-time execution.
• Member of the global design team management group
• Team building and team development

Design Strategy & Execution

• Be part of the evolution of our global design strategy in alignment with brand values and relevant market trends.
• Be part of defining, creating, communicating and safeguarding design visions, design intents and design executions.
• Take part in developing methodology for product design within the company – unifying the work flow as well as simplifying the internal communication in regards to industrial design e.g. user journey, value proposition/value curve, design intents and industrial design execution levels.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with other design functions, engineers, product managers, brand responsible, and soft goods developers etc.
• Translate user needs, business goals, and technical constraints into innovative design solutions.
• Present design concepts and strategies to stakeholders and executive leadership.
• Work for product cross category initiatives, with the overall goal to enhance brand logic, added consumer understanding and commercial opportunities.

Innovation & Trend Analysis

• Stay in tune with design trends, materials, manufacturing processes, and sustainability practices.
• Champion innovation, bringing new thinking and design methodologies to the team.
• Work for a more hands-on approach to industrial design within the company

What you bring

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Design or a related field.
• Min 5 years of experience in industrial design, with at least 2–3 years in a leadership or managerial role.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating a range of successful design projects and leadership impact.
• Proficient in design tools and methodology.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and organizational skills.
• Experience working in the outdoor industry.
• Familiarity with sustainable design practices.
• Experience in international product development and supply chain environments.
• Be creative and inspiring to others
• A strong understanding of design principles and a developed aesthetic sense
• Extensive knowledge in mass production, relevant manufacturing processes and materials
• Excellent in creating and maintaining cross functional working relationships
• Ability to present and put up arguments to support ideas
• The ability to adapt concepts to support Brand Identity and embodied through a predefined product identity
• Be able to work within deadlines and budget targets
• Active lifestyle with an interest in the Thule Group ’s products

Why you should join Thule

We believe in strong team work both within your own team but also across teams. We strive to be an open and curious organization, sharing our knowledge and inspiring one another. Within Thule Group you will find people who have a passion for the products we make and the outdoor company we are. We share the same values and we like to have fun. All of our employees have a joint responsibility to maintain that spirit and contribute to it.

Hiring Process

Apply by submitting your application and resumé through “Apply for position” on our Thule Career Site. The application deadline is August 3, 2025.

Due to summer holiday, we will begin reviewing applications only after the application period has closed. No screening or interviews will be conducted before that, so all candidates will receive updates after the deadline. Kindly note that we do not accept applications via email.

If you have any questions about the role, feel free to contact hiring manager, Henrik Eriksson, Director Design.

We look forward to hearing from you!