NXT Advanced Athlete Concepts explores the future edges of sport through radical imagination and barrier breaking innovation. This team exists to cultivate extraordinary concepts that serve athletes by unlocking human potential for all athletes*.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a seasoned concept creation expert at the Senior Principal Level to join the Advanced Athlete Concept team focused on running footwear. They must be collaborative, comfortable to implement and lead in an ambiguous environment, and must always be looking for opportunities that define what could be versus what is. This role requires a passion for storytelling with a need to be able to speak to a variety of audiences. They must have an interest in mentorship and team collaboration!

What you will work on

In this role, you will lead the investigation, creation, execution, and storytelling for industry-defining concepts focused on Running footwear. You will work collaboratively with a team of creative problem solvers to evolve a vision + landscape for running concepts. You will build strategy for the future of running that must ladder up to the greater Advanced Athlete Concepts mission and vision.

You will deliver concept pitches, world class briefs, and inspiring presentations that peak interest and excitement from the brand and inline business partners. You’ll integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into your areas of investigation. You’ll contribute to strategically placing programs on a future focused footwear You’ll be the knowledgeable expert in the running industry, and footwear marketplace as a whole.

Who you will work with

You will work closely with the Advanced Athlete Concepts team that spans footwear across various Fields of Play, Apparel, and the Kitchen/Explore team. You will work cross-functionally with design, development, testing, Nike Sports Research Lab, engineering, and capabilities teams. You will need to be knowledgeable and influential across other groups/teams within Nike including but not limited to Cultural & Societal Insights, Brand Concepts, inline business partners in the Running category, as well as other downstream functions when appropriate.

What you bring

Proven Experience

• 6+ years of experience in in footwear product creation, human-centered research, innovation or a design-related field
• Excellent portfolio of accomplishments for creating and delivering early-stage briefs or concepts
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills with the ability to present and communicate to senior, high-profile leaders
• History of project line management expertise preferred
• Management experience preferred

Approach & Behaviors

• A global innovative approach, entrepreneurial spirit, inspires others to action through a passion for creation without a roadmap
• Energy giver and great teammate with a desire to make a difference
• Deep passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion with a proactive attitude
• Influential and able to collaborate across a matrix organization
• Strong teammate and successful collaborator, who embraces differences, values perspectives, and acts with courage
• Resilient, agile, and optimistic; embraces ambiguity and the fluid nature of early innovation and keep teammates and projects moving
• Understands that failure is part of the creative innovation process and as much will lead self and team reflection to capture and apply findings
• Well informed and stays connected to sport & culture on the international stage

Skills

• Ability to lead teammates by example, setting the standard for the collective team
• Creatively agile and adept in innovative thinking, vision and problem solving
• Ability to build a vision, and uphold creative and strategic direction end-to-end to ensure that vision carries through project transitions
• A networker who is adept at building passionate teams, attracting and seeking talent to get after the work
• A listener and synthesizer who can make the complex simple and find clarity in ambiguity
• Thinks holistically, finding opportunities for radical enterprise solutions
• Ability to build a portfolio of focused, future opportunity whilst driving existing projects and programs
• A seasoned leader, ability to self-manage, can work
• Can partner with internal and external parties (consumer insights, agencies, athlete science/sports research, design, testing, development, engineering, manufacturing)
• Advanced project management skills, proactively partnering to facilitate effective meetings and manage key dates and deliverables with project partners
• Expert-level narrative development and communication skills, including the ability to prepare and deliver project presentations to senior leadership

Other

• 20% travel