Manager Development Footwear - Yeezy

Job description

Country: United States
Job Function: Product Development

State / Province: California
Position Type: Full time

City / Location: Calabasas
Brand: adidas

Relocation: Yes

Somewhere, in one of our workshops right now, the future is taking shape. We are constantly working to redefine the way clothing and footwear transforms the pitch, court or course. This is what drives us: the feeling of discovery and the urge to innovate. When we create a product that makes our hearts beat faster, we know we’re onto something.

If this sounds inspiring, you might be one of us: Someone who loves to create the present, as well as shape the future. There’s a reason adidas has been at the forefront of defining sport for more than 60 years: We never stand still. Everyday, we work to improve everything we create.

At adidas, interesting, amazing and inspiring aren’t just ideas. They are what we do every single day.

Purpose

Manage the footwear product development process by supporting the respective Business Unit(s) and directly interact with Tier 1 supply partners and LO’s. Provide an effective transition of footwear designs from prototyping into production.

Key Responsibilities

· Take ownership for the entire project management process for assigned products, with an emphasis on quality product development and timely completion of all tasks in accordance with the applicable operating calendar.
· Drive the inception of new and innovative footwear designs, components, processes and materials into manufacturability and a marketable finished product.
· Collaborate in this context with Design to ensure design input into the critical phases of the development process