WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We are seeking a highly creative and strategic Lead Brand Designer to join our multidisciplinary team. This role requires a dynamic designer who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, working closely with Art Directors, Designers, Studio Managers, Producers, and Narrative teams. The ideal candidate will have a deep passion for sport—particularly global football —and a strong connection to the creative industry. They will be responsible for driving design excellence across multiple projects, ensuring all creative work remains authentic to athlete stories, product innovation, and key sport moments.
WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON
As a Lead Brand Designer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the visual direction of Nike Football brand campaigns. Your work will involve:
- Collaborating with the Creative team to evolve and elevate Nike Football’s visual identity.
- Leading the design execution for brand campaigns tied to athlete storytelling and product innovation.
- Developing and maintaining strong relationships with photographers, filmmakers, illustrators, designers, and writers.
- Staying ahead of emerging trends in global football, fashion, design, film, art, media, and technology, ensuring relevance to Nike’s creative vision.
- Overseeing the planning, execution, and timely delivery of high-quality creative projects.
- Maintaining the highest standards of quality, consistency, and innovation across all design work.
- Presenting creative concepts with confidence, demonstrating strong storytelling and public speaking skills.
WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH
You will collaborate with the Art and Creative Directors, creative studio teammates, Brand Marketing, Digital Marketing and Retail Marketing, the Content Production teams and Geo/City Studios.
WHAT YOU BRING
- Minimum 5+ years graphic design and art direction experience in branded content, agency, editorial or marketing environment.
- Bachelor's degree or higher in graphic design or related field, or equivalent combination of education, experience, or training.
- A passion for the Athlete*, Sport and Culture.
- A stellar portfolio of creative work, exhibiting a seasoned background in digital and brand design.
- Deep knowledge and expertise in all aspects of layout, typography, illustration, identity, digital and experience production
- Experienced in end-to-end creative production.
- Publishing across formats and platforms.
- Detailed understanding of today’s creative landscape and how people engage with content from digital platforms to environments and experiences.
- Ability to collaborate with and creatively manage external agency relationships.
- Proven ability as a manager and mentor, with a knack and passion for helping everyone on the team—especially senior-level and entrepreneurial talent—to grow, improve, succeed, and advance toward collective and individual goals.
- Ability to lead team efforts while also working independently to deliver on individual responsibilities.
- Proven ability to flex and adapt to changing business needs while maintaining creative quality.
- Laser-sharp focus with ability to work quickly and efficiently under pressure.
- Strong time management with ability to toggle between daily and long-term tasks, keeping workstreams moving forward simultaneously.
- Excellent verbal and visual communication skills; adept at presenting and defending creative work.
- Strong interpersonal skills with highly developed ability to foster cross-functional teamwork and an open, positive and collaborative environment.
- Highly developed curiosity and in-depth understanding of design culture, current and past.
- An understanding of Global Football.
- A sense of humor
This is an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of Nike Football’s creative evolution, shaping the way the brand connects with athletes and consumers worldwide.
We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.
Top Skills
Nike, Inc. New York, New York, USA Office
Our New York headquarters provides employees ample opportunity to push innovation with six floors and 150k square feet. Whether it be an indoor basketball court or a 90-foot planted swoosh, the building is filled with NYC’s energy.
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