Lead Designer, Brand Concepts Global - Converse

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Designer, Brand Concepts Global

Company: Converse (Nike)

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Creative & Design / Brand Strategy

Date Posted: 2026-05-08

Experience Level: 7+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the development of global brand concepts and visionary experiences, translating cultural insights into compelling future-facing narratives.

• Lead creative strategy and execution across 2D and 3D design disciplines, including presentations, environmental concepts, and product exploration.

• Drive alignment and investment from senior leadership by crafting high-impact, narrative-driven presentations and tangible prototypes.

• Foster collaborative relationships with cross-functional teams (Product, Design, Marketing, Merchandising) and external agencies to ensure cohesive brand expression.

• Champion a builder's mindset, prototyping ideas and bringing concepts to life with exceptional craft and clarity.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within Converse's Global Concepts Team, focusing upstream on translating cultural signals into visionary product direction, brand stories, and environmental concepts. The emphasis on "world building," "2D storytelling and presentation craft," and "3D environments" indicates a strategic creative leadership role that bridges consumer insights with tangible brand expressions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Translate emerging cultural signals, creator insights, and consumer behaviors into visionary concept narratives and future brand visions.

• Develop and visualize immersive "brand worlds" encompassing product, graphics, storytelling elements, and experiential concepts.

• Create and execute concept explorations across both 2D formats (e.g., presentation decks, narrative frameworks, graphic systems) and 3D formats (e.g., physical spaces, environmental installations, object design).

• Design and deliver high-craft presentations that effectively articulate creative intent, narrate compelling stories, and secure cross-functional alignment and senior leadership buy-in.

• Collaborate closely with internal Product, Design, Brand Experience, Brand Creative, Marketing, and Merchandising teams to ensure concepts are feasible, on-brief, and aligned with business objectives.

• Lead and partner with external agencies and creatives to enhance capability, scale creative output, and bring complex concepts to life.

• Prototype and build physical models or environmental mock-ups to generate excitement, clarify ideas, and demonstrate the tangible potential of future concepts.

• Present Brand Concepts and overall Creative Vision to senior leadership, effectively communicating strategic rationale and creative direction.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic thinking, creative execution, and stakeholder management. The role requires not only design proficiency but also the ability to influence and align diverse teams, emphasizing a strong narrative and presentation skill set. The expectation to "prototype and build models/environments" suggests a hands-on approach beyond digital design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications Design, Architecture, Industrial Design, Environmental Design, Graphic Design, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• 7+ years of progressive, technically sophisticated design experience in experiential, environmental design, industrial design, or brand creative roles.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A well-curated portfolio showcasing a robust design methodology, including research, inspiration, development process, and final execution across 2D and 3D disciplines.

• 3D Modeling & Rendering: Proficiency in 3D modeling and rendering software such as SketchUp, Rhino, Cinema 4D, Blender, or similar.

• 2D Design & Presentation: High proficiency in 2D design and presentation tools, including Keynote, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Miro, and Figma.

• Narrative Development & Communication: Strong narrative development and communication skills, with the ability to present complex creative projects and strategic visions to internal and external leadership teams and partners.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively within small and large groups on complex projects in a fast-evolving environment.

• Material Craft: Expert understanding and application of material palettes and environmental toolkits.

• Leadership & Influence: Experience presenting large creative projects to internal and external leadership teams, with a proven ability to win alignment and investment.

• Mindset: Positive, inclusive, team-first mindset, embracing diverse points of view and fostering an environment of belonging.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with product and prop styling, translating consumer styling trends into concept work.

• Experience creating 3D environments and art, with a willingness to prototype and build tangible expressions of ideas.

• Demonstrated success in leading agencies and external creatives to execute a broader brand vision.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "7+ years of progressive, technically sophisticated design experience" suggests a mid-to-senior level role requiring deep expertise. The emphasis on both 2D and 3D skills, coupled with specific software requirements, indicates a need for a versatile designer who can conceptualize and visualize across multiple dimensions. The portfolio requirement is crucial, emphasizing methodology and impact.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrates a clear and robust design methodology, from initial research and inspiration gathering through to concept development, iterative process, and final execution.

• Showcases the ability to translate abstract cultural signals and consumer insights into tangible design concepts.

• Visually articulates the creation of "brand worlds" across various touchpoints, including product, graphics, and environments.

• Includes examples of both 2D (e.g., presentation decks, narrative frameworks) and 3D (e.g., environmental mock-ups, object designs) explorations.

• Highlights the ability to create high-craft presentations that tell a compelling story and drive cross-functional alignment.

