Job Title: Lead Product Line Manager Kids Basketball Footwear
Location: Beaverton, Or
Duration: 6 Month
WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH
As the Lead Product Line Manager for Kids Basketball Footwear, you'll work closely with a highly collaborative cross-functional team spanning Design, Development, Engineering, Materials, Merchandising, Brand and Marketplace. You'll connect across Kids and Basketball teams to bring a strong Kids consumer perspective into the creation of signature basketball footwear, seasonal collections and key franchises.
You'll play a critical role in translating the vision of Basketball into products and collections that are meaningful, relevant and compelling for the next generation of athletes.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We're looking for a passionate, curious and consumer-obsessed product leader who understands footwear, basketball and the unique needs of young athletes.
The ideal candidate can move seamlessly between consumer insight, product strategy and hands-on product creation. You know how to uncover meaningful consumer needs and translate those insights into clear product briefs that inspire cross-functional teams.
You are comfortable leading through ambiguity, bringing clarity to complex projects and balancing consumer needs, athlete insights, performance, design, cost, price and marketplace considerations to deliver compelling product.
Most importantly, you will be a strong advocate for the Kids consumer and ensure their needs remain at the center of the product creation process.
WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON
As the Lead Product Line Manager for Kids Basketball Footwear, you'll help define and deliver the product vision for key areas of the Kids Basketball portfolio.
Lead Kids Basketball Product Creation
" Develop a deep understanding of the Kids Basketball consumer, using consumer research, athlete feedback, product testing, marketplace insights, competitive analysis and basketball culture to identify opportunities.
" Translate those insights into clear, inspiring product briefs that articulate the consumer problem, product vision, performance benefits, positioning, price and marketplace opportunity.
" Lead the product creation process in partnership with Design, Development, Engineering and Materials, using the brief and consumer insight as the north star from concept through commercialization.
" Evaluate concepts, prototypes, materials, testing and consumer feedback, helping the team navigate trade-offs while protecting the product's most important consumer benefits.
Kids Signature Basketball Footwear
" Brief and manage the creation of Kids versions of signature basketball footwear, translating the adult signature vision into products designed specifically for young basketball athletes.
" Partner with Basketball teams to determine what elements of the signature athlete's product, performance story and design language are most important to preserve while ensuring the final product is appropriate and compelling for Kids.
" Advocate for Kids-specific solutions when the needs of younger athletes require a different approach to fit, function, construction, materials, price or design.
Seasonal Collections & Key Franchises
" Lead the briefing and creation of seasonal Kids Basketball footwear collections, building Kid relevant storytelling across performance and sportswear.
" Manage and evolve key Kids Basketball franchises, identifying opportunities to strengthen existing products and build longer-term franchise relevance.
" Maintain a strong understanding of the competitive marketplace and identify emerging opportunities that can strengthen the Kids Basketball portfolio.
Drive the Product to Commercialization
" Own products from brief through concept, development, testing, refinement and commercialization, maintaining clarity around the consumer and product vision throughout the process.
" Partner across functions to drive decisions, resolve issues and keep projects moving against key creation milestones.
" Communicate product strategies and stories clearly to internal partners, helping downstream teams understand who the product is for, why it matters and what makes it compelling.
" Balance creativity and innovation with the realities of cost, timing, assortment and commercialization.
MUST-HAVE
" 5+ years of footwear product management experience preferred; relevant product line management experience will also be considered.
" Strong understanding of the footwear product creation process, from consumer insight and briefing through commercialization.
" Ability to translate consumer and marketplace insights into compelling product opportunities and actionable briefs.
" Experience partnering with multidisciplinary creation teams such as Design, Development, Engineering and Materials.
" Strong communication and storytelling skills with the ability to create clarity and alignment across diverse cross-functional teams.
" Ability to manage multiple products and workstreams simultaneously in a fast-moving creation environment.
NICE-TO-HAVE
" Athlete signature product experience, or licensed product experience.
" Software: Keynote, MS Suite, MMX.
" Strong curiosity for basketball, footwear, youth culture and the evolving needs of young athletes.
" A collaborative approach and willingness to challenge convention in service of creating better products for Kids.
EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE SUBSTITUTIONS
" No degree requirement stated, no substitutions specified.