VP SCM Strategy and Digital Solutions

at  Adidas

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organisation:
The VP SCM Strategy & Digital Solutions plays a pivotal role in our organization, serving as a strategic partner to the global SVP Supply Chain Management (SCM) and the global SCM Senior Leadership Team (SLT). This role is instrumental in ensuring the efficient functioning and alignment of SCM’s operations with its strategic vision. By providing critical support, guidance, and coordination, the role enhances leadership effectiveness, fosters cross-functional collaboration, facilitates communication, establishes and drives strategic plans and initiatives, and therefore enables the achievement of our organizational goals.
Critical capabilities that form part of the position holder’s team include SCM-related Transformation, Strategy, Innovation, Project & Program Management, as well as Business Enablement, Capability-development, Supply Chain Intelligence and Digital Solutions on a global level, incl. large-scale Technology Programs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Advisor: Provide high-level strategic counsel to the SVP SCM and the SLT, enabling decision-making, priority setting, and goal attainment.
• Transformation Leadership: Spearhead SCM-specific transformational initiatives and key projects, incl. large-scale technology programs, ensuring they are planned, structured, resourced and executed effectively. Connect the function to enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Digital Enablement: Own product-led setup and drive the formulation and alignment of SCM technology and product strategies with adidas’ broader agenda, incl. management of budgets and project portfolios.
• Supply Chain Intelligence: Guide team that creates data-driven analytics and insights based on SCM strategy, ensuring goal setting, performance measurement, and scenario planning.
• Communication Facilitation: Serve as a central point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, enhancing communication and information flow.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Foster collaboration between departments, teams, and leaders to drive cohesive and coordinated efforts.
• Governance: Establish the leadership drumbeat for SCM on behalf of the SVP SCM, including preparing and coordinating key meetings and leadership alignments as well as target-setting and decision-making frameworks.
• Risk Management: Lead risk assessment and mitigation as well as business continuity and crisis management in close collaboration with peers and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Capability Building: Ensure future success by driving innovation and capability building programs to continuously evolve and support SCM strategy and transformation.

Key Relationships:

• SCM SLT members and their teams in global functions and markets
• Leaders of other functions across adidas
• Human Resources
• Finance
• Procurement
• External SMEs and providers

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strategic Thinker: Strong ability to think critically, analyze complex issues, and develop structured, innovative solutions across diverse set of capabilities.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey ideas clearly and concisely.
• Leadership: Proven leadership skills, including the ability to influence and collaborate effectively and to build, motivate and inspire direct teams as well as wider SCM population.
• Political Savvy: High level of comfort interacting with executive management; ability to get things done in complex organization.
• Dealing with Ambiguity: Adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity; high stress, crisis & conflict resilience.
• Project Management: Proficiency in project management principles, methods and tools.
• Digital Literacy: Affinity for organizational processes as well as interdependencies with and implications on existing and future digital solutions.
• Problem-Solving: Exceptional problem-solving, judgement and decision-making capabilities.
• E2E SCM Expertise: Successful leadership track-record in Global Operations and SCM across multiple disciplines.

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, or a related field (Master’s/MBA preferred).
• 12+ years of experience in leadership roles, several years’ experience at SLT level.
• International experience is required, ideally having lived and worked in multiple countries.
• Ideally experience in various SCM functions in global and market roles.
• Proven track record of successful leadership of large-scale programs and strategic planning.
• Prior experience in executive support and project oversight is highly desirable.

• Strategic Advisor: Provide high-level strategic counsel to the SVP SCM and the SLT, enabling decision-making, priority setting, and goal attainment.
• Transformation Leadership: Spearhead SCM-specific transformational initiatives and key projects, incl. large-scale technology programs, ensuring they are planned, structured, resourced and executed effectively. Connect the function to enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Digital Enablement: Own product-led setup and drive the formulation and alignment of SCM technology and product strategies with adidas’ broader agenda, incl. management of budgets and project portfolios.
• Supply Chain Intelligence: Guide team that creates data-driven analytics and insights based on SCM strategy, ensuring goal setting, performance measurement, and scenario planning.
• Communication Facilitation: Serve as a central point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, enhancing communication and information flow.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Foster collaboration between departments, teams, and leaders to drive cohesive and coordinated efforts.
• Governance: Establish the leadership drumbeat for SCM on behalf of the SVP SCM, including preparing and coordinating key meetings and leadership alignments as well as target-setting and decision-making frameworks.
• Risk Management: Lead risk assessment and mitigation as well as business continuity and crisis management in close collaboration with peers and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Capability Building: Ensure future success by driving innovation and capability building programs to continuously evolve and support SCM strategy and transformation