Adidas SENIOR DIRECTOR 

United States, California, Antioch 

965051917

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

As an experienced and strategic Senior Design Director of Apparel Product Design, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the design trajectory for our apparel products. This position entails developing and guiding cutting-edge creative solutions for product concepts and categories (business units), ensuring the establishment of a highly relevant, desirable, and distinctive adidas brand image, spanning from the initial presentation to the consumer-facing stage. Exploring future expressions of brand through industry shaping edge projects that connect with consumers at spear. This leadership role requires a creative and dynamic individual with a proven track record in apparel design, trend forecasting, and effective team management, capable of leading the internal creative team to achieve world-class results.

Key Responsibilities:

• Actively participate in Product Design first line as expert within Apparel Design.
• Spearhead the strategic development of Creative initiatives for multiple concepts or categories (business units), spanning various apparel product types across all genders and age groups.
• Formulate innovative concepts and creative strategies that align with the objectives of the category, concept, and brief. If needed craft brief based on information available.
• Collaborate closely with the Product Design team in the Business Units and Innovation to ensure a comprehensive and cohesive storytelling approach.
• Engage with cross-functional team members to maintain a consumer- and brand-centric focus throughout the creative process.
• Establish priorities for the team, both creatively and assignment-related.
• Lead the flawless execution of creative strategies, ensuring end-to-end creative excellence from sell-in to sellout (consumer-facing).
• Direct a diverse array of creative resources, including agencies, freelancers, developer, pattern maker, factories, external suppliers etc., to ensure a holistic and exceptional creative output.
• Review and approve production stages of creative execution.
• Optimize outcomes within specified budget and timeframes.
• Actively participate in crafting annual and long-term Creative Direction strategies.
• Present and communicate creative solutions with clarity, effectively selling ideas to a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for improvement and change, initiating proposals and projects independently.
• Proactively seek out new Design resources capable of delivering world-class results.
• Lead highly creative and effective team through creation process
• Asses, manage and develop individual team members based on adidas leadership framework

Key Relationships:

• Innovation Design
• 3D & technical pattern team
• Design Directors, Creative Directors
• Product Designers
• Product Teams
• Global Operations
• Makerlab, Atelier teams
• External Agencies and Art/Creative Directors
• External Creative Resources

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• IT skills: Excel, Word, PowerPoint: advanced /Outlook
• Design apps: expert (Adobe Creative Suite)
• Strong visual and verbal skills with the ability to create impactful/exciting visuals
• Proven experience with the entire design process (project scope and time planning, design steps, production/execution of design solution in factory/at supplier)
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to think strategically and translate ideas into actionable plans.
• Design leadership and team management experience incl. developing internal talent, fostering a creative and inclusive working environment
• Language: English: excellent
• Another European language: fluent

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• Under-graduate level Design education or combination thereof
• Solid education and advanced experience in the creative development of Apparel Design
• At least 10+ years experience in Sporting Goods/Fashion Industry or Design on managerial level
• 5+ years personnel management experience
• Passion for adidas and it’s mission
• Passion forSsports, Culture, Design