Senior Manager, Core Product Design, Global Jordan

Nike • Beaverton, OR

1d

About The Position

You will report directly to the Sr. Creative Director, Kids & Core and collaborate with teams across Jordan Design and the broader organization. Key partners include: Sr. CD Kids & Core, Footwear Design Excellence, 3D Excellence, and Color/Material Excellence Product Merchandising and Product Development Consumer Insights and Innovation partners Brand Design, Narrative, and downstream marketing teams Materials, Manufacturing, and external creative/vendor partners Although this role is Footwear focused, the direct report will be an Apparel Designer You will serve as a connector across these groups — ensuring product direction, storytelling, and execution are unified and aligned to the Creative Direction for Core. We’re seeking a Sr. Manager, Core Footwear to help shape the creative direction and execution of Jordan Core product. This leader will focus on delivering high-value, accessible footwear that maintains Jordan’s signature craft, cultural resonance, and emotional impact. You will guide designers through the development of seasonal and long-term Core Footwear concepts, ensuring the work remains aligned with Jordan’s creative strategy while advancing the brand’s reach. This role demands both creative sensitivity and operational precision — someone who can translate insight into product, create clarity through ambiguity, and support the growth of a multidisciplinary team. You report to the Sr. Creative Director, Kids & Core, operating as a key creative leader within the Core offense. You understand how to build products that resonate widely without compromising authenticity, and you bring an entrepreneurial drive that pushes the work into new territories.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Product Design or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training
• A well-curated portfolio demonstrating research depth, conceptual development, design rigor, problem solving, and high-quality final execution.
• Experience working directly with a broad range of consumers and athletes, and the ability to translate insight into meaningful product direction.
• Proven contribution to initiating, developing, and implementing research that uncovers new opportunities for product and process.
• A self-initiated, entrepreneurial approach to innovation and creative solution-building.
• Understanding of innovative methods of make and sustainability-focused design.
• A track record of commercialized footwear products or innovations delivered to market.
• Experience leading teams through ambiguity, clarifying direction, and driving concept work toward successful outcomes.
• Ability to prioritize across seasonal work and long-term initiatives with differing levels of complexity.
• Skill in building and maintaining design vision end-to-end, ensuring product stays aligned to strategy.
• Advanced project management skills and the ability to organize meetings, timelines, and deliverables across partners.
• A self-starter mentality, driven by curiosity, initiative, and action.
• Ability to articulate creative direction in a way that inspires and mobilizes others.
• Experience mentoring designers and guiding team dynamics.
• Strong collaboration instincts and the ability to influence across a matrixed organization.
• A team-oriented mindset that values diverse perspectives and fosters an open, inclusive creative environment.
• Resilience and agility — able to navigate ambiguity and keep teams moving forward with optimism and clarity.
• Strong self-awareness and the ability to articulate strengths, opportunities, and learnings.
• A growth mindset that embraces experimentation and constructive reflection as integral to the creative process.
• Deep curiosity and cultural fluency, with an understanding of design culture and the community influences shaping the future of footwear.

Responsibilities

• Leading the design and development of Core Footwear concepts and seasonal assortments.
• Translating insights, cultural cues, and consumer behavior into product that is both accessible and inspiring.
• Partnering closely with the Sr. Creative Director, Kids & Core, to define and maintain Creative Direction for Core Footwear.
• Guiding designers through world-building work — visual frameworks, narrative tools, and design systems that clarify the role of Core within the brand.
• Collaborating with merchandising, product development, materials, color, and brand partners to ensure alignment and consistency across product creation.
• Driving seasonal process through briefs, reviews, prototyping, refinement, and cross-functional alignment.
• Maintaining clarity and quality across multiple projects, ensuring product meets both design and business expectations.
• Supporting the exploration of new business opportunities within the Core offense as the category grows.
• You will help ensure that Core Footwear reflects the essence of Jordan — authentic, culturally connected, emotionally resonant, and crafted with intention.

What This Job Offers

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