Lead Designer, NikeSKIMS Apparel Graphics Design

Socket.dev; California (MO); On-site; USD 109,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

NikeSKIMS is seeking a Lead Designer, Graphic Design to drive head-to-toe graphics and branding for apparel and footwear. You will collaborate with footwear, color and apparel designers, developers, and product line managers to deliver compelling graphics that align with our design ethos.

You will translate insights into product-relevant graphics, lead the development process, and guide a team through ideation to final execution in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Strong foundation across footwear, apparel, accessories, and lifestyle graphic design.
• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design or related field.
• 5–7+ years experience in Graphic Design (apparel/footwear).
• Proficiency in typography, print and pattern, branding and visual systems.
• High proficiency in Adobe CC; familiarity with 3D design tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of head-to-toe graphics and branding elements for apparel and footwear.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet timelines and design feasibility.
• Translate insights into compelling, product-relevant graphics.
• Own key body of work, seasonal moments and special projects.

Skills

Graphic design

Footwear graphics

Apparel graphics

Brand storytelling

Collaboration

Adaptability

Typography

Education

Bachelor's degree in graphic design

Tools

Adobe CC

3D design tools

Job description

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $108,500.00 in our lowest geographic market to $220,400.00 in our highest geographic market. Actual salary will vary based on a candidate's location, qualifications, skills and experience.

Information about benefits can be found here.

NikeSKIMS combines the best of both brands – Nike’s legacy of innovation and athlete insights with SKIMS dedication to the female form, and inclusive solutions for every body. We're carving out a bold and unique position in the global fitness industry, delivering innovation and style the industry hasn’t seen before. We’re excited to invite more women into sport and movement with products that make them feel strong and sexy.

WHO WILL YOU WORK WITH?

On a day-to-day basis you will be working with a wide range of internal partners including Footwear, Color and Apparel Designers, Developers, and Product Line Managers. You will collaborate with multiple teams to deliver creative solutions in line with the NikeSKIMS Design Ethos. This opportunity will require strong collaborative skills to meet timelines, ensure design feasibility, and build consensus around your work.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

As the Lead Designer, Graphic Design, you are exceptional product design storyteller with proven design excellence, curiosity, problem solving tenacity, and a passion for making those around them better. This role brings a unique perspective into the women’s sport market and creating products that makes them feel strong and sexy. The role requires a strong understanding of culture and style, and the ability to translate insights into compelling, product-relevant graphics for apparel and footwear. You play a key role to execute design and development of head-to-toe graphics and branding elements. You have an affinity for world-building and storytelling through graphic design, integrating narrative elements that resonate with our consumer muse.

You have a passion for innovation and an eye for blending sport culture and irreverent style. You are skilled and experienced at supporting a design vision, while remaining hands-on in product creation, ideation, and product development process. You thrive in a fast-paced and highly collaborative environment and embrace ambiguity and dynamic workflow. You are a creative contributor and teammate who elevates the room.

You know how to push an idea further, clarify what’s missing, and bring structure to ambiguity. You work confidently across product categories, from trend discovery and experiential direction to product storytelling and graphic language. You stay tapped into the communities and cultures and bring that fluency into concepts.

• An experienced Graphic Designer with a strong foundation across footwear, apparel, accessories, and lifestyle, capable of driving graphic design expression across all pillars within the Energy category construct.
• A true team player, expected to actively design and contribute at a high level, owning key bodies of work, seasonal moments, and special projects.
• A highly organized systems thinker, comfortable operating in ambiguity, managing multiple timelines and work streams, and navigating cross-functional constraints while maintaining clarity, momentum, and creative excellence.
• Deeply curious and culturally fluent, plugged into design, music, fashion, sport, and emerging creative communities, using insight and observation and not trend-chasing to inform graphic design decisions.
• A highly organized systems thinker, comfortable operating in ambiguity, managing multiple timelines and work streams, and navigating cross-functional constraints while maintaining clarity, momentum, and creative excellence.

WHAT YOU BRING TO NIKESKIMS

A successful candidate will be expected to clear demonstrate and articulate experience essential requirement below, to be considered. Candidates that meet these criteria will then be assessed based on the competencies also outlined below.

• To be considered, you must submit a strong, well-curated graphic design portfolio demonstrating excellence across research, concept development, visual storytelling, process, and final execution. Portfolio must show both individual craft and collaborative work across complex projects.
• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design or related field or or equivalent combination of relevant education, experience, and training.
• 5-7+ years relevant work experience in Graphic Design (apparel/footwear)
• Strong taste level and understanding of current and emerging design influence and visual culture.
• Lead-level graphic design skills, including ideation, design development, specification, and final execution, with a strong understanding of typography, print and pattern, sketching, illustration, brand identity, and visual systems across product and storytelling platforms.
• Proficient in graphic applications, development, PR and schematic tools and the apparel product creation processes.
• Experience working across multiple timelines and levels of complexity, effectively prioritizing workload across short- and long-term projects while maintaining creative excellence and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to create concepts, iterate and collaborate with a multi-disciplinary product and creative team in a fast-paced environment.
• A resilient, solutions-oriented approach, thriving in fast-paced, ambiguous environments while adapting quickly to shifting business needs without sacrificing creative integrity.
• High proficiency in Adobe CC is required. Familiarity with 3D design tools is a plus, with curiosity and willingness to learn expected.
• A passion for team development, demonstrating self-awareness and the ability to reflect on strengths, growth areas, and learnings; both personally and in support of others.

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.