Senior Principal, North America Media Relations, NYC

About the Role

The role leads media relations strategies for Nike’s North America priorities, turning business, brand, product, athlete and sport objectives into clear narratives and compelling stories. It sits within Nike’s Global Communications function and works closely with communications peers across consumer, product, brand, corporate and employee communications, as well as integrated, brand and sports marketing teams. The position partners with global and geography communications teams, senior leaders, athletes, designers, collaborators and external agency partners. As a key member of the North America media relations team, it helps connect strategy and execution across the matrix and represent the needs, insights and opportunities of the North American media landscape.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead media relations strategies for Nike’s North America priorities, turning business, brand, product, athlete and sport objectives into clear narratives and compelling stories.
• Work across written, oral, visual, digital and experiential communications to ensure each priority begins with an audience insight and a strong narrative, not simply a launch plan.
• Build relationship-powered influence and develop influence maps, cultivating both established and emerging voices.
• Create differentiated engagement strategies and design access and experiences that deepen understanding, generate advocacy and sustain conversation over time.
• Operate across multiple workstreams at pace, balancing proactive priorities with timely cultural, media and reputation opportunities.
• Contribute at every stage of planning, from insight and narrative development through execution and measurement.
• Provide senior-level counsel, prepare and staff spokespeople, manage agency partners and help the broader communications team move with clarity, consistency and impact.
• Champion North America’s media relations strategy and use insights, social listening and on-the-ground intelligence to shape conversations, identify emerging opportunities and connect Nike’s priorities to the people and communities influencing sport and culture.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Media Relations, Communications, Business or a related field; any suitable combination of education, experience and training will be accepted.
• 10+ years of professional experience in fast-paced, high-profile media relations, corporate communications or public relations roles supporting global brands.
• Extensive media relations experience and a strong, active network of relationships across North American media, storytellers, creators and influential voices in sport, business, culture, lifestyle and consumer media, including traditional media, new media and creators.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex workstreams simultaneously, prioritise effectively, meet tight deadlines and deliver high-quality work in a fast-moving environment.
• Proven experience developing narrative-first, audience-right media strategies that translate business and brand priorities into relevant stories, experiences and sustained conversation, with the ability to shape breakthrough storytelling that strengthens leadership in sport and culture
• Reaches new audiences and builds lasting influence.
• Strong editorial judgment and a track record of identifying timely opportunities, shaping compelling pitches and securing meaningful earned coverage and advocacy, with the ability to uncover stories, build compelling worlds around them and sustain momentum beyond a single announcement or launch.
• Deep understanding of the evolving media ecosystem, including social, digital, print, broadcast, podcasts, newsletters, creator platforms and AI-powered discovery.
• Experience using audience insights, data, social listening and cultural intelligence to inform communications strategy and real-time decision-making.
• Excellent strategic planning, issues management, budgeting, agency management and project leadership skills.
• Proven ability to influence and align senior leaders, peers and cross-functional partners across a complex global and regional matrix.
• Experience counselling, media training and staffing senior executives, athletes, designers, collaborators and other spokespeople.
• Demonstrated ability to initiate and lead ideation, bringing creative, innovative and business-minded communications solutions forward at the concept stage.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to simplify complexity and communicate with clarity, confidence and precision.
• High cultural fluency and curiosity, with a strong understanding of sport, style, footwear, apparel, entertainment and popular culture, and an instinct for what makes a story credible, relevant and worth sharing.

Preferred Skills

• Company or agency spokesperson experience.

Salary

• The annual base salary for this position ranges from $163,500.00 in the lowest geographic market to $345,100.00 in the highest geographic market. Actual salary will vary based on a candidate's location, qualifications, skills and experience.

The Application Process

The interview process offers accommodations for candidates with disabilities.

1. Accommodations available include screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed.
2. Candidates who need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability can complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.