What you will do

• Support the rollout of Visual Merchandising programs in South East Europe, ensuring alignment with EU direction while adapting to local priorities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, Brand, and Omnichannel Activation to drive consistent brand experiences across all consumer touchpoints.
• Translate seasonal commercial and brand strategies into compelling in-store visual execution at both category and product levels.
• Support the implementation of the seasonal VM Calendar, aligned with key commercial milestones and campaign launches.
• Support the seasonal VM upskilling plan for internal & external teams.
• Support store openings and remodels with VM planning and execution, ensuring alignment with brand and commercial goals.
• Define VM requirements for Retail Space Management (RSM) solutions and manage branded space negotiations & set up planning in line with global guidelines and stakeholder input.
• Manage relationships with external VM agencies to ensure high-quality, cost-effective execution and program evolution.
• Act as a support partner during the seasonal sell-in process to ensure alignment of VM priorities.
• Use data and performance insights to continuously improve the effectiveness of VM activities.
• Contribute in developing a high-performing external team and partner network, ensuring leadership, engagement, and delivery excellence.

Skills you will need

• 3 or more years of experience in Visual Merchandising, ideally within a multi-country retail or wholesale environment.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple stakeholders and priorities. Strategic thinker with an eye for detail and execution excellence.
• Ability to translate global direction into effective local activation.
• Experience managing external partners or agencies.
• Strong analytical skills to measure impact and drive continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Excellent command of English, both written and verbal.

Life at adidas

• Competitive compensation
• Annual bonus
• Private life and health insurance
• Hybrid working model
• Monthly meal tickets
• Employee discount on adidas products
• Employee Assistance Program (personal counselling on variety of topics)
• Laptop & mobile

PURPOSE & OVERALL RELEVANCE FOR THE ORGANIZATION

As Manager Global Continuous Improvement, you will be responsible for guiding and mentoring adidas SCM teams in Kaizen and Continuous Improvement activities. You will ensure adidas operational basics are in place across all warehouses of our own and sub-contracted network globally in collaboration with market CI teams. The role incorporates collaboration with the community of Lean Ambassadors based in our warehouses.

The Manager Continuous Improvement (CI) drives the development, implementation, and sustainment of CI practices across Global Supply Chain. This role ensures operational excellence through the application of lean methodologies, Kaizen, and data-driven improvements in E2E SCM. The position partners with GSCM stakeholders, DC leadership, operations, and cross-functional stakeholders to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, improve service levels, and foster a culture of continuous improvement & Kaizen across the network.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the deployment of CI strategies, methodologies, and frameworks across Global SCM
• Facilitate and coach Large scale Kaizen events- 3-Day/5-Day, workshops, and problem-solving sessions to drive measurable improvements in safety, quality, productivity, and cost in E2E SCM
• Establish performance dashboards and KPIs to track, analyze, and report CI initiatives and outcomes.
• Partner with SCM leaders and regional teams to identify opportunities, prioritize initiatives, and ensure execution of improvement roadmaps.
• Build and sustain a CI culture by training, mentoring, and engaging SCM employees at all levels.
• Ensure knowledge sharing and best practice exchange across the distribution network and wider GSCM Community including back-office functions
• Collaborate with engineering, automation, and global distribution excellence team to scale solutions and innovations.
• Support change management activities during DC transformation projects, system implementations, and network expansions.
• Align with global and Market Supply Chain strategies, ensuring CI efforts contribute to strategic goals (service, speed, cost, sustainability).

