Global Director Merchandising Men’s Running Footwear

Role Description

Design and govern the global Running Footwear line architecture, establishing multiseason product frameworks, franchise roles, pricing ladders, and distribution strategies across Nike Direct and wholesale channels. Develop the long-range product strategy for core statement, racing, and track & field lines by integrating consumer segmentation models, marketplace analytics, and financial performance targets. Manage a multibillion-dollar product portfolio, ensuring SKU efficiency, margin optimization, and scalable growth across global and geography-specific assortments.

• Strategic Planning, Financial Modeling & Business Analytics
• Lead quantitative forecasting, demand planning alignment, and investment modeling to determine franchise prioritization, SKU depth, and seasonal flow strategies.
• Build and operationalize consumer insight and marketplace frameworks that synthesize runner behavior, digital engagement, competitive benchmarking, and sell-through analytics to inform product and business decisions.
• Conduct scenario planning and risk assessments to evaluate market shifts, competitive threats, and category opportunities, translating insights into strategic adjustments across future seasons.

• Cross Functional Leadership & Product Creation Influence
• Partner with design, product management, innovation, and finance to shape strategic product briefs, investment decisions, and seasonal priorities aligned to consumer needs and business objectives.
• Drive clarity on feature/benefit hierarchy, franchise positioning, and consumer value propositions, ensuring alignment across product creation, brand storytelling, and marketplace execution.
• Lead cross functional governance routines to align senior stakeholders on product strategy, financial implications, and marketplace requirements.

• Global Marketplace Strategy & Go-to-Market Systems
• Architect and manage global distribution and segmentation strategies, defining channel roles, tiering frameworks, and marketplace differentiation across regions and partners.
• Oversee the development of Go-to-Market tools and systems, including line plans, assortments, segmentation models, and seasonal story frameworks that integrate with digital merchandising and retail planning platforms.
• Ensure franchise and product narratives are consistent across digital, retail, and partner channels, supporting cohesive global brand execution.

• Competitive Intelligence & Category Signal Processing
• Build and maintain a competitive intelligence system that tracks industry trends, emerging technologies, pricing dynamics, and shifts in runner behavior such as hybrid training, supershoe adoption, and trail growth.
• Translate macro and micro-level insights into actionable merchandising strategies, influencing future line architecture, franchise evolution, and marketplace prioritization.
• Lead “read and respond” strategies to adjust assortments, pricing, and product flow based on real-time performance and competitive disruptions.

• Organizational Leadership & Operational Excellence
• Lead a global merchandising team responsible for product strategy, seasonal execution, and operational rigor across multiple product creation cycles.
• Establish team priorities, coach talent, and implement business processes and decision-making frameworks that improve efficiency, clarity, and cross-functional alignment.
• Resolve cross-functional conflict by anchoring decisions in consumer insight, financial data, and brand strategy, ensuring clarity of direction across the global offense.

Telecommuting is available from anywhere in the U.S., except from AK, AL, AR, DE, HI, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, MT, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OH, OK, RI, SD, VT, WV, and WY.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business Administration or Accounting
• 5 years of experience in the job offered or a business-related occupation

Requirements

• Line Planning Curation
• Lifecycle Management
• Portfolio Strategy
• Consumer Segmentation
• Pricing Analysis
• Marketplace Analytics
• Competitive Intelligence
• Assortment Architecture
• Marketplace Segmentation
• Financial Modeling
• Product Line Management Software
• Forecasting

Contact

Apply at (Job# R-88860)

#LI-DNI

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.