Senior Manager Athlete Product Excellence

PURPOSE & OVERALL RELEVANCE FOR THE ORGANISATION

Create, operate and continuously elevate world‑class services for elite Golf athletes through comprehensive athlete assessments, product engineering and end‑to‑end product creation for customized products - ensuring our contracted partners can perform at the highest level.

Incorporate elite athletes’ testing and feedback into the inline product creation process and innovative concepts to support the development of world-leading performance products.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

People

• Lead and contribute significantly to NAM and Global Athlete Product Excellence (APEX) team objectives, projects and targets.
• Proactively influence cross-category learning within the APEX team.

Service

• Plan and manage product related athlete visits & support brand induction activities at adidas locations (i.e. Carlsbad, Portland) and on the road, in close cooperation with Sports Marketing & BU.

• Travel to meet athletes frequently. Open and transparent communication with all involved adidas entities is required.

• Build authentic relationships to enable honest, collaborative product feedback from athletes and their professional and medical teams (coaches, doctors, etc.).

• Support adidas athletes prior to major sports events and ensure they have the best possible product to perform. Support operational needs, including occasional lifting, transporting and organizing of materials and equipment.
• Collaborate closely with Sports Marketing to conceptualize and install a support function during major sports events for the respective category (i.e. APEX Event unit, Quick reaction setup, training camp visits, …).

Product

• Lead development of custom athlete footwear & APEX projects end to end including briefing, modification discussions, distribution from the factory to the athletes, confirmation of modifications, and tracking updates to ensure on-field activation.

• Expert knowledge in product creation process to generate elite athlete product Insights and to create custom footwear and apparel for all contracted athletes according to their individual needs.
• Expert in determining the needs and specific requirements of the athlete for product customization (performance, fit & comfort, and rehabilitation) in close cooperation with Inline and APEX teams.
• Educate and train external partners on adidas products to improve their quality of feedback and create an understanding of adidas technologies.
• Gain general product feedback on competitor activities & product on pro level.

Process

• Lead the integration of elite athlete insights and validated product testing into the adidas Inline and Innovation creation process, strategically collaborating with BU, Development, and Design to continuously enhance performance products.

• Plan upcoming seasons and new product rollouts with all entities involved (Sports Marketing, BU, APEX, etc.).
• Cooperate closely with BU on footwear and apparel to develop and test all respective inline products with elite athletes.
• Document and evaluate gained knowledge and forward validated product feedback to the BU for future learnings during relevant development milestones.
• Proactively support Inline Operations and factory partners by providing information required for seasonal planning and forecasting.
• Plan and manage the operational business including the maintenance of athletes’ data and feedback.
• Support supervisor in driving projects, creating advanced presentations and/or training protocols.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Work closely with all category partners and contracted athletes.
• Collaborate and communicate with external parties (contracted athletes, athlete management, coaches, medical staff) to positively influence the perception of adidas products in the respective category.
• Respective Business Units (Marketing, Design, Development, Sports Marketing, Innovation).

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Passion for sports in general and in-depth knowledge of the responsible categories
• Knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics (e.g. functional assessment and profiling; sport-specific movements, wear pattern and injuries; treatment specification)
• Expert product creation knowledge (e.g. materials, components, modifications, technologies, assembly)

• Excellent analytical, presentation, communication, interpersonal and influencing skills

• Experience in project management. Advanced ability to effectively and proactively manage multiple priority projects on various timelines
• Strong problem solving and result oriented skills
• IT (MS office – advanced; knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, Rhino and data analysis is a plus)
• Excellent English skills (additional language is a plus)
• Relationship management and ability to influence others
• Ability to work individually, with a high degree of flexibility
• Frequent domestic and international travel (average approximately 25%)

REQUISITE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE / MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 6 years of relevant job experience in the sporting goods industry
• Experience working with Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers within global sourcing environments is an advantage
• Experience working with high level athletes is an advantage
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience: Engineering science (e.g. Sports Engineering, Sports Science, Biomechanics, …) or medical degree (e.g. Sports Medicine, Pedorthist, Rehabilitation Science, …) -- Graduate degree (Master’s or PhD) an advantage.

• 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 including 12 weeks of paid parental leave. ​
• Employees are eligible to earn an annual bonus based on both company and personal performance. Employees accrue prorated flexible time off in the amount .4388 hours per day that increases with years of service, twelve paid holidays throughout the calendar year and Service Time Off during milestone years.
• The anticipated low and high end of the base pay range for this position is $117,500 - $160,000. Actual salary will be based on various factors, such as a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills and competencies, proficiency for the role.​
• At adidas we offer a Hybrid work policy which requires attendance in the office Monday through Thursday, with the flexibility to work remotely on Friday each week. For work requiring a high degree of collaboration or an in-person presentation, in-office attendance is required even on Friday. The working location of this position is Carlsbad, California.​
• Though our teammates hail from all corners of the world, our working language is English.

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.