Lead Designer, Basketball Graphic Design, Global Jordan

Nike • Beaverton, OR

1d

About The Position

The Lead Designer will set, lead, and deliver graphic design for Jordan Basketball, creating original concepts and scalable visual systems across footwear, apparel, and accessories. The role connects creative vision, cultural insight, and consumer relevance, guiding work from early concept through product-ready execution.

Working across the Basketball creative organization, the designer partners with footwear, apparel, and accessories product teams, design leaders, product partners, creative functions, and cross-functional teams to create cohesive graphic direction and connected consumer experiences. The role calls for strong graphic and product design expertise, illustration, typography, print and pattern, color theory, visual culture, and storytelling. The designer must navigate ambiguity and balance creative vision with consumer expectations, product requirements, and manufacturing considerations, while using independent judgment and leading others.

The role also requires thought leadership, research into consumer culture and external market activity, strong presentation and project-management skills, and the ability to organize complex work and meet multiple deadlines. A portfolio must be submitted to be considered.

Requirements

• Professional experience creating and leading graphic concepts for apparel, footwear, accessories, or related consumer products.
• At least 5 years working professionally, or a suitable combination of education, experience, and training.
• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Product Design, Visual Communication, or a related field, or a suitable combination of education, experience, and training.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe InDesign.
• Strong illustration, typography, and image-making capabilities.
• Fluency in color theory, visual culture, storytelling, and presentation development.
• Ability to organize complex work, manage competing priorities, and consistently meet project and meeting deadlines.
• Demonstrated thought leadership within the discipline and ability to lead younger designers.
• Ability to develop and implement initiatives aligned to organizational vision.
• Ability to use independent judgment and collaborate with teams to develop and apply new concepts and solutions.
• Strong presentation skills, disciplined project management, and ability to meet multiple deadlines.
• Portfolio submission is mandatory for consideration.

Responsibilities

• Create and drive original graphic concepts across footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Build visual systems using brand marks, typography, composition, illustration, print and pattern, color theory, and image-making.
• Translate creative direction and cultural insights into product, carrying ideas from concept through production.
• Lead graphic design for Basketball and cross-category initiatives across internal teams, shaping visual language across the product portfolio.
• Navigate ambiguity across creative vision, consumer expectations, and complex cross-functional teams, translating ideas into clear, executable product solutions.
• Develop and present concepts clearly to creative and cross-functional partners, incorporating feedback while protecting the strength of the idea.
• Partner with the Senior Manager to set and deliver graphic design for Jordan Basketball.
• Conduct role-specific research and observe trends and patterns across consumer culture, emerging subcultures, creative communities, and external markets.
• Lead and provide thought leadership to designers, including younger designers.

Benefits

• Interview-process accommodations are available, including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single-location in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior