Senior Expert Designer, Nike Basketball Signature Apparel

Nike • Beaverton, OR

3d

About The Position

As the Senior Expert Designer, Nike Basketball Signature Apparel, you will lead the creation of industry-leading apparel bringing bold concepts to life. You will solve complex design challenges and create iconic products that inspire through both function and form. Inspired by the signature athlete, you will help define a new visual language for Nike Basketball—one that expresses sport through style, performance, and modern design. This role requires both creative ambition and strategic focus, partnering across a global brand to build scalable design systems and advance creative innovation. The ideal candidate is a visionary designer with exceptional taste, a refined aesthetic point of view, and an unwavering commitment to craft. They bring a sharp eye for detail, proportion, materiality, and execution, consistently delivering elevated design solutions. Through strong creative leadership, they will develop compelling products that resonate emotionally with consumers both on and off the court. With a deep understanding of cultural relevance, consumer insights, and emerging trends, this individual will continually challenge industry conventions and set a high standard for creativity, desirability, and aesthetic excellence.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Apparel Fashion Design or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience, and training.
• 8+ years of relevant work experience in a design environment working with materials, trims, design and fit.
• Exceptional knowledge of design, art, and fashion, as well as passion for sport and youth culture.
• Exceptional ability to apply and perform design skills, including hand drawing/sketching, hand illustrations.
• Well versed in Adobe Illustrator.
• Proficiency in concept ideation, color theory, use of texture, spacing and scale, visual presentation development and layout.
• High proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Comprehensive understanding of garment construction and fit.
• Comprehensive understanding of textile sciences.
• Comprehensive understanding of apparel trims.
• Expert ability to build design worlds, mood boards and presentations of creative vision.
• Expert ability to translate consumer and athlete insights into product solutions and narratives.
• Demonstrated leadership capability, including ability to inspire, involve and mentor others within work group.
• Accustomed to working in a rapidly changing, high growth environment and to manage multiple and competing work priorities, demands and changes.
• Embody the passion to work on innovation and style.
• An enthusiastic and positive attitude and the ability to work efficiently in a quick paced environment.

Nice To Haves

• 3D design program experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creation of industry-leading apparel bringing bold concepts to life.
• Solve complex design challenges and create iconic products that inspire through both function and form.
• Define a new visual language for Nike Basketball that expresses sport through style, performance, and modern design.
• Build scalable design systems and advance creative innovation.
• Develop compelling products that resonate emotionally with consumers both on and off the court.
• Challenge industry conventions and set a high standard for creativity, desirability, and aesthetic excellence.
• Lead the creation of culturally relevant, style-driven apparel, turning global trends and athlete insights into compelling collections.
• Drive the design process from concept ideation to final execution, including researching, sketching, creating mood boards, defining materials and trims, and guiding prototypes through development.
• Collaborate with partners across design, product, and development to ensure creative excellence, innovation, and consistency.
• Participate and present work in informal and formal reviews.
• Collaborate and help build the design direction with the Senior Creative Director.
• Act as a team leader and mentor for other designers.

Benefits

• Accommodations for interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed.

What This Job Offers

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