• Provides evidence of prototyping and building tangible models or environments to communicate ideas effectively.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly outlines the research and insight-gathering process used to inform concept development.

• Details the iterative design process, including ideation, sketching, modeling, and refinement phases.

• Illustrates how cross-functional feedback and alignment were incorporated throughout the project lifecycle.

• Documents the creation and presentation of compelling narratives and visual storytelling frameworks.

• Shows how concepts were translated into tangible prototypes or environmental explorations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are central to this role, emphasizing a structured approach to design thinking and execution. Candidates must demonstrate not only creative output but also the strategic process behind it, particularly in translating abstract ideas into concrete visual and physical manifestations. The need for both 2D and 3D examples is critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• The annual base salary for this position ranges from $102,800.00 to $210,000.00.

• Actual salary will be determined based on a candidate's specific location, qualifications, skills, and experience.

Benefits:

• Information about benefits can be accessed via the provided link: https://careers.nike.com/total-rewards.

• Comprehensive benefits package typically includes health insurance (medical, dental, vision), retirement savings plans (e.g., 401k), paid time off, and employee discounts.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work commitment is approximately 40 hours per week.

• While core hours will be established, the role may require flexibility to accommodate global project timelines, cross-functional team needs, and occasional urgent deliverables.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided ($102,800 - $210,000 USD) is for the United States market. Boston, MA, being a major metropolitan area and Converse headquarters, likely falls within the higher end of this range, reflecting higher cost of living and competitive talent market. The range is broad, indicating significant negotiation potential based on candidate experience and specific location within the US.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Athletic Footwear & Apparel, Lifestyle Fashion, Brand Experience. Converse operates within the highly competitive and trend-driven fashion and lifestyle industry, with a strong heritage tied to subcultures and creative expression.

Company Size: Converse is a subsidiary of Nike, a large, multinational corporation. While specific numbers for Converse's internal team structure might vary, the parent company, Nike, Inc., is a Fortune 500 company with tens of thousands of employees globally. This implies access to extensive resources, established corporate structures, and a global reach.

Founded: Converse was founded in 1908. This long history provides a deep brand legacy and a strong foundation for its cultural relevance and product innovation.

Team Structure:

• The Global Concepts Team acts as a central hub, connecting innovation, design, brand storytelling, and marketplace experiences for Converse globally.

• The team is upstream-focused, working on future product direction, brand narratives, and environmental concepts.

• It involves a broad range of creative capabilities, ensuring cohesive end-to-end excellence.

Methodology:

• Insight Translation: The team excels at translating emerging cultural signals, creator insights, and consumer behaviors into visionary product and brand strategies.

• World Building: A core methodology involves creating immersive "brand worlds" that span product, storytelling, and physical/digital experiences.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Emphasis is placed on developing compelling narratives and tangible prototypes to drive alignment and investment from various business and creative functions.

• Collaboration: The team works closely with Product, Design, Brand Creative, Marketing, and Merchandising, often partnering with external agencies to scale creative output.

Company Website: https://www.converse.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The context of Converse as a Nike subsidiary is crucial. It suggests a blend of a distinct brand identity and subculture focus (Converse) with the robust operational framework and resources of a global powerhouse (Nike). The "Global Concepts Team" is positioned as a strategic, forward-thinking unit driving innovation and brand vision.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a "Lead Designer" position, indicating a senior-level individual contributor or a team lead with significant creative influence and project ownership. It requires deep expertise in brand concept development and the ability to guide creative direction for complex, global initiatives.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Designer will report to a senior member of the Global Concepts Team, likely a Director or VP of Brand Concepts or Creative Strategy. They will collaborate extensively with peers and partners across Product, Design, Brand Creative, Marketing, and Merchandising departments.

Operations Impact: The Lead Designer's work directly shapes the future vision and expression of the Converse brand globally. Their concepts influence product development, marketing campaigns, retail environments, and overall brand perception, with the ultimate goal of inspiring creators and consumers and driving marketplace relevance and sales.

Growth Opportunities:

• Creative Leadership: Potential to advance into senior creative leadership roles within the Global Concepts Team or other creative departments at Converse/Nike, managing larger teams and more significant brand initiatives.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas such as experiential design, environmental design, brand narrative strategy, or future-focused trend forecasting.

• Cross-Brand Exposure: As part of Nike, there may be opportunities to contribute to or learn from other brands within the Nike portfolio, broadening experience across different market segments and design philosophies.

• Strategic Influence: The upstream nature of the role allows for significant influence on long-term brand strategy and innovation pipeline.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant potential for career growth, particularly for designers who excel at strategic creative leadership, cross-functional influence, and translating complex ideas into impactful brand expressions within the dynamic fashion and lifestyle industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based at Converse Headquarters in Boston, MA, indicating an on-site work environment. This suggests a collaborative office setting designed to foster creativity, teamwork, and in-person ideation.

