Director Footwear Development - Originals

Purpose

Leads and manages a team of product developers in the creation and commercialization of footwear for Originals Culture Collabs and Partnerships. Individual will work closely with internal and external Designers, and inline off-calendar teams to develop pinnacle products. Actively monitors development calendars to ensure deadlines, costing KPIs and quality standards are met. Acts as an advocate for product integrity by working closely with cross functional creation center teams as well as all related support services. Person is a champion for product and material innovation/exploration.

 

Key Responsibilities

Ensure achievement of goals and objectives set by the business unit through partnership with Marketing and Design

Proactively communicate on an on-going basis with team, supervisors and cross functional teams to ensure a smooth product development process

Provide direction and inspire the team to ensure both the creation and commercialization processes are synergized with focus on results

Research new technologies and materials and communicate to Design and Marketing on new potential development options

Work closely with off-calendar team to drive new constructions and materials to be adopted in seasonal product

Drive and execute key initiatives and provide input to short, mid and long term planning and budgeting

Coordinate with Sourcing Team to review product needs and to determine appropriate sourcing direction based on quality, delivery and price

Supervise the costing process to achieve the best possible cost throughout the creation process

Communicate to internal and external teams seasonal product initiatives, process changes and longer-term category vision

Ensure continuous product and process improvement with emphasis on developing products in accordance with the operating calendar

Be responsible for Buy Ready/CWA performance through strong interfaces with Marketing, Design,

Materials Development, pattern and Tooling (Technical Services, Materials, Merchandising and Production)

Be responsible for monitoring and continuously improving workload and organizational efficiency

Allocate/delegate the different products/projects to the respective development teams considering experience, product complexity and workload

Lead the seasonal pre-allocation process based on service and product needs

Provide team with clear direction, projects and targets that are aligned with business needs and Global Product Operations objectives

Create a motivational and supportive work environment in which employees are challenged, coached, trained and provided with career opportunities

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Strong communication (both written and verbal) and facilitation (small and large groups) skills

Ability to deliver effective and persuasive presentations on complex topics to diverse audiences

Ability to think strategically, anticipate and define problems, synthesize complex data and develop innovative solutions

Ability to think end-to-end with a global mindset

Ability to manage through change, make decisions and act comfortably with risk and uncertainty

Ability to provide a clear framework for performance to direct reports

Ability to coach, guide, manage and develop a team

Good understanding of sourcing allocation impact on product from a quality and cost perspective

Fluent in English (written and spoken)

Strong IT skills (MS office, PDM, CAD )

Travel, domestic and international as required by business needs

 

Qualifications

Four-year college or university degree with emphasis on clothing technology and/or manufacturing

Minimum 10-15 years of progressive work experience in the footwear, apparel and textile industry, experience in both Brand HQs and Asia

10-15 years of experience in Merchandising, Production and Development

5-10 years of experience managing a team

 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at adidas means championing individual uniqueness and cultivating a culture of belonging in which everyone can create at their best.  We embrace diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives and seek to create a workforce that reflects our consumers and communities. adidas offers robust and progressive medical, including HSA (Health Savings Account) with employer funding or FSA (Flexible Spending Account) options, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, adoption, with surrogate and fertility support, short and long-term disability, and basic life and AD&D insurance, which can be supplemented with employee-paid coverage. Employees are able to enroll in adidas’ 401k plan and Stock Purchase Plan with employer match. Full-time employees are eligible for education assistance and generous Leave policies includi