Director, Software Engineering (Remote Work Option)

p background in software development and team leadership. The ideal candidate brings over 12 years of hands-on experience in software development, with a robust foundation in distributed systems, cloud-native architectures, artificial intelligence and machine learning systems, and data platforms. In addition, you will have a minimum of 5 years leading engineering teams, demonstrating a strong track record in hiring exceptional talent, mentoring individuals, and fostering professional growth. You thrive in dynamic, collaborative environments and have consistently delivered reliable, high-impact data platforms and services at scale-driving initiatives that make a global impact.

What You'll Work On

• Take the lead in managing and growing multiple software engineering teams dedicated to architecting, developing, and maintaining robust data platforms and enterprise-scale services.

• Champion the design and implementation of software development kits (SDKs), application programming interfaces (APIs), and microservices that address complex data and analytics needs across the organization.

• Forge strong partnerships with product managers, architects, and engineering leaders to develop and execute a forward-thinking technical roadmap that supports Nike's business objectives.

• Maintain a high bar for engineering excellence by enforcing best practices in software development, data governance, and observability across all teams.

• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and improvement, encouraging teams to adopt new technologies, patterns, and engineering approaches. Be a mentor to teams and set high standards for engineering excellence.

• Ensure that all engineering initiatives are strategically aligned with Nike's broader goals, including modernization, optimizing cloud costs, and upholding robust data governance standards.

• Provide transparent and regular updates to senior leadership on team progress, challenges encountered, and measurable outcomes achieved, ensuring accountability and visibility.

• Embrace and embody Nike's core values (maxims) in your work and interactions with peers, stakeholders, and direct reports. Model clarity and accountability as a leader of Nike. Communicate effectively, build trust and strong relationships across the company, do the right thing.

Skillset Required

• PhD, Masters or Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training.

• A proven technical leader with deep knowledge and experience in delivering production grade software at scale. Able to dive deep into code and architecture to provide an informed opinion on benefits/trade-offs of different design choices.

• At least 12 years of experience in software development, with a strong foundation in distributed systems, cloud-native architectures, and data platforms.

• More than 5 years of hands-on leadership experience directing engineering teams, with concrete success in hiring top talent, mentoring team members, and fostering their professional growth and development.

• Expertise in at least one leading cloud platform, such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), or Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), with a thorough understanding of their ecosystem and capabilities.

• Extensive practical experience with state-of-the-art technologies in the AIML space, fluency in open-source technologies and impact of standardized platforms. Ability to make build versus buy decisions for AIML tools and technologies.

• A strong grasp of data pipeline frameworks, in-depth knowledge of metadata management, and comprehensive understanding of data governance controls to ensure data quality, security, and compliance.

• A strong familiarity with agentic workflow and current developments in the AI/LLM application landscape.

• A proven track record of delivering services and solutions that are both scalable and high-impact, addressing business-critical needs with reliability and efficiency.

• Exceptional communication skills, enabling effective collaboration across diverse teams and excellent stakeholder management to build consensus and drive initiatives forward.

• Well-developed strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate overarching business strategies into actionable, measurable engineering objectives that guide technical work.

• A demonstrated ability to inspire and motivate others, driving positive change in the areas of solution architecture, technical delivery, and ongoing process improvement.

• A passionate, lifelong learner who actively seeks out and embraces new technologies, development patterns, and best practices, always striving to stay ahead of industry trends.

• Experience operating within large, complex organizations or under scaled Agile methodologies, adapting to evolving requirements and delivering high-value outcomes in such environments.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.