The first point of contact that you will collaborate with is the Design team, consisting of Footwear Product Design, Color, Materials, and Graphics. Layering in Design leadership, Product Marketing, Merchandising, Color/Material/Trim Development, as well as Tech Development.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FORWe are looking for an exceptional Lead Color Designer to help shape the future of Nike Performance Footwear through powerful, consumer-driven color strategy, storytelling, and innovative color execution. This role is an opportunity to lead color direction across multiple key performance franchises, influencing how athletes connect with product and how the brand comes to life on a global stage.
The ideal candidate brings a deep passion for sport, culture, and innovation, with the ability to translate insights into compelling color narratives that elevate product and build brand distinction. They are a strategic thinker, collaborator, aspiring leader who can identify opportunities, assess and initiate priorities and new avenues for consumer impact. You are flexible, adaptable to changing priorities, drive alignment across a diverse set of cross-functional partners. You will bring strong color and apparel industry insights and have experience building stories that connect with the consumer and culture.
Here, you will strategize around product positioning and strive to create meaningful product. A broad understanding of consumer needs, competitor products, consumer retail habits, color, and market trends is important, as you apply these insights into color solutions.
- Bachelor's degree in Design, or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training.
- Minimum 4-6 years of technically challenging color design experience
- Understanding of color trends, technical color knowledge as related to product creation, color compatibility, and color application
- Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to manage complexity across multiple product lines, ensuring color execution is intentional, accurate, and consistent from concept through commercialization.
- Demonstrates rigor in color application, storytelling, and product review processes while maintaining a high standard of design excellence.
- Familiarity with product manufacturing processes including materials/fabrics; trims; dye techniques
- Strong verbal, written, visual, and high-profile communication skills in local market language, including meeting facilitation and presentations
- Ability to understand challenges or underlying concerns, share ideas and develop effective responses or elevate to higher management; work independently, collaboratively. and harmoniously in a diverse group
- Ability to network, influence, and utilize internal and external resources as well as to articulate how color can affect product and sales
As our Lead Designer, you will define and drive color strategy across some of Nike’s most important performance footwear franchises. You will create impactful seasonal color stories, build cohesive product journeys, and develop color solutions that strengthen consumer connection and fuel business growth.
You will work with the Senior Manager and Core Studio Footwear Color Design team to plan and execute designs, strategize use of palettes across a range of product, and get the opportunity to own work at the franchise level for one of the most exciting and impactful categories at the Nike. Working collaboratively with Design, Product Marketing, Merchandising, and Development, you will create focused solutions for success.
You will:
- Work with Design leadership to lead and execute franchise-level color vision across the Core Performance Footwear portfolio, one of the most exciting and impactful portfolios at the brand.
- Identify new opportunities to build color narratives that amplify product innovation and strengthen brand expression.
- Partner closely with Design, Product Management, Merchandising, Development, Graphics, partners to create seamless and compelling product and stories.
- Identify emerging cultural, consumer, and marketplace opportunities and trends to influence future color direction.
- Mentor, inspire, and model excellence for a team of color designers, fostering creativity, excellence, and growth.
- Drive strategic thinking around color application, palette architecture, and storytelling to create meaningful consumer impact and influence brand direction.
This is a unique opportunity to influence how Nike Performance Footwear shows up in the marketplace—creating color strategies that not only energize iconic franchises but also help define the future of the brand and make an impact across the business.
**TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS ROLE PLEASE SUBMIT A COLOR FOCUSED PORTFOLIO. (PDF OR URL WITH PASSWORD ACCESSIBLE IF APPLICABLE)
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.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Design or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and training
- 4-6 years of technically challenging color design experience
- Understanding of color trends, technical color knowledge, color compatibility, and color application
- Exceptional attention to detail and ability to manage complexity across multiple product lines
- Experience with color application, storytelling, and product review processes
- Familiarity with product manufacturing processes, including materials, fabrics, trims, and dye techniques
- Strong verbal, written, visual, presentation, and meeting facilitation skills
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively with diverse cross-functional teams
- Ability to network, influence, use internal and external resources, and explain color's impact on product and sales
- Color-focused portfolio submitted as a PDF or accessible URL
Nike Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Nike and has not been reviewed or approved by Nike.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with a company match is complemented by options such as a Mega Backdoor Roth and deferred compensation for eligible earners. Financial coaching and structured savings programs support long-term financial security.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — An Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a stock discount sits alongside broad-based equity vehicles like RSUs and non-qualified stock options. These avenues expand wealth-building opportunities beyond base pay.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave includes maternity and paternity time, recently expanded in the U.S. to 16 weeks and extended to part-time retail teammates. Additional supports include childcare assistance at select locations and family-building benefits such as fertility, surrogacy, and adoption.
Nike Insights
What We Do
At NIKE, Inc., we innovate to serve athletes*. Every teammate - from coder to creator - plays a role in making these athletes’ dreams real. Our tech, data, and digital teams push limits every day, building the future of sport and the tools that drive it. Here, curiosity is fuel. Innovation is the game plan. Different perspectives keep us on the offense. You’ll solve challenges worth tackling, grow fast and belong to a team that backs you to do the right thing. Bring your drive. Bring your bold. Let’s move the world, together. Take your first step at nike.com/careers * If you have a body, you’re an athlete.
Why Work With Us
At NIKE, Inc., your dedication fuels the future of sport. There is a sense of pride that comes from representing an iconic brand and shaping its future. Here, we treat every day as a new opportunity to push boundaries, ask tough questions and share whole-hearted convictions. We are a team – united by the belief that anything is possible.
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