Senior Manager Material Development (m/f/d)- Apparel/Materials Creation

at  Adidas

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:
We’ll never launch a product unless we consider it perfect. Our product operations teams create every shirt, every shoe and every piece of equipment for thousands of athletes and fashion lovers as if it was one of a kind. And it truly is, as they weave their passion into every single product. But translating designs, drawings and renderings into real products requires a lot of decision making.
As Senior Manager Material Development (TL) you will support the product creation process by providing commercially relevant, new and innovative materials that meet the required timelines, target price and quality/performance standards and are aligned with compliance requirements and the sourcing strategy. You will lead a team of development experts who will own and govern the materials portfolio and will develop new materials to enhance the offer as needed.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own the material portfolio of the respective technical category and work in close collaboration with the Material Strategy and Innovation team to ensure material developments meet commercial needs as well as efficiency targets
• Ensure material developments meet adidas quality and performance requirements, competitive price points, availability expectations and compliance requirements and are aligned with the adidas sourcing and overall strategy
• Give input into the improvement of material development processes and required system optimization
• Implement strategic direction for Materials Development & Governance
• Maintain overview of competitor materials and supply base offer within respective technical category
• Support advanced product creation with new technologies and components.
• Complement (validation of ) BU briefs with technical requirements and work with suppliers on the best solution to meet the demand.
• Ensure material developments of respective technical category meet required timelines, price points, lead times, quality, performance and aesthetic expectations and are compliant to external legislation and internal policies.
• Support the continuous improvement and alignment of material creation processes and data standards
• Own material ( set up direction of the ) portfolio and drive material consolidation (strategy) and efficiencies within respective technical category
• Ensure material development allocation within respective technical category is aligned with sourcing strategy and supplier capabilities
• Maintain close relationship to supply base and their capabilities to provide input into material sourcing strategy

People Management:

• Manage team members by providing clear direction/targets and creating a motivational and supportive work environment in which employees are coached, trained, and provided with career opportunities through development

Key Relationships:

• T1 and T2 supply partners
• Quality & Testing
• Costing
• Creative Direction
• Planning
• AC development
• Materials Sourcing
• Human Resources
• Legal
• Materials Creation

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced knowledge and technical understanding of materials, that are relevant for the sporting goods industry
• Ability to effectively communicate (both written and verbal) at all levels of the organization and to lead discussion in small and larger groups, including strong presentation skills
• Fluent English (verbal and written)
• Willingness and ability to travel, domestic or international, as required
• Continuous learning/growth mindset
• Advanced planning and organization skills, ability to multi-task and manage priorities.
• Ability to manage various projects simultaneously and implement changes

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• Four-year college or university degree in materials engineering, mechanical engineering or comparable degree/education related to Footwear Materials and/or Apparel Materials.
• Minimum 4 years of progressive experience in the footwear and/or apparel industries with emphasis on material innovation, development and/or manufacturing.
• First people management experience required.

• Own the material portfolio of the respective technical category and work in close collaboration with the Material Strategy and Innovation team to ensure material developments meet commercial needs as well as efficiency targets
• Ensure material developments meet adidas quality and performance requirements, competitive price points, availability expectations and compliance requirements and are aligned with the adidas sourcing and overall strategy
• Give input into the improvement of material development processes and required system optimization
• Implement strategic direction for Materials Development & Governance
• Maintain overview of competitor materials and supply base offer within respective technical category
• Support advanced product creation with new technologies and components.
• Complement (validation of ) BU briefs with technical requirements and work with suppliers on the best solution to meet the demand.
• Ensure material developments of respective technical category meet required timelines, price points, lead times, quality, performance and aesthetic expectations and are compliant to external legislation and internal policies.
• Support the continuous improvement and alignment of material creation processes and data standards
• Own material ( set up direction of the ) portfolio and drive material consolidation (strategy) and efficiencies within respective technical category
• Ensure material development allocation within respective technical category is aligned with sourcing strategy and supplier capabilities
• Maintain close relationship to supply base and their capabilities to provide input into material sourcing strateg