Senior Manager, Global Football Footwear Product Developer

Senior Manager, Global Football Footwear Product Developer

WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

As part of the Global Football FW Development, this role partners closely with key footwear functions including Innovation, Design, Product Testing, Material Development, Product Management, PCC/PMO, Sourcing, Planning, and Operations.

You will navigate Nike’s matrixed environment to ensure alignment with Global Footwear Development standards and product excellence. Serving as the primary liaison between PCC/PMO partners and the WHQ product team, you will drive clear, accurate communication throughout the product development process and report to the Footwear Development Director for Global Football FW Development.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking a Senior Manager, Footwear Product Development to play a critical leadership role within the Global Football Footwear Product Development Team
. This individual will lead one of our key product silos while coaching, developing, and inspiring the team to deliver world-class football footwear for footballers.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned footwear development leader with 8+ years of product development experience
, a deep technical understanding of the footwear creation process, and a proven ability to drive product excellence from concept through commercialization. This role requires strong leadership capabilities, the ability to influence senior cross‑functional stakeholders, and a passion for innovation that elevates athlete performance and advances the future of football footwear.

In our ONE GFB spirit, a team‑first mindset is essential. We seek a candidate who fosters a positive team culture and serves as a strong role model, creating a meaningful impact on both the broader team and their direct reports.

Key Responsibilities & Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Industrial Design, Engineering, Physical Sciences or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training.
• Manage a team of footwear product developers to focus on employee development, identifying skill gaps, and building high‑performing teams.
• Convey clear expectations and provide feedback to teams, stakeholders and functional leaders.
• Understand the business as a whole, including financial management, to drive profitability and efficiency.
• Lead footwear product development projects at an accelerated pace, close to market.
• Provide project and process direction within cross‑functional product creation teams.
• Drive innovation and product initiatives across footwear dimensions and divisions.
• Leverage deep technical knowledge across lasts, uppers, materials, tooling, costing, testing, and manufacturing.
• Exhibit strong project management, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
• Communicate effectively across functions, geographies, and leadership levels.
• Demonstrate resilient leadership with high tolerance for ambiguity and changing priorities.
• Build strong partnerships across global, culturally diverse teams.
• Balance strategic thinking with hands‑on execution to deliver product excellence.
• Travel up to 15% as needed.

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

As a Senior Manager, Footwear Product Developer for Global Football
, you will lead the development of elite‑level football footwear projects, transforming innovative footwear toolkits and concepts into commercially viable, high‑performance boots. This role is responsible for driving product and process excellence throughout the creation journey, ensuring seamless execution from innovation to commercialization. Working closely with cross‑functional partners, you will deliver products that achieve design intent while meeting performance, cost, sustainability, and timeline objectives.

Through strong leadership, technical expertise, and strategic influence, you will help create best‑in‑class football footwear that serves athletes at the highest level of the game. You will mentor and manage junior developers while demonstrating best practices through your own work and leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive product and process excellence across assigned projects.
• Lead high‑complexity projects and one of the key product silos.
• Solve construction and manufacturing challenges proactively.
• Manage projects through all phases to meet critical dates.
• Deliver high‑performance football footwear for athletes in a competitive and fast‑paced environment.