Office Location(s): Converse Headquarters, Boston, Massachusetts, United States. This location is a hub for the brand's global operations, design, and strategy teams.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office setting likely encourages regular interaction with diverse teams, including designers, brand strategists, product developers, and marketing professionals, facilitating cross-pollination of ideas.

• Creative Resources: Access to design studios, prototyping labs, material libraries, and digital tools necessary for concept development and visualization.

• Brand Immersion: Being at headquarters provides immersion in the Converse brand culture, access to internal events, and direct engagement with key stakeholders.

• Hybrid Work: While the role is on-site, there may be some flexibility for hybrid arrangements, though the emphasis on collaboration and prototyping suggests regular in-office presence is expected.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time (approximately 40 hours per week). However, given the global nature of the responsibilities and the pace of the industry, there may be an expectation for flexibility to attend meetings or collaborate with teams in different time zones, or to meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Boston emphasizes the importance of in-person collaboration, spontaneous ideation, and hands-on prototyping for this role, which are critical for translating abstract concepts into tangible brand experiences.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role's creative and strategic demands.

• Portfolio Presentation (Round 1): Candidates will likely present their portfolio to a panel of creative leaders and stakeholders, focusing on their design process, methodology, and ability to articulate concepts. Expect questions about specific projects, problem-solving approaches, and how they translate insights into design.

• Cross-Functional Interviews (Round 2): Interviews with partners from Product, Marketing, or Merchandising to assess collaboration skills, understanding of business objectives, and ability to influence diverse teams.

• Leadership Interview (Final Round): A meeting with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, leadership potential, and cultural fit within the Converse Global Concepts team. This may involve a deeper dive into how the candidate would approach specific challenges or contribute to the team's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your methodology across research, concept development, 2D/3D execution, and stakeholder alignment. Prioritize projects that showcase your ability to translate cultural insights into compelling brand experiences.

• Showcase Methodology: Clearly articulate your design process for each project. Use diagrams, flowcharts, and narrative to explain your thinking, problem-solving, and iterative steps.

• Highlight 2D & 3D Integration: Ensure your portfolio includes strong examples of both 2D presentation craft (decks, narratives) and 3D visualization (modeling, rendering, environmental concepts). Explicitly call out your role and contribution in each.

• Quantify Impact (if possible): While design impact can be subjective, try to include any metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the success of your concepts, such as alignment achieved, investment secured, or positive feedback from stakeholders.

• Tell a Story: Frame your projects as narratives. Explain the challenge, your approach, the solution, and the outcome. Make it engaging for the reviewers.

• Tailor to Converse: Research Converse's current brand direction, subcultures, and recent campaigns. Subtly align your portfolio presentation to demonstrate an understanding of their aesthetic and market position.

Challenge Preparation:

• Concept Translation Exercise: Be prepared for a hypothetical scenario where you might be asked to translate a cultural trend or consumer insight into a brand concept for Converse. Practice articulating your thought process and visual approach.

• Presentation Skills: Rehearse your portfolio presentation to ensure it is concise, engaging, and within a given time limit. Practice delivering with confidence and clarity, especially when discussing complex ideas.

• Stakeholder Management: Consider how you would approach gaining buy-in from different departments. Be ready to discuss how you balance creative vision with business feasibility and timelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio and their ability to articulate their design process and strategic thinking. Expect a focus on how candidates translate abstract insights into concrete, compelling brand expressions, and how they collaborate and influence across diverse teams.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• 3D Modeling & Rendering: SketchUp, Rhino, Cinema 4D, Blender (or similar). Essential for visualizing environments, objects, and product explorations.

• 2D Design & Presentation: Keynote (highly emphasized for presentations), Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign – for graphic systems, mood boards, layout), Miro or Figma (for collaborative ideation, mood boards, workflow mapping).

• Prototyping Tools: While not explicitly listed, expect the need to utilize tools or methods for rapid prototyping of physical models or environmental mock-ups.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this design role, but understanding how concepts translate into consumer-facing experiences (e.g., retail, digital marketing) where CRM and automation tools are used is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in specific 3D modeling/rendering and 2D presentation software, particularly Keynote, is a hard requirement. The emphasis on tools like Miro and Figma suggests a collaborative and agile approach to ideation and concept development within the team.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creativity & Innovation: A core value is pushing creative boundaries and developing novel concepts that resonate with subcultures and future trends.

