Lead Footwear Materials Innovator

Nike Inc; Beaverton (OR); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Jordan Brand Footwear is seeking a Lead Materials Developer to shape material strategies and lead cross-functional teams across design, engineering, and manufacturing. You will drive material development from concept to commercialization and mentor teammates to build capabilities.

The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise, strong leadership, and a track record of delivering innovative, high-performance materials while balancing cost, quality, and sustainability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials, Chemistry, Product Development, or related field.
• 6+ years directly applicable work experience.
• Proven ability to lead complex material development and drive results through cross-functional teams.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Lead material development across a broad range of Jordan product, from concept through commercialization.
• Define and drive material strategies that enable athlete-focused innovation and product distinction.
• Partner with Design, Product Management, Footwear Development, Engineering, Product Testing, PMO, PCC teams vendors and Manufacturing teams to bring concepts to life.
• Lead material selection, sourcing, validation, and commercialization to ensure material + product readiness and execution excellence.
• Drive material innovation opportunities that improve performance, sustainability, quality, and consumer value.
• Identify risks early and lead solutions across product creation, vendor and manufacturing partners.
• Influence material decisions that balance athlete needs, business objectives, and operational realities.
• Build strong partnerships with suppliers and manufacturing teams to accelerate speed and improve outcomes.
• Keep abreast of market trends, new technology and consumer and training industry knowledges.
• Mentor and develop teammates while contributing to the growth of the Materials Development function.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Materials, Chemistry, Product Development, or related field

Tools

MS Word

Excel

Outlook

Job description

Jordan Brand Footwear is seeking a Lead Materials Developer to shape material strategies and lead cross-functional teams across design, engineering, and manufacturing. You will drive material development from concept to commercialization and mentor teammates to build capabilities.

The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise, strong leadership, and a track record of delivering innovative, high-performance materials while balancing cost, quality, and sustainability.