Strategic Lead: Licensed Apparel Merchandising

Nike Inc.; Beaverton (OR); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Nike Inc. in Beaverton, OR is seeking a Lead Merchant to drive the strategic vision, assortment creation, marketplace strategy, and licensed business growth for the Licensed Apparel portfolio.

You will develop consumer-right product assortments, influence product creation, and lead strategic partnerships with external licensees and marketplace partners. The ideal candidate blends deep merchandising expertise with strong business acumen, capable of guiding cross-functional teams and external

Qualifications

• 6+ years of merchandising, assortment planning, buying, product management, or related experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Marketing, or related field.
• Proven experience managing complex apparel and/or footwear portfolios.
• Strong understanding of marketplace strategy, consumer segmentation, and retail fundamentals.
• Experience with licensed products or strategic partnerships or third-party licensing models preferred.
• Strong analytical, storytelling, and presentation skills.
• Ability to balance consumer, product, and financial considerations to drive business growth.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute seasonal and long-range merchandising strategies for the Licensed Apparel business.
• Create consumer-right assortments that balance brand priorities, marketplace opportunities, and financial goals.
• Define assortment architecture, product segmentation, and franchise strategies across multiple consumer and distribution channels.
• Translate consumer insights, marketplace trends, and business performance into actionable merchandising strategies.
• Identify whitespace opportunities and emerging trends to drive future growth.
• Drive key business initiatives tied to seasonal launches, strategic partnerships, and event-driven opportunities.
• Evaluate business performance and adjust strategies based on consumer and marketplace insights.
• Serve as the merchandising lead across strategic licensed business relationships, collaborating with third-party licensees.
• Influence product strategy, assortment direction, and marketplace opportunities through collaborative business planning.
• Establish strong working relationships that drive alignment, accountability, and shared business success.
• Guide partners on seasonal product priorities, assortment strategies, and marketplace opportunities while ensuring brand consistency.
• Represent the Licensed Apparel business during seasonal reviews and strategic planning discussions.
• Identify opportunities to improve product differentiation, accelerate growth, and expand marketplace reach through strategic partnerships.

Job description

Nike Inc. in Beaverton, OR is seeking a Lead Merchant to drive the strategic vision, assortment creation, marketplace strategy, and licensed business growth for the Licensed Apparel portfolio.

You will develop consumer-right product assortments, influence product creation, and lead strategic partnerships with external licensees and marketplace partners. The ideal candidate blends deep merchandising expertise with strong business acumen, capable of guiding cross-functional teams and external