This job has expired, please see additional jobs below
Senior Director Advanced Concepts
Adidas Group
Portland, OR, United States
Job Details - this job has expired, please see similar jobs below
Senior Director Advanced Concepts Footwear and Apparel
Purpose
Drive revolutionary Innovations for the category, lead the sport into the future; create a vision for sport.
Liaise between Sports Performance and other BU functions regarding strategy/roadmap to fulfill the vision
Create holistic Innovation experiences that span product to retail. Work horizontally to drive, collaborate and communicate concepts.
Key Responsibilities
• Drive and disseminate research in both soft (Psychological) and hard (Technical) innovation. Develop a deep understanding of the sport, and consumer as well as key research. Work with universities, agencies, and partners to stay on the cutting edge of research in the sport.
• Immerse the team in the lives of the consumer to understand their needs, wants, and pain points – be consumer centric.
• Collaborate and communicate with the trend group to understand macro and micro or vertical trends.
• Develop the story of the concept that translates into an innovation experience. Develop and hand over a complete concept story that takes the inline team and ultimately the consumer on a journey.
• Work with Technology partners to find new materials, techniques, constructions, and solutions for consumer pain points and to fulfill needs and desires.
• Steer the category Future team to fulfill innovation stories and experiences to hit all deadlines.
• Work with other BU functions to create concept launch plans, lifecycle, and business models and plans (if needed).
• Unite Sports Performance team including design, engineering, research, and project management toward a common goal.
• Ensure the transition of projects to other BU functions smoothly and consult if needed.
• Drive the testing of products and materials for quality, fit, wear, and biomechanical properties to fulfill adidas standards.
• Be the spokesperson for specific innovation for internal communication as well as outside media.
• Manage a team and develop their functional and social skills using available resources to create a top performing team.
Key Relationships
• All BU functions
• Future group competencies
• Global Consumer Insight
• Trend group
• External partners – universities, agencies, factories, and suppliers
• Athlete Services
• Athletes and consumers
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Leadership – Visionary thinking – ability to envision the future of the sport. Create and inspire a vision and a strategy to achieve it.
• Provide a framework for performance to the team to achieve the vision and strategy.
• Display analytical and strategic thought in decision-making.
• Effective and consistent collaboration and communication within a cross-functional team and cultivates strong cross-functional relationships.
• Display a deep understanding of the consumer, the market and trends associated that shows a category specific competency.
• Strong analytical, process and organizational skills.
• Experience and understanding of marketing principles
• Ability to manage and motivate a diverse and highly skilled/educated team as well as develop them through talent management and personal development plans. Aid in mentoring and identifying career paths.
• Understanding of the product creation process and costing
• Very strong presentation and communication skills – internal and external (media, university, and agency partners)
• Ability to travel
• Ability to manage a budget
• Ability to manage change
• Fearless and risk taking – ability to learn from mistakes, challenge the status quo
• Confident in conflict resolution
• Positive and productive – positive team culture, and inspires creativity
• Persuader and motivator
• Fluent in English (spoken and written)
Qualifications
1. Bachelor degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university in a relevant Design subject or equivalent relevant industry experience
2. Minimum of 10 years practical experience in a relevant area
3. Minimum of 5 years of management including team leadership