Design Director, Footwear Upper Innovation

Nike•Beaverton, OR

5d•Onsite

About The Position

As the Design Director of Footwear Upper Innovation, within the Nike Upper Systems team, you will ignite, explore and develop big ideas to create significant impact for Athletes and Nike. Our Upper Systems team is a collective of scientists, innovators, designers, and developers all drafting the next generation of benefit driven, state-of-the-art upper solutions. Focused on performance footwear, across sports. You will lead a small but highly talented team of designers who innovate at the intersection of materials and method of make. Collaborating across innovation teams and with strategic partners to fuel our design and materials teams with the next generation of upper footwear capabilities. This role reports to the Senior Director of Upper Systems. We are looking for an exceptional Design Director to push the boundaries of Nike's upper design and materials philosophy and standards. An agile strategic, visionary and entrepreneurial thinker to create original and innovative directions shaped to Athlete needs. You lead by example and sketch, cobble and create with your team to make vision reality. You have a track record of driving for big ideas, unlocking new technology whilst centering sustainability. You are driven by curiosity and thrive in an ambiguous, highly creative, technical and dynamic environment. You have experience balancing a varied portfolio, multiple projects and are comfortable playing at both edges of creating the future whilst fuelling the business. You are an influential communicator and collaborator, and able to drive intent, influence and impact with internal and external partners. From Senior leaders to individual contributors. What you bring: Open to work at PHK, Nike World Headquarters

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Fashion Design, Textile Design, or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience, and training
10+ years of design experience
Experience inclusive of leading designers and motivating a high level of creativity and execution
A well-curated portfolio, showing a variety of examples demonstrating creative direction, strategic direction, design development and leading through others
Proven examples of working and designing for a diverse range of athletes and consumers
Proven examples of leading teams, projects, concepts, or challenging briefs to completion
Proven track record and multiple varied examples of product commercialization or converting innovation projects or platforms to downstream partners and marketplace feasibility
Proven ability and examples of prioritizing workload and managing short term and long-range projects with varying levels of complexity
Advanced project leadership skills, proactively and creatively facilitating effective meetings and managing key dates and deliverables with project stakeholders
High level skills in Illustrator, Photoshop, Miro, and Keynote

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of / expertise in AI visualization and 3d design tools are ideal but desire to learn and apply is a must
Your high taste level and presentation skills is an advantage in exciting and inviting people to embrace future solutions

Responsibilities

Drive a multiyear innovation strategy focussed on key sports, athletes and sporting moments.
Be integral part of the Nike innovation cohort, shaping the future of performance footwear, a “Gap finder” elevating the possibilities of upper design and creation to revolutionize the footwear product.
Sit on the Upper systems leadership team and be a key stakeholder in group priorities, budget, direction and culture building
Partner closely with business teams to understand the evolving needs of their athletes
Work with experts in athlete research, development, engineering, and testing
Lead your team against innovation prompts and drive self-initiated work
Create clear and compelling strategies, samples, prototypes and presentations
Create the upper design ethos and be adept in fit, feel, form, function and footprint
Work on technical design and prototypes with our future capabilities and Asia teams, ensuring testing, early costing and manufacturing feasibility
Be part of a matrix organisation and be a keen networker across the organisation
Work on projects anywhere from 5+ years to market