Senior Manager, Apparel Design, Outerwear, Local Creation GC

Nike Local Creation GC is one of Nike's fastest product engines, enabling designers to connect with geo-specific consumers quickly and effectively. Reporting to the Local Creation Design organisation, the Senior Manager, Apparel Design, Outerwear creates inspiring products tailored to specific marketplaces and geographic audiences, capturing fast-moving trends and delivering regionally relevant narratives with flexibility and speed. The role leads the creation of apparel products across Greater China consumer sport and lifestyle business opportunities and oversees the execution of multiple categories through a hyper-local lens.

• Create apparel products that align with global creative direction, seasonal key concepts, gender strategies, franchise journeys and geo assortments, and that connect with the Greater China consumer.
• Manage a team of apparel designers, mentoring them to drive creativity, build a collaborative culture and drive efficiencies in cross-functional communication.
• Partner with Product Management and Development to establish and manage the seasonal new-creation toolbox based on consumer insights, design direction and product intent, while considering margin targets, and to build trend-driven assortments by communicating design intent
• Reviewing prototypes and refining execution.
• Collaborate with Product Development and external vendors on pre-development and innovation exploration for outerwear-specific products.
• Bring seasonal creative direction to life through market-relevant trends and insights in colour, material functionality and GC-centric fit and proportion, and coordinate brand- and trend-relevant key looks and outfits
• Building depth across the range through the use of colour and defining appropriate trend levels for individual products.
• Communicate design concepts effectively and integrate GC-relevant trends and solutions into seasonal products in a fast-paced environment.
• Monitor the development of prototype samples, interact with development to finalise production details, conduct fittings and ensure execution excellence across multiple categories.
• Champion storytelling and clearly communicate the 'why' behind the work, presenting concepts to internal teams, leadership and external partners and explaining the purpose behind design decisions.
• Manage design deliverables and project timelines, planning and executing product details, reviewing samples, resolving feasibility issues and ensuring timely project completion.
• Demonstrate deep consumer curiosity and strong trend forecasting capabilities, maintaining a strong connection to city culture, emerging trends and Nike's design ethos.

• 8+ years of professional apparel design experience within the apparel and sportswear industry, with extensive expertise in outerwear materials, functionality, construction and fit across both lifestyle and performance products.
• Extensive knowledge across multiple outerwear product categories, with experience in technical and innovative ideation and strong insights into the outerwear market in Greater China.
• Experience in creative and team leadership, with a clear understanding of apparel segments and multidimensional consumer profiles.
• Comprehensive understanding of apparel materials and construction, tech packs and schematic development for lifestyle and performance apparel products.
• Strong collection-building ability, translating insights into authentic narratives and storytelling by integrating concepts across multiple dimensions including colour, silhouette and key looks
• And able to express concepts from a holistic point of view and drive cohesion in product construction within the same collection and across the brand.
• Ability to lead, curate and drive the design vision within assigned categories, collaborate cross-functionally, align design expectations with key counterparts, set direction through precise decision-making and guide the team throughout the design process.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and ensure the team adheres to timelines.
• Excellent visual and verbal presentation skills.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts clearly and collaborate effectively within cross-functional teams.
• Proven team player and leadership skills, fostering a positive and inclusive environment to achieve shared creative goals, with the ability to drive collaborative mindsets across the design team.
• Sound decision-making abilities and strategic thinking skills.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, 3D/AI rendering software and Miro.

• A BA/BFA/MA/MFA in Apparel Design or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, experience or training, is preferred.
• Experience in the Greater China market is preferred.

• Generous total rewards package.
• Casual work environment.
• A diverse and inclusive culture.
• An electric atmosphere for professional development.
• Reasonable accommodation is provided for individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.