Consumer Insights Strategist, Performance Running Innovation
Center, TX
Posted 4 months ago
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Job Description
At ASICS, our Sound Mind, Sound Body™ philosophy is more than a tagline, it’s our way of life. Over 75 years ago our founder, Kihachiro Onitsuka, saw that sport and movement had the power to lift spirits, project positivity, and propel people and whole communities forward.
ASICS provides a diverse and inclusive culture that enables learning, growth, and opportunity at all levels. We empower our employees to pursue their career goals. If this sounds like you, then we want you on our team.
The ASICS Creation Center, LLC is ASICS Corporation’s product creation office based in Boston, MA. This organization is dedicated to driving innovation and elevating product creation to new heights. The team sits across all areas of the product creation process, supporting the following areas: Innovation, Performance Running, Sportstyle, and Core Performance Sports
POSITION SUMMARY:
We are looking for a passionate, consumer-obsessed strategist to help shape the future of ASICS performance running innovation. The Consumer Insights Strategist, Performance Running Innovation collaborates with the Innovation team to research, identify, and validate consumer needs and emerging market opportunities, translating firsthand insight into actionable innovation opportunities for future performance footwear concepts.
The ACC Innovation team sits between the ASICS Institute of Sport Science (ISS) and our product categories, developing future concepts that shape the strategic direction of performance running footwear 2–5+ years out. Our approach is consumer insight-led, complementing ISS's science-led research with a consumer-first perspective that accelerates concept development and validation.
This role will be partially field based, and is built on the principle of embodied insight — the belief that the person who is physically present with the consumer, who sees their reaction to a prototype firsthand, who hears the exact words they use to describe what's missing, who observes the behaviors that would never surface in a survey — makes sharper, faster, and more actionable strategic recommendations than anyone interpreting research secondhand.
This role operates in a dynamic, fast-paced innovation environment. The position requires both independent work and close collaboration with designers, engineers, and external partners. Flexibility, ability to work through ambiguity and adaptability are essential for success in this role.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Listen — Consumer Immersion & Insight Generation
- Design and conduct qualitative and quantitative consumer research: in-field ethnographic studies, interviews, observation, focus groups, and surveys.
- Build and maintain a living understanding of performance runners — their unmet needs, pain points, emerging behaviors, and aspirations.
- Synthesize research into clear, actionable insight frameworks that directly inform the innovation design team.
- Partner with the biomechanical research partners to connect subjective consumer experience with objective performance data, creating a holistic, comprehensive picture.
- Take early-stage prototypes and concepts directly to consumers for fast, lightweight validation — run clubs, running events, field testing sessions.
- Design agile validation frameworks appropriate for innovation fast iteration (vs full studies done by ISS).
- Deliver go/no-go recommendations and iteration direction to the Senior Director of Innovation and design team.
- Build and maintain a network of test runners and consumer panelists for ongoing concept feedback.
- Monitor the competitive landscape, emerging technologies, cultural shifts, and macro trends relevant to performance footwear and the broader athletic market.
- Attend industry events, trade shows, running expos, and startup showcases.
- Develop point-of-view briefs on where the market is heading and where ASICS innovation should place strategic bets.
- Connect emerging capabilities and technologies to consumer needs, identifying opportunities for ASICS to lead.
- Serve as a research and insight resource to category teams, supporting the innovation-to-inline handoff process.
- Partner with Asics’s Institue of Sports Science to help translate consumer-facing insight into language and frameworks the research team will be able to enact.
- Provide consumer validation documentation that strengthens concept adoption when innovation hands off to categories and help develop innovation and marketing storytelling based on consumer insights.
- Collaborate with innovation and in-line product management to ensure research continuity as concepts move downstream.
- Proficiency in data analysis software (Excel, R, Python, or similar)
- Strong qualitative research skills with the ability to also design and interpret studies.
- Experience with consumer segmentation, persona development, and journey mapping.
- Familiarity with CAD software and technical documentation is a plus
- Understanding of materials science and footwear manufacturing processes is a plus
- Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills
- Strong storytelling ability. Turning observations and data into narratives that move a design team and influence leadership direction.
- Strong project management and organizational abilities
- Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Collaborative mindset with experience in cross-functional teams
- Adaptability to work with ambiguity, in a startup-like environment
- A genuine connection to running culture, athletic performance, or active lifestyle communities
- Self-directed with strong instincts for identifying the right questions to ask, not just answering questions given to you.
- Attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy
- Willingness to travel up to 40% of the time, domestically and internationally.
- Customer Focused
- Innovation, Creativity and Ressourcefulness
- Collaboration & Mutual Respect
- Self Starter
- Leadership
- Results Driven
- 3–5 years of experience in consumer insights, product testing, product management, design research, or human-centered design — ideally in running performance footwear.
- Non-traditional career paths are welcome — we value curiosity, adaptability, and a genuine connection to the consumer over a linear resume.
- Experience with consumer segmentation, persona development, and journey mapping.
- Experience working within and innovation environement is a plus
In general, the following physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to allow differently abled individuals to perform the essential functions of the job.
- Must be able to see, hear, speak, and write clearly to communicate with employees and/or other customers.
- Manual dexterity required.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
In general, the following conditions of the work environment are representative of those that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to allow differently abled individuals to perform the essential functions of the job within the environment.
SALARY RANGE: $90,000 - $115,000, Actual base pay will vary based on factors such as but not limited to relevent experience, equitable pay practices and time in position.
ASICS CCPA Pre-Collection Notice for Job Applications:
We collect personal information (PI) from you in connection with your application for employment with ASICS Creation Center LLC, including the following categories of PI: identifiers, personal records, professional or employment information, and inferences drawn from your PI. We collect your PI for our purposes, including performing services and operations related to your potential employment. For additional details or if you have questions, contact us at hrccpa@asics.com.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employee(s) assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employee(s) assigned to this job. ASICS Creation Center LLC reserves the right at any time, with or without notice, to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job position or assign additional job responsibilities within your general skill set or capabilities. ASICS Creation Center LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
ASICS
At ASICS, we believe in the positive benefits of movement for both mind and body. Driven by research and applying human-centric design, we make and sell footwear, apparel and equipment for the lifetime athlete in all of us.Our founder Kihachiro Onitsuka began making athletic shoes in 1949 with the goal of developing society through sports. He later named the company ASICS, which stands for Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, or A Sound Mind In A Sound Body. This speaks to our desire for people everywhere to live healthy lives both mentally and physically.Today, ASICS is a global company with a head office in Kobe, Japan and operations in more than 30 countries. As well as products for running, tennis and other core performance sports, we also offer the SportStyle range, the Onitsuka Tiger brand, fitness-tracking app Runkeeper, and our membership program OneASICS.Follow us on LinkedIn and together let’s celebrate the uplifting power of movement.
