Category Director Sportswear APP - BU Sportswear & Training (m/f/d)
PURPOSE & OVERALL RELEVANCE FOR THE ORGANISATION
Recognize sport and consumer insights
Heavily influence category direction and drive its implementation
Reduce strategies to tactical plans
Steer a cross-functional product creation team to deliver the category vision
Lead and develop the category team
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Manage a team and develop their functional and social skills using available resources to create a top performing team
- Set and manage strategic category direction; ensure cross-functional alignment
- Identify new business opportunities to drive innovation and / or commerciality
- Develop an "all for one attitude" within the team to ensure smooth cooperation with interlinked departments
- Have full understanding of the product creation process to drive it forward
- Be a role model for all team members in regards to strategic direction and the product creation process
- Show leadership through living the brand values while fostering a performance culture
- Manage and develop optimum relationship with cross-functional teams and with interlinked departments to enable an efficient product creation process
- Challenge the cross-functional team to ensure creation of industry leading products
- Analyse and report category business performance to ensure achievement of category KPIs
- Positively represent the category both internally and externally
- Work with the CtC (Concept to Consumer), Brand Marketing and Sports Marketing teams throughout the season to define strategic marketing direction
- Be a competent partner for category and ranging discussions with markets and retailers
- Define projects to optimize category performance and steer to conclusion
- Build an understanding of product information systems and the interlinking functions – clarity on respective timelines
- Personnel managed – yes Budget managed – no
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
- Steer a strong relationship and ensure constant dialogue/feedback with
- Your category across all functions, other categories and creation centers (if appl.)
- Cross-functional team (Design, Development, CtC, Materials, Costing, Planning)
- Markets and relevant key retailers
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Manage a team to create industry leading products
- Inspire, coach and lead; set framework for performance and growth
- In-depth knowledge of respective product category
- Advanced analytical skills, be solution driven and result oriented, strong business orientation
- Ability to thrive in a fast paced environment
- Strong communication skills
- Lateral thinking and challenge status quo
- Profound consumer, market and retail knowledge especially in regards to different needs of different countries/ regions
- Step up to conflicts and work towards a diplomatic solution
- Execute change management
- Cooperate effectively to maintain and develop trustful relationships
- Ability to travel
- Passion for sports
- College degree, preferably in marketing/business /textile/fashion
- Minimum of 7 years Product Marketing experience with APP, FTW , ACC or comparable background
- First experience in managing and developing direct reports
- Strong leadership skills
- Experience in trade or sales is helpful
- Fluent in English
- PC skills (MS Office programs)
AT ADIDAS WE HAVE A WINNING CULTURE. BUT TO WIN, PHYSICAL POWER IS NOT ENOUGH. JUST LIKE ATHLETES OUR EMPLOYEES NEED MENTAL STRENGTH IN THEIR GAME. WE FOSTER THE ATHLETE’S MINDSET THROUGH A SET OF BEHAVIORS THAT WE WANT TO ENABLE AND DEVELOP IN OUR PEOPLE AND THAT ARE AT THE CORE OF OUR UNIQUE COMPANY CULTURE: THIS IS HOW WE WIN WHILE PLAYING FAIR.
- COURAGE: Speak up when you see an opportunity; step up when you see a need..
- OWNERSHIP: Pick up the ball. Be proactive, take responsibility and follow-through.
- INNOVATION: Elevate to win. Be curious, test and learn new and better ways of doing things.
- TEAMPLAY: Win together. Work collaboratively and cultivate a shared mindset.
- INTEGRITY: Play by the rules. Hold yourself and others accountable to our company’s standards.
- RESPECT: Value all players. Display empathy, be inclusive and show dignity to all.
adidas celebrates diversity, supports inclusiveness and encourages individual expression in our workplace. We do not tolerate the harassment or discrimination toward any of our applicants or employees. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.