• Cultural Fluency: Deep understanding and appreciation for diverse cultures, subcultures, and emerging trends is paramount.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on being a dedicated teammate, elevating others, and working effectively across creative and business functions.

• Craftsmanship & Clarity: Maintaining high standards of execution and clear communication in all design outputs.

• Builder's Mindset: A proactive, hands-on approach to prototyping ideas and making them tangible.

• Inclusivity & Belonging: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed and valued.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role requires seamless collaboration with Product, Design, Brand Creative, Marketing, and Merchandising teams to ensure concepts are holistic and executable.

• Process Review & Feedback: An open culture for sharing work-in-progress, receiving constructive feedback, and iterating on ideas.

• Agency Partnership: Leading and collaborating effectively with external agencies and creatives to leverage specialized skills and scale creative output.

• Stakeholder Management: Building strong relationships and communicating effectively with senior leadership to gain alignment and secure investment for new concepts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture values a blend of individual creative leadership and strong collaborative spirit, deeply rooted in cultural understanding and a commitment to bringing innovative ideas to life for the Converse brand.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Abstract to Tangible: The primary challenge is bridging the gap between abstract cultural signals and future-facing concepts, and then making these tangible through design and prototypes.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Gaining consensus and buy-in from diverse teams (Product, Marketing, Merchandising) with potentially different priorities and perspectives.

• Global Consistency vs. Local Relevance: Developing brand concepts that maintain global consistency while resonating with diverse regional nuances and subcultures.

• Pace of Cultural Change: Staying ahead of rapidly evolving cultural trends and consumer behaviors to ensure concepts remain relevant and visionary.

• Prototyping Constraints: Balancing the desire for imaginative concepts with the practical realities of feasibility, cost, and timeline for prototyping and eventual product/experience development.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Trend Forecasting & Cultural Insights: Deepen understanding of emerging trends, subcultures, and consumer behavior through internal resources and external research.

• Advanced Design Techniques: Enhance skills in advanced 3D modeling, rendering, and potentially interactive design or virtual/augmented reality applications.

• Strategic Brand Storytelling: Develop expertise in crafting compelling narratives and brand visions that influence business strategy.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and lead creative initiatives, developing leadership capabilities.

• Industry Exposure: Potential to attend industry events, conferences, or workshops related to design, culture, and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant challenges related to strategic foresight, creative translation, and complex stakeholder management. However, these challenges are also opportunities for significant professional growth and development in a leading global brand environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach translating X cultural trend into a brand concept for Converse?" Be ready to walk through your process, from insight gathering to concept visualization and presentation.

• "Describe a time you had to gain alignment on a bold creative idea from stakeholders with differing opinions." Focus on your communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.

• "How do you balance creative vision with business feasibility and product development timelines?" Discuss your understanding of the product creation lifecycle and how you collaborate with cross-functional partners.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about the Converse brand and its position in culture?" Research Converse's history, current campaigns, and target subcultures.

• "How do you foster an inclusive and collaborative team environment?" Align your answer with the company's stated values related to teamwork and belonging.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your unique approach, the execution (showcasing both 2D and 3D work), and the outcome or impact.

• Emphasize Process: Don't just show final images. Explain how you got there. Show your sketches, mood boards, 3D iterations, and presentation drafts.

• Highlight Key Tools: Explicitly mention and demonstrate your proficiency with the required software (SketchUp, Rhino, Keynote, Adobe Suite, Figma, Miro).

• Showcase Leadership: If applicable, highlight instances where you led projects, influenced decisions, or managed teams/agencies.

• Engage Your Audience: Speak passionately about your work. Be prepared for questions and engage in a dialogue, rather than just presenting.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strategic, process-driven approach to creative concept development, strong communication and presentation skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams. The portfolio is the primary tool for showcasing these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Designer, Brand Concepts Global position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Nike Workday careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your submitted portfolio is specifically curated to highlight projects demonstrating your expertise in brand concepts, 2D storytelling, 3D environments, and cross-functional leadership. Tailor the selection and presentation to align with Converse's brand identity and the role's requirements.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 7+ years of progressive design experience, emphasizing achievements in brand elevation, concept development, and leadership. Incorporate keywords from the job description, such as "brand concepts," "world building," "environmental design," "3D modeling," and "presentation craft."

• Interview Preparation: Rehearse your portfolio walkthrough, focusing on explaining your design process, methodology, and how you translate cultural insights into tangible brand expressions. Prepare to discuss your experience with specific software tools and your approach to stakeholder management.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Converse's brand heritage, current marketing efforts, target subcultures, and recent design initiatives. Understand their strategic positioning within Nike and the broader lifestyle market.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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