For NIKE, Inc. marketers, everything begins and ends with the consumer. The Nike Brand team understands consumer needs and market trends to create consumer-right marketing campaigns. Nike Virtual Studios is building the future of how audiences engage with sport, product, content, and culture. We are leveraging the power of gaming and internet culture to build experiences and communities that empower creators and shape culture like never before.

.SWOOSH is hiring a Virtual Merchant II to be a part of our Nike Virtual Studios Merchandising Team, specifically focused on bringing the best of Nike, Inc. to virtual stores and our gaming partners.

Who we are looking for?

This role is responsible for leading the merchandising of key products from the Nike, Inc. Footwear Portfolio (including Lifestyle and Performance footwear across Men’s, Women’s, and Kids) in virtual item shops of key video game partners that enable daring new ways of self-expression in virtual environments. The role will be responsible for defining how the products are visually merchandised, while also establishing a launch cadence aligned to key sports, cultural and in-game moments that serve the gamers in each of our respective gaming title storefronts. The ideal candidate will leverage their strong understanding of pop and meme culture, as well as game knowledge, paired with partner historical data and real-time market feedback, to read & react with product and timing decisions.

What will you work on?

We work closely with fellow merchants and cross-functional teams within Nike Direct; in particular SNKRS and NBHD merchandising, as well as our broader Brand and Digital Brand Marketing offense. We also work with Nike Product and Design teams to adopt and translate physical products into virtual assortments, while exploring new creations that live exclusively in the virtual space.

You will report to the Nike Virtual Studios Physical Product Creation and Virtual Merchandising Director.

In the role, core responsibilities will include:

• You will own the process of curating and translating how physical products should visually be represented in-game, and drive the segmentation strategy across the digital gaming retail ecosystem to drive a dynamic product portfolio

• Collaborate cross functionally to ensure assortment plans meet consumer demand and strategies execute
• Maximize all related aspects of the business and marketplace in making your plans, including coordinating between genders, product types (Footwear, Apparel & Accessories), brands (Nike & Jordan) and how individual products or collections impact each other
• Participate in Nike key product and merchandising seasonal gates to align on what products should be adopted for virtual assortments
• With key gaming partners, drive and execute assortment plans in partnership with the marketing team
• Manage a direct report

What you bring to Nike:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, experience, or training
• Strong affinity and interest for the video games, pop culture, memes, as well as the larger fandom space.
• Passion for sport and sneaker culture, with a deep understanding of its athletes, communities and their motivations and challenges - Proven consumerist
• Digital mindset is critical and full understanding on how to best connect digitally with our consumer 
• A desire & willingness to adapt to our consumers’ and organization’s needs to help shape the future of the game
• Footwear, Apparel, Equipment or relevant consumer product buying and/or merchandising experience
• Understanding of common retail and/or digital profit-based metrics
• Ability to contribute to and drive strategy into action
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for all employees and job applicants. 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.