WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
As part of the North America, Local Creation team, this role partners closely with key footwear functions including Color and Material Design, Material Development, Product Management, PCC/PMO, Global Product Teams, Sourcing, Planning, and Operations. You will navigate Nike’s matrixed environment to ensure alignment with Global Footwear Development standards and product excellence. Serving as the primary liaison between PCC/PMO partners and the WHQ product team, you will drive clear, accurate communication throughout the product development process and report to the Footwear Development Director for North America, Local Creation.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We are seeking a Lead Footwear Product Developer to play a critical role on the North America, Local Creation Footwear Product Creation Team, driving product excellence for the North America consumer in a fast-paced, close-to-market environment. This role requires a seasoned footwear development leader with 6+ years of experience, a strong technical foundation across the footwear creation process, and the ability to lead complex initiatives, influence senior stakeholders, and drive innovation through Nike’s INLINE product creation model.
Key Responsibilities & Attributes
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Industrial Design, Engineering, Physical Sciences or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training
- Lead footwear product development projects at an accelerated pace, close to market
- Provide project and process direction within cross-functional product creation teams
- Drive innovation and product initiatives across footwear dimensions and divisions
- Leverage deep technical knowledge across lasts, uppers, materials, tooling, costing, testing, and manufacturing
- Exhibit strong project management, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Communicate effectively across functions, geographies, and leadership levels
- Demonstrate resilient leadership with high tolerance for ambiguity and changing priorities
- Build strong partnerships across global, culturally diverse teams
- Balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution to deliver product excellence
- Travel up to 15% as needed
WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON
As a Lead Footwear Product Developer for North America, Local Creation, you will lead footwear projects across Men’s, Women’s, and Kids, bringing ideas from 2D design and tech packs into 3D, market-ready samples. This role drives product and process excellence in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, ensuring projects deliver against design intent, performance, cost, sustainability, and timing expectations while meeting the needs of the North America consumer and Local Creation business.
Key Responsibilities
- Drive product and process excellence across assigned projects
- Develop footwear through color, material, and graphic execution
- Solve construction and manufacturing challenges proactively
- Manage projects through all phases to meet critical dates
- Balance design, performance, cost, sustainability, and product integrity
- Partner cross-functionally to deliver consumer-relevant product
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 Marketing, Business, Industrial Design, Engineering, Physical Sciences or related field or equivalent experience
- 6+ years of footwear product development experience
- Deep technical knowledge across lasts, uppers, materials, tooling, costing, testing, and manufacturing
- Proven ability to lead footwear product development projects end-to-end in a fast-paced, close-to-market environment
- Strong project management, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management across functions, geographies, and leadership levels
- Demonstrated leadership and ability to work with global, culturally diverse teams and adapt to changing priorities
- Willingness to travel up to 15% as needed
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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