Principal, College, League & Sport Communications

Nike•Beaverton, OR

About The Position

At Nike, the Communications team plays a vital role in shaping the company’s voice—building influence, managing reputation, and telling powerful stories that inspire and connect. We are looking for a Principal, College, League and Sport Communications to lead a proactive communications strategy for Nike’s most important sport partnerships across North America. This will include, American Football, Baseball, NIL ,colleges, and key moments in these areas. In this highly collaborative and externally facing role, you will serve as the primary point of contact between Nike’s North America Communications function and its top-tier team, league, and NIL partners—including some of the most influential organizations in sport. You’ll build and maintain strong relationships with partner communications teams, identify proactive storytelling opportunities that support Nike’s narrative, and work cross-functionally to manage reputational risk and ensure alignment across stakeholders. This position requiring deep experience in strategic communications, a sharp understanding of the global sports media and partnership landscape, and the ability to lead with trust, agility, and sound judgment. Nike’s partnerships with colleges and leagues are central to its identity and global influence in sport. In this role, you will be the voice behind those partnerships—helping to define, elevate, and protect the way the world understands Nike’s relationships with the organizations that shape the future of sport. You’ll operate at the highest levels of communications and sport, bringing strategy, insight, and narrative power to one of Nike’s most visible arenas.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training
Minimum of 10 years of experience in brand communications, sports PR, or corporate communications—preferably in a global or partnership-driven context is highly preferred
Proven ability to manage external relationships with high-profile partners in a collaborative and diplomatic way.
Deep knowledge of the global sport ecosystem—especially how leagues, teams, and federations operate and communicate.
Strong writing and storytelling skills, with experience crafting communications materials across a range of formats and audiences.
Expertise in risk and issues management; ability to respond to and lead through sensitive or high-stakes situations.
Highly collaborative, with the ability to align stakeholders and influence across functions.
Strategic thinker with a proactive mindset, able to identify and act on opportunities before they arise.
Experience working in a highly matrixed, fast-moving global organization.
Ability to travel as needed and represent Nike at high-level partner engagements.

Responsibilities

Serve as the lead communications liaison between Nike and its most critical North America NIL and league partnerships, while also supporting the Baseball and American Football businesses at times.
Build and maintain trusted relationships with communications counterparts across major sports organizations, leagues, and within our own North America and Global Communications function—ensuring close alignment on messaging, storytelling opportunities, key sport moments and business activity.
Develop and drive proactive storytelling strategies that highlight the value and impact of Nike’s team, league, and federation partnerships—both externally and internally.
Identify and assess risk—collaborating with Legal, Business Affairs, and partner teams to manage emerging issues and safeguard Nike’s reputation.
Navigate complex communications scenarios, including breaking news, sensitive topics, or geopolitical dynamics, with professionalism and precision.
Provide strategic counsel to internal teams—including Sports Marketing, Brand, and Global Communications—on partnership narratives and media engagement.
Create messaging frameworks, Q&As, press materials, and executive briefings that articulate Nike’s partnership value and long-term vision.
Collaborate on major sport moments where NIL partners or leagues play a leading role—ensuring communication strategies are integrated and aligned.
Represent Nike at key partner events and moments, working directly with partner comms teams, executives, and media when needed.
Mentor junior communications professionals and help scale best practices for partnership comms across the function.