Kaizen events & Kaizen Funnel mgmt

• Drive high-impact Kaizen events and maintaining the Global Kaizen Funnel
• Establishing Problem solving culture with TPI-Transactional process improvement
• Deployment of Daily mgmt/Visual mgmt using SQCDP principle
• Guiding teams in refinement of Kaizen Chart, Kaizen pre-work and facilitation of Kaizen events at Gemba with Executive Report out
• Focus on sustainment of Kaizen events with 30-60-90 day principle
• Tracking and monitoring of TTI Bowler chart and conducting RCA for key misses

Adidas Performance Eco System (PeS)

• Support the Director Global CI to improve and apply PeS – a framework combined with a global toolbox to drive the continuous improvement Kaizen culture on the shop floor
• Roll out and monitor the PeS globally in close collaboration with market CI; create lighthouses
• Influence/coach SCM leadership to embrace performance and continuous improvement culture; vulgarize Kaizen to drive high acceptance among GSCM community
• Coordinate training, coaching, and mentoring in continuous improvement concepts and techniques via the community of Lean Ambassadors (Global CI Community)
• Work with market teams to drive continuous improvement roadmap with Kaizens
• Developing and owning strategic plan initiatives for Policy deployment/Goal deployment

CI Learning, Certified Community & Best Practices

• Train and coach our community of Lean Ambassadors and wider GSCM Community for Kaizen/CI/Lean toolbox
• Engage in the identification and scaling up of best practices across the regions with your peers and the global community of Lean Ambassadors

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Director Global Continuous Improvement
• Regional SCM Heads
• Local DC Operations Management
• SCM functions
• Lean Ambassadors
• Finance/Controlling
• Regional Project Management team
• Engineering and IT teams
• 3PL providers
• External consultants (as needed)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Hands on knowledge with application of Lean/Kaizen/CI tools like 5S,Value Stream Mapping,Root Cause Analysis, Hoshin Kanri, Visual mgmt.,DMAIC-Six Sigma, SAFe-Lean Agile etc.
• Practical experience of Business mgmt. systems/Production systems like TPS etc.
• Great expertise of operational performance management, Lean, Continuous Improvement principles applied in e2e Supply Chain
• Demonstrated experience in running large scale Kaizen events of 3-Day/5-Day
• Ability to travel, domestic or international, as required (50% or more as required)
• Stakeholder Management on all levels
• Pro-active (engaging & impact-oriented) mindset, ability to think end-to-end with a global mindset
• Ability to lead and influence without formal reporting line
• Ability to think strategically, synthesize complex data and develop innovative solutions
• Ability to be self-directed while working under tight deadlines
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with different international cultures
• Strong communication, facilitation and presentation skills to all levels of the organization
• Demonstrated project management skills
• Strong communication (both written and verbal) and facilitation skills (small and large groups) especially when interacting with different levels of business
• Fluent English (verbal and written) at C level
• Foreign language skills: Additional language skills like Spanish/German/Mandarin etc. would be preferred
• Strong MS-Office skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), MS Visio, Power BI, MS SharePoint, Smartsheets etc.

REQUISITE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE / MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent academic track record with Bachelors degree in Mechanical/Industrial
• Engineering/Production Engineering with focus on Lean management
• Excellent academic track record with MBA from renowned Business School would be preferred
• Education as a certified Lean Leader or Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. Lean Six Sigma Black Belt would be preferred
• Industry recognized certification in Project management like PMI-PMP, IPMA or PRINCE2
• Industry recognized certification in Change mgmt. like PROSCI etc. would be preferred
• Minimum 3-5+ year experience in managing remote teams
• Willingness to travel globally for Kaizen events, in-house consulting (50% or more as required)
• Minimum 5+ year experience in applying Lean, Kaizen, continuous improvement concepts in End-2-End Supply Chain
• Experience working in logistics or in manufacturing operations with focus on Kaizen/Lean/CI activities
• Experience working in international setup with cross-functional teams including collaboration with senior leadership in a fast-paced environment
• Professional experience working in foreign countries and strong intercultural competence would be an added advantage
• Consultation/coaching competency-problem solving attitude, coaching skills, change mgmt

Contributes to meeting or exceeding store sales and profit targets by:

• Passionately inspiring consumer loyalty to the brand
• Diligently executing store operations, with a special focus on selected functional areas to contribute to meeting or exceeding sales and KPIs (Sales, Operations, People, Visuals)

Key Accountabilities:

• Allocates resources and organizes processes within assigned area of responsibility to drive efficiency and productivity in a variety of situations.
• Create an appealing, easy-to-shop environment for customers by coordinating the team to consistently execute visual merchandising and housekeeping standards in assigned area of responsibility.
• Ensures the product offer available to customers is maximized in assigned area of responsibility by coordinating product replenishment from the stockroom to the sales floor.
• Minimizes loss by implementing, monitoring, and tracking all loss prevention activities.
• Maintains a safe shopping and working environment by ensuring company policy and procedures are adhered to within assigned area of responsibility.
• Motivates and inspires individuals within area of responsibility to maximize and drive a performance culture.
• Provides in the moment feedback to team members to continue our culture of feedback.
• Raise all escalations to appropriate store manager.
• Is a role model for customer service and boosts sales and Brand experience by using advanced sales techniques and appropriate elements of the adidas customer service model.
• Acts as a resource to associates on product knowledge and complex customer service situations
• Uses strong category knowledge and enthusiasm for the Brand to drive sales and customer loyalty.
• Acts as a Brand Ambassador, consistently exhibiting the Brand Attitude and Values
• Adheres to all established policies and procedures

Knowledge, Capabilities and Experience:

• Must possess and consistently exhibit the competencies relative to the position.
• Skilled in operating personal computers, POS systems, and various software packages including MS office.
• Ability to learn and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to operate independently and with discretion and work effectively under pressure.
• Demonstrates an inspirational attitude that contributes to a positive team environment.
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with team members
• Well-developed ability to speak, read, comprehend, and write English
• Ability to maintain reliable and consistent attendance and punctuality.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical Requirements:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee may occasionally be required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl.
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED)
• Must be 18 years or older
• Minimum 12 months experience working in a retail environment.
• Advanced selling experience and comprehensive product, retail and industry understanding

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

The Financial Planning & Analysis for& FranchiseEurope

The Financial Planning & Analysis Specialist will play a pivotal role in supporting and innovating financial planning & analysis processes, procedures, tools, and methodologies by harnessing the benefits of Power BI and other advanced technologies to generate business insights. The individual in this position will contribute to our digital finance transformation and promote a modern planning and analysis mindset within the Europe Finance community.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute budgeting, forecasting, cost monitoring and month end closing processes ensuring data quality and integrity across various systems and tools, with a focus on Retail& FranchiseEurope
• Facilitate the establishment of transparency and improvement in quality in budgeting, forecasting, cost monitoring and month end closing processes, while contributing to the integrity of these activities.
• Ensure data mechanization and daily/ monthly maintenance of the information in the reporting / planning systems
• Ensure the seamless operation of daily business activities by taking ownership of related responsibilities.
• Continuously seek opportunities to enhance daily tasks to optimize controlling, financial planning and analysis (FP&A), and overall financial execution, thereby facilitating improved sharing of key financial information.
• Execute standardized reporting and conduct ad-hoc analyses as required.
• Oversee cost centers and provide support to cost center managers in all financial matters, including investment and recruitment requests, as well as cost recharges.
• Manage and support small-scale projects, assisting in the implementation of findings and ensuring the sustainability of achievements.

Key Relationships

• Europe Finance FP&A community
• Retail& FranchiseEuropeBusiness Partner teams
• Accounting
• GBS Chennai

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong financial acumen
• Technical proficiency: Advanced skills in MS Office, particularly Excel, as well as SAP S/4HANA, SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC), and Power BI
• Proficient in reading, writing, and communicating in English within a business context
• Demonstrates meticulous attention to detail and a strong customer orientation
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities
• Proven history of successful collaboration in global, multinational projects
• Cultural sensitivity and openness to working in diverse business environments
• Capable of maintaining composure and effectiveness under stress and pressure, particularly when managing high workloads and meeting deadlines.

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications

• University degree (Bachelor, Master, MBA) in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or similar

• 1-3 plus years relevant work experience as CPA or equivalent
• Broad and deep theoretical understanding of job function