WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
We are looking for a Principal Footwear Developer who will work collaboratively with key functional partners throughout the Product Development process. This includes Footwear Innovation, Footwear Engineering, Footwear Product Testing, Footwear Material Design and Material Development, Product Design, Product Management, Product Merchandising, Sourcing and Operations, Manufacturing and our overseas partners – both within Nike and external to Nike.
You will need to navigate the Nike matrix to ensure that our processes model and match Nike’s Footwear Development standard methodologies for product excellence. You are the key point of contact for our overseas partners and ensure that communication during the product development process is clear and accurate.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The Product Brief is the first spark of a product idea sets the Footwear Product Creation team into motion. The team of Footwear Developers, Testers, Engineers and Designers collectively strive for product excellence in every way. They obsess over smallest of details, while collaborating, ideating and refining product construction, performance, fit and style. They use groundbreaking advancements in technology, sustainable design and materials to accelerate innovation. And they work lockstep with Marketing, Design, Materials, Testing, and Manufacturing to produce products that reflect the soul of Nike Footwear, that inspire and ultimately enable our athletes to reach all new levels of performance.
As a member of the Nike Footwear Development team, you will inform, drive and facilitate decisions throughout the product creation process to meet or exceed the design vision, athlete performance and product excellence. You will be an active thought partner with Design, Product Management, Engineering, Materials, and Factory Product Creation Teams to develop processes and tools that push boundaries and create solutions that support the creation of Nike’s game changing footwear products.
Bachelor’s Degree in Product Development or Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Marketing, Industrial Design or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience, and training.
Minimum of 8+ years directly applicable work experience
High profile communication and influencing skills, including the ability to interact and update leaders on status to ensure alignment.
Consistent track record of pulling together diverse individuals with conflicting priorities, while identifying a path forward, and championing alignment.
Prior experience in delivering footwear innovation projects through transition, commercialization and to retail
Expert knowledge of footwear manufacturing technologies and equipment, tooling, and materials is highly preferred. Including Nike product creation software and tools.
The ability to anticipate and solve complex footwear manufacturing issues with Asia teammates to ensure mass production can achieve quality and craftsmanship standards.
Proficient understanding of product planning, forecasting, logistics, process planning, and expertise in project management with strong communication skills
Instills confidence and empowers a project team in delivering product excellence through collaboration
Entrepreneurial mindset and spirit to proactive address critical deliverables while identify novel solutions that address technical and business challenges.
Bias towards action and comfortable working in ambiguous environments
Adjust to changing circumstances and adapt to ensure product excellence
In-depth understanding of Nike date and gates, with the ability to adjust project plans based on compressed timelines
An understanding of consumer electronics product development, preferred
The ability to travel 20% of the time domestic and international
WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON
We are seeking a Principal Footwear Developer who will work in Product Creation to transition Footwear innovation projects from Nike’s innovation team through development to retail. You drive the development through commercialization and ensure successful launch to market. As a problem solver, your ability to identify novel solutions while creating innovative product and bringing it to market will be fuel by your love of product. You will have the opportunity to deliver transformative product that will excite and delight Nike athletes* and consumer. You will be passionate about achieving the ultimate goal of timely manufacturability of quality and crafted, tested and validated, sustainable and efficient products, that meet or exceed our performance criteria and design intent.
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 Product Development, Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Marketing, Industrial Design, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education, experience, and training
- Minimum 8 years of directly applicable work experience
- Strong communication and influencing skills, including communicating status to leaders
- Experience aligning diverse individuals with conflicting priorities
- Experience delivering footwear innovation projects through transition, commercialization, and retail
- Expert knowledge of footwear manufacturing technologies, equipment, tooling, and materials
- Experience using Nike product creation software and tools
- Ability to solve complex footwear manufacturing issues with Asia-based teammates
- Understanding of product planning, forecasting, logistics, and process planning
- Project management expertise and strong communication skills
- Ability to empower project teams and deliver product excellence collaboratively
- Entrepreneurial mindset and ability to address technical and business challenges
- Comfort working in ambiguous environments and adapting to changing circumstances
- In-depth understanding of Nike dates and gates and ability to adjust plans for compressed timelines
- Understanding of consumer electronics product development
- Ability to travel 20% domestically and internationally
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Gallery
