Lead Merchant, Skate Global - Converse

Nike • Boston, MA

3d

About The Position

Are you interested in working for the most iconic and well-loved sneaker brand in the world? Born in sports and made for the street, Converse is a place to explore your potential, obliterate boundaries and push out the edges of what can be. We seek people who can lead, grow, think, dream, and create. Our culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. Converse seeks achievers, leaders, and visionaries. At Converse, it’s about each person bringing their authentic self, skills, and passion to serve the daring spirit of youth.

Become part of the Converse Team Converse is a place where you can be at work AND be yourself. It’s a place to be creative, to come up with cool new ideas and to work with a friendly and welcoming team. At Converse, it’s about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving world to make things better as a team.

We are seeking a Lead Merch, Skate Global who brings deep cultural and product knowledge of skate, a strong understanding of the skate consumer, and the ability to translate insights into compelling product direction. You are passionate about skateboarding—its style, communities, trends, and functional needs. You excel at building strategy, storytelling, consumer‑right assortments, and fostering alignment across global and regional partners. You bring a balance of art and science, strategic thinking and detail execution, and the ability to inspire cross‑functional teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Marketing, or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience, and training.
• 6+ years of relevant experience in Merchandising, Product, Buying, or Marketplace or related field.
• Deep understanding of skate culture, performance needs, fashion aesthetic, and community‑driven product trends.
• Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to shape the future direction of the category.
• Ability to interpret consumer insights, marketplace data, and competitive trends into actionable product strategies.
• Effective communicator who can influence across functions and present with clarity and confidence.
• Collaborative, team‑oriented mindset with the ability to build trust across diverse groups.
• High cultural awareness and sensitivity to the global diversity of skate communities.
• Balances art and science in decision‑making — both analytical and intuitive.
• Self‑directed, curious, innovative, and dedicated to excellence.
• Ability to solve complex problems using limited information while anticipating long‑term implications.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to lead multiple seasonal timelines simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Lead the global seasonal merchandising strategy for the Skate category, providing clear product line direction grounded in deep understanding of skate culture, performance needs, and marketplace dynamics.
• Own global line architecture, pricing strategy, franchise plans, and long‑term roadmap for Converse Skate.
• Partner closely with Footwear and Apparel Product Management, Development, Planning, and Brand to build trend‑relevant, culturally aligned, and performance‑driven assortments.
• In partnership with Product Management teams, identify cultural insights, athlete and community signals, consumer behaviors, and emerging style directions that inform seasonal briefs.
• Drive SKU efficiency, margin targets, and business health through data‑driven analysis and proactive decision-making.
• Present seasonal lineplan, category strategies, key insights, and franchise direction to Executive and Global leadership teams.
• Collaborate with Geo Merch teams across North America, EMEA, APLA, and Greater China to ensure global alignment while allowing for marketplace nuance.
• Build partnerships with athletes, communities, and cultural voices to ensure Skate remains authentic, credible, and influential.
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and strategic clarity across the product creation process.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees