Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

At adidas, we have a clear purpose: “Through sport, we have the power to change lives.” This guiding principle shapes how we operate as a company, how we collaborate with our partners, how we create our products, and how we connect with our consumers. Our values represent essential behaviours and mindsets, reflecting the “You Got This” attitude we strive to see in every team member.

This same purpose and mindset are at the heart of Concept to Consumer (CTC) role that enable consumer-focused category execution by coordinating product availability, impactful seasonal campaigns activations and driving in-season trading strategies. This role ensures cross-functional alignment and operational excellence across channels to deliver impactful consumer experiences and business results.

Key Responsibilities:

• Generate and consolidate market and financial insights (incl. sell-out data), to inform category strategy, transforming it into actionable insights for category and commercial teams.
• Own the input of country range selection into planning systems, enabling a seamless end-to-end sell-in process.
• Monitor and report category performance in-season, identifying risks and opportunities to optimize sell-through.
• Support the briefing with local expertise to the business unit on needed articles, specific retailer needs and other volume and image driving opportunities, local market and category trends, and business opportunities to maximize the category´s potential in the country.
• Be the key contact for local commercial and brand activation teams for the assigned category for the country, with a clear overview of the execution in the market, key channels and accounts through frequent trade and digital visits/review.
• Provide any required scenario analysis related to the Category, and participate of 90-60-30 meetings to be fully on board on a Brand Activation perspective on status of the category, and take corrective actions in case they are necessary.
• Coordinate in-season trading strategies across channels, ensuring agility in response to market dynamics.
• Lead category activation planning in collaboration with Brand Comms, Omni, and channels teams.
• Manage campaign calendars and launch timelines, communicating changes and coordinating execution across functions.
• Ensure product availability by aligning with supply chain, demand planning, and account teams.
• Support discount and inventory strategies, including slow mover management and license expiration considerations.
• Facilitate cross-functional meetings and communications, acting as the central connector between CTC, channels, and brand teams.

Key Relationships:

• CTC Category Leads
• Marketing Operations
• Brand Comms, SPOMA and Omnichannel Teams
• Demand Planning
• Supply Chain team

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Strong analytical and reporting capabilities (e.g., Power BI)
• Deep understanding of consumer and market dynamics
• Excellent coordination and communication skills
• Proficiency in campaign planning and product lifecycle management
• Ability to manage complexity and drive cross-functional alignment

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• University degree or equivalent education
• Minimum 2 years of experience in category management, marketing, or commercial operations

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide guidance for internal customers on GBS S2P processes and policies and resolve queries for internal customers and suppliers
• Facilitate efficient use of the Source To Pay system (Ariba Guided Buying)
• Review open items and support reconciliation between supplier accounts and the supplier statements, request missing documents and potential reimbursements
• Secure timely cross-checks on regular controls, as needed
• Perform quality checks on Purchase requests, Non-Trade related
• Ensure timely analysis of Debit balance accounts by working closely with suppliers and other finance teams. Ensure they are balanced by resolving the causes of non-payment, requesting missing and complementary information and executing proper follow ups

Key Relationships:

• Internal Controls
• Other GBS departments
• Local markets
• Management

:

• Strong Finance Acumen

• Solid experience with SAP
• Experience in a Shared Service environment or similar
• Ability to read, write and communicate in English and Italian in a business setting
• Ability to pay close attention to detail, strong problem solving and analytical skills
• Solid interpersonal skills, navigate easily within complex organizations, connect with a variety functions, audiences, management styles, or cultures
• Highly results driven and self-motivated team player with compassion, integrity, trust and perseverance
• Curious and growth mindset; keen to learn and approach subjects outside of comfort zone, look beyond the obvious

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

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organisation:

• Ensuring correct and daily execution of key responsibilities in the GBS Center according to the requirements of GBS policies, procedures and guidelines, and according to the Group Accounting Manual for specific area of responsibility (Accounts receivable/Retail/eCom)
• Self-directed worker for a specific service area
• Supports organizational effectiveness through the identification and communication of process improvement opportunities

:

• Perform accounting tasks in AR Wholesale/Retail/eCom for larger markets, having to deal with specific cases of each market
• Check and review tasks handled by junior members, e.g. cash application, master data changes
• Perform sales vs. collection reconciliation for key customers, landlords and online stores
• Perform reports preparation and analysis, e.g. AR deduction report, eCom reconciliation report, Retail aging and collection analysis report
• Perform and review month end closing tasks
• Deal with ad hoc requests and coordinate with others
• Perform, coordinate and review audit tasks, reviewing the quality results within team
• Create and maintain desktop procedures, checking for inconsistencies and improvement opportunities (SME only)
• Handling of internal and external customer queries on complex cases
• Prepare training material and give training on specific cases for own area of responsibility (SME only)
• Group email and ticket allocation and handling
• Identify problems and bring to attention of Supervisor
• Deliver training to junior member and new member (e.g. sales vs. collection recon)
• Support team lead on project delivery, e.g. efficiency improvement, retail system upgrade
• Raise and implement smart work ideas