Lead Designer, Core Studio Footwear Product Design

As a Lead Designer in Core Footwear, you will be working together with a large project team of different professionals (engineering, product management, marketing, merchandising, testing, product development, costing, etc.), collaborating within the design community (industrial designers, materials, color, graphics, 3D, etc.), and mentoring other designers.

You'll partner with your category team members in design, development and merchandising to ensure feasibility of designs, meeting price point, merchandising needs and product creation timelines. You will work under the direction of our Core Snr Design Director and will present your design concepts to various audiences.

We are looking for a Lead Footwear Designer to help lead and develop seasonal design concepts for footwear. Product Design at Nike is a diverse culture of creativity, collaboration and innovative thinking on all levels. This role requires strong passion and knowledge of footwear product creation and the ability to problem solve every step of the way, from concept to final design.

The ideal designer is a curious observer, eager participant and a cultural sponge – seeking insights to solve problems. You leverage your design skills along with highly creative problem solving to create innovative product solutions that elevate the experience and key benefits relevant to the athletes and communities we serve.

You will use your design versatility to create visually stunning and industry-leading product through deeply resonating stories – across the wide range of product in the sport performance and sport lifestyle footwear landscape.

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial design or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training

• 5-7 years of relevant work experience in designing and developing innovative footwear and other products

• Previous footwear design experience required

• Must be able to build accurate 2D technical drawings (tech packs)

• Ability to translate consumer knowledge and insights into product solutions and narratives

• Experience in technical footwear design – Performance footwear experience design is a plus

• Proficient in Adobe CC and comfortable working within new digital spaces

• 3D design skillset: Gravity Sketch, Rhino, Blender or any 3D software is a plus

• Cobbling and prototyping skills are a plus

• Strong sketching, illustration, and rendering skills

• Solid knowledge of manufacturing processes and materials

• Must be able to generate a broad range of concepts and solutions for each project

• Experienced with presentation programs: Keynote, Powerpoint, Acrobat, etc.

• Positive personality and energy

• Interest in mentoring fellow designers

• Catalyst to make connections with other Design groups

• Motivated and hardworking about bringing others along

• Extraordinary teammate, and humble leader

• Collaborator with a skill in connecting the dots

• Contribute and align to shared team culture and behaviors

• Speaks up with courage for self and the team

• Open minded, good listener, receptive to candid feedback and diverse points of view

Core Footwear is responsible for design and creation of price point product across 6 category “Fields of Play”, including running, basketball, training, classics, modern lifestyle and sandals.

As part of the Nike Core Footwear design team, you will work with your Snr. Design Director and category Product Manager partners to create groundbreaking footwear across the various categories of Nike design – from lifestyle to performance. You'll lead or participate in Key Brand and Footwear Initiatives from design through execution.

You'll champion a culturally connected vision with emphasis on product design integrity, forward thinking innovation, industry leading quality & product performance. You will bring to life the seasonal creative direction through footwear product design, future forward trends, and innovations.

We expect you to explore new opportunities, take risks, and change the game! In your day to day, you will collaborate with project teammates on researching, gaining insights, problem solving around style, performance and manufacturing, working with athletes, and crafting a vast range of creative solutions that are considerate of cost.

With each project, you will also participate and present the work in informal and formal reviews.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form .