Role overview

Etihad Airways is seeking a Colour Material Finish Design Manager to shape the visual and tactile experience of guests across all touchpoints, from ground facilities to aircraft cabins. This role sits at the intersection of brand strategy and material reality, translating Etihad’s design vision into cohesive colour, material, and finish solutions that define the airline’s aesthetic identity.

Key responsibilities

Establish and lead the material aesthetic and tactile direction for the complete Etihad guest journey, developing a holistic design approach that spans multiple environments and touchpoints.
Lead material innovation initiatives by identifying strategic opportunities and developing conceptual direction for both soft products and hard products, including onboard amenities and new aircraft seat and cabin projects.
Manage material and product development cycles in partnership with internal teams and external suppliers, overseeing production of new soft products and upgrades to existing cabin and ground materials.
Create and maintain comprehensive colour, material, and finish guidelines applicable across ground spaces, aircraft, products, and service elements.
Build and curate both physical and digital material libraries containing in-production samples, specifications, and industry-relevant materials aligned with Etihad standards.
Develop and maintain relationships with suppliers, coordinate new product demonstrations, and manage their representation in the material library.
Collaborate with stakeholders across Brand, Cabin Interiors, Product, Hospitality, and Cabin Crew teams to translate brand strategy into tangible design opportunities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Design (Industrial, Interior, Transportation, Textile, or Graphic) with specialized expertise in colour, material, and finish design.
Seven years of professional CMF design experience in either a consultancy or in-house environment, ideally within aviation, automotive, hospitality, or guest-experience-driven sectors.
Demonstrated knowledge of aviation material development and understanding of material properties relevant to soft goods, seats, aircraft cabins, and architectural environments.
Advanced visual design skills, including ability to create quick 2D sketches and fully developed 3D renderings to communicate CMF concepts effectively.
Expert-level storytelling and concept articulation skills, with strong visual, written, and verbal presentation abilities.
Keen awareness of design and cultural trends in product and hospitality sectors, with proven ability to command respect as a subject matter expert.
Highly collaborative and solution-oriented mindset with capacity to align multiple stakeholders and translate brand strategy into implementable, manufacturing-grounded solutions.

What makes this role worth considering

This position offers the opportunity to shape the guest experience for a major global airline at a strategic level, working across diverse environments from airport terminals to aircraft interiors. You’ll lead a specialized function that directly influences how Etihad’s brand is perceived and experienced, partnering with cross-functional teams and external experts to bring your vision to life at scale.

How to apply

Use the Apply button to view the official job posting and submit your application on Etihad Airways Careers: Latest Jobs and How to Apply's careers site.

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