Expert Designer, Tennis Apparel Product Design

Nike•Beaverton, OR

About The Position

The Expert Designer, Nike Men's Tennis Apparel Design leads the creation of Tennis Apparel platforms and seasonal innovation. This creative expert role focuses on craft, problem solving, and design execution, bringing Nike Tennis’s creative vision to life through athlete-right, industry-leading product for Nike Team and top-tier athlete collections. The designer translates creative concepts into silhouettes, construction, material systems, and product identities that elevate performance, craftsmanship, and athlete expression. The role creates premium product systems across elite athlete collections, performance innovation platforms, and seasonal narratives and material innovation. It calls for hands-on expertise in apparel design, prototyping, and technical product creation, along with the ability to move between conceptual thinking, athlete insights, and technical execution. The position works across the product creation process to establish new standards of fit, silhouette, construction, and performance for premier tennis athletes and tournaments. It contributes to Tennis design standards, construction principles, fit strategy, and product innovation frameworks, while mentoring designers and partnering with Design Leadership and cross-functional teams to advance Nike Tennis’s creative vision. The central objective is product excellence through innovative, athlete-right design.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in performance apparel design and prototyping across sport and lifestyle.
Bachelor's degree in Apparel/Fashion Design or a related field; a suitable combination of education, experience, and training will also be accepted.
Advanced expertise in silhouette development, fit strategy, garment construction, and material integration.
Strong understanding of performance apparel systems, athlete-informed design, and premium craftsmanship.
Experience working within cross-functional product creation teams, including Design, Development, Innovation, Materials, Color, Graphics, Product Management, and Engineering.
Hands-on experience with digital and physical prototyping tools.
Proven ability to lead complex design projects from concept through commercialization.
Strong presentation, storytelling, and communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to mentor teammates and influence creative direction across a design organization.

Nice To Haves

Deep knowledge of global tennis culture, athlete performance needs, and premium performance apparel.

Responsibilities

Lead Men's Tennis Apparel product creation and contribute to seasonal creative direction and design strategy.
Design and prototype apparel across the Men's Tennis ecosystem, including Nike Team, Nike Lab, and elite athlete collections.
Translate early design concepts into buildable silhouettes, construction methods, material systems, and premium finishes.
Drive innovation in fit, performance, craftsmanship, and athlete-specific solutions.
Collaborate with cross-functional partners to align athlete insights, performance requirements, manufacturing capabilities, and commercial objectives.
Partner with Material Design, Color Design, Graphics, Innovation, Development, Product Management, and Engineering to create elevated product experiences.
Support seasonal product creation by delivering athlete-tested, consumer-ready collections that balance innovation, premium execution, and scalability.
Contribute to Tennis design standards, construction principles, fit strategy, and product innovation frameworks.
Mentor designers and provide creative leadership across projects and product initiatives.
Partner with Design Leadership and cross-functional teams to execute strategic priorities and elevate the overall creative vision for Nike Tennis.