Racquet Sports Product Design Director

Wilson Sporting Goods; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision

401(k) with company match

Paid maternity/paternity leave

Professional development opportunities

Volunteering programs

On-site health club

Summer hours

Discounts on Wilson products

Job summary

Wilson Sporting Goods Co. in Chicago is seeking a Director of Product Design for Racquet Sports. This hybrid, on-site leadership role steers design vision across Tennis, Padel, and Pickleball, while crafting a unified brand language and mentoring a multidisciplinary team.

You will work closely with Wilson Innovation, Product Management, and Engineering to translate athlete needs into market-ready products, balancing performance with aesthetics in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, Graphic Design, or related field.
• 10+ years of design experience.
• 4+ years leading multidisciplinary design teams.
• Portfolio with shipped products at scale, preferably in performance sports.
• Strong storytelling and executive presentation skills.
• Based in Chicago or willing to relocate; hybrid in-office role.

Responsibilities

• Define the design vision and creative direction for Tennis, Padel, and Pickleball across industrial design, graphic design, CMF, and on-product branding.
• Lead from the front by designing alongside the team and mentoring craft.
• Drive a concept-forward design team focused on strong concepts, renders, and design intent.
• Collaborate with the Wilson Innovation team on technology exploration through productization.
• Explore new CMF applications and build a CMF roadmap across racquet sports.
• Build a unified design language balancing franchise identity with Wilson branding.
• Partner with Footwear and Apparel design leadership for coherent design across products.
• Translate athlete insight and market dynamics into design strategy and seasonal direction.
• Work with Product Line Management and Engineering from brief to launch to protect design intent.
• Lead design reviews with executive leadership and present tradeoffs clearly.
• Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing multidisciplinary design team.
• Champion rapid prototyping, athlete validation, and real-world testing.

Skills

Product design leadership

Team leadership

Industrial design

Graphic design

CMF knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design or Graphic Design

Job description

Wilson Sporting Goods Co. in Chicago is seeking a Director of Product Design for Racquet Sports. This hybrid, on-site leadership role steers design vision across Tennis, Padel, and Pickleball, while crafting a unified brand language and mentoring a multidisciplinary team.

You will work closely with Wilson Innovation, Product Management, and Engineering to translate athlete needs into market-ready products, balancing performance with aesthetics in a fast-paced environment.