WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

You will work collaboratively with key functional partners throughout the Product Development process, including: Product Management, Product Development, Product Design, Sourcing and Costing, and Operations. You will help manage relationships with our Material vendors – both internal and external to NIKE. You will report to the Sr. Director of Footwear for APLA (Asia-Pacific & Latin America) GEL (Geo Express Lane) based in WHQ (World Headquarter)

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for a Senior Footwear Material Developer in the Asia-Pacific & Latin America (APLA) Express Lane to support the development and management of new materials specific for footwear with an emphasis on aesthetic, performance, quality, cost and sustainability. This role will require collaboration with the vendor, product creation team, and other functions to establish seasonal material direction, attain on-time delivery and ensure product excellence for both consumers and athletes. As Senior Footwear Material Developer, we expect you to use your technical expertise and product creation experience to help differentiate Nike’s product through materials excellence.

The role reports to the Geo Express Lane (GEL) organization. The GEL team's purpose is to create inspiring products tailored to specific geographic consumers, capturing fast-moving trends and serving consumers with local executions for greater relevance and immediacy. We aim to amplify and incubate new ideas while driving and extending our consumer favorites. The focus of this role is creating inspiring product on a faster timeline and to serve consumers of a specific marketplace.  We are looking for someone who represents our values of authentic, accountable, collaborative, and courageous. This candidate should be looking to grow and challenge themselves and able to act independently and be self-driven.

WHAT YOU BRING

• 5+ years of relevant experience (footwear, materials development, manufacturing, or engineering); 2 additional years accepted in lieu of a degree
• Deep understanding of material manufacturing and product creation processes
• Ability to interpret lab testing results for end-use application
• Strong problem-solving and innovation skills
• Skilled in interpreting design intent and proposing alternatives
• Excellent verbal, written, and intercultural communication
• Proactive in anticipating needs, mitigating risks, conducting research, and analyzing results
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, assertive, and effective in fast-paced team environments
• Capable of managing multiple priorities independently
• Proficient in MS Word, Excel, Outlook; experience with PTC/material management systems preferred
• Willingness to travel up to 15%

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

This role will be based in Seoul, Korea and part of a new extension of the APLA Express Lane Team. As Senior Footwear Material Developer, you will provide tools, palettes and data across multiple material types to enable effective material selection for end use and category ease of use; including technical assistance to product creation teams. Partner with Material Design to ensure the material palette is infused with seasonal energy, while considering source base, price, performance and sustainability. You will need to drive adherence to product creation calendar within your category to ensure seasonal materials are developed, tested and commercialized on time.

In addition, you will partner with Material Planning & Procurement to ensure you are providing visibility to both your category and to Planning & Procurement when issues or concerns arise; collaborate on resolution. You will lead vendor communication and have deep understanding of vendor capabilities. Be the primary contact for vendor as it relates to category specific issues (price, technical specs, performance). Maintain positive working relationships. You will also collaborate with the product creation team, innovation and sourcing to provide training and education for footwear product creation as well as best practices to enable informed decision making.