Become a Part of the NIKE, Inc. Team
NIKE, Inc. does more than outfit the world’s best athletes. It is a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries and push out the edges of what can be. The company looks for people who can grow, think, dream and create. Its culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. The brand seeks achievers, leaders and visionaries. At NIKE, Inc. it’s about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving game.
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
The North America Nike Direct Business Operations team drives consistent operational excellence across the ~$10B annual revenue North America Nike Direct business. The Sport Business Lead, Nike Direct North America, elevates operational excellence within a dedicated Sport category (e.g., Running, NSW). Reporting to the Senior Director, NA Direct Business Operations, the Sport Business Lead sets the standard for Sport strategy and execution.
The Sport Business Lead serves as the chief Operations partner and integrator for NA Direct Sport Business Senior Directors. They drive pre-season planning (e.g., CODE, go-to-market, financial target management), enable in-season execution (e.g., weekly read & react), and support Strategic Planning (e.g., quarterly business reviews. Sport Business Leads are results-driven, cross-functional connectors who bring clarity and discipline to the business.
There are 2 positions that need to be filled.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training
• At least 6 years of directly relevant experience
• Experience across Digital, Stores, Strategic Planning, Merchandising, Planning, Finance, or Marketing preferred
• Proven strategic thinker and implementor able to drive consumer strategies to retail execution
• Demonstrated ability to lead and organize cross-functional teams; adept at problem solving, synthesizing multiple perspectives, and moving work forward
• Ability to thrive in ambiguity and influence across a matrixed environment; effectively manages multiple priorities and fast-moving initiatives
• Experience creating, documenting, and operationalizing retail and go-to-market strategies and processes
• Proactive mindset with the ability to anticipate roadblocks, unlock opportunities, and maintain business momentum
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills (including Keynote)
• Familiarity with Nike seasonal offense and CODE
WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON
You will operate as the Operations quarterback for a Sport category in North America Nike Direct, shaping operational rhythms and driving clarity across teams. You will lead recurring cross-functional forums to influence real-time decisions and ensure accountability for world-class retail execution. You will design processes and create forums that turn Sport strategies into the right assortments, product depth, and channel activations. You will measure the impact of these strategies and lead alignment across Sport, Channel, and Functional partners. You will champion a collaborative, engaged, and high-performance culture.
Responsibilities include:
• Lead CODE & GTM Operations and readiness for the NA Direct Sport category by managing the pre-season planning process, meeting rhythms, and artifact creation. This includes agenda setting, action tracking, and ensuring alignment to seasonal Sport strategies. You will also keep cross-functional teams on track for tentpole CODE moments, synthesize deliverables (e.g., holistic seasonal strategy), and gather inputs from Merch, Planning, Marketing, and other partners.
• Galvanize Sport cross-functional teams to run the in-season business; partner with Sport Business Senior Directors to drive execution.
• Co-create and assess the effectiveness of Sport strategies.
• Support the Nike Direct Sport GM in end-to-end business management and leadership of the cross-functional team.
• Lead preparation for—and summarize—Sport & Innovation moments across NA Direct channels. Drive key Sport moments and Innovation launches, ensuring integration across categories. Quarterback weekly Integrated Business Attack meetings and other readiness checkpoints, obsessing detail and execution.
• Lead special projects that advance operational excellence and support strategic priorities set by the VP/GM NA Nike Direct.
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.
OUR HIRING GAME PLAN
01 Apply
Our teams are made up of diverse skillsets, knowledge bases, inputs, ideas and backgrounds. We want you to find your fit – review job descriptions, departments and teams to discover the role for you.
02 Meet a Recruiter or Take an Assessment
If selected for a corporate role, a recruiter will reach out to start your interview process and be your main contact throughout the process. For retail roles, you’ll complete an interactive assessment that includes a chat and quizzes and takes about 10-20 minutes to complete. No matter the role, we want to learn about you – the whole you – so don’t shy away from how you approach world-class service and what makes you unique.
03 Interview
Go into this stage confident by doing your research, understanding what we are looking for and being prepared for questions that are set up to learn more about you, and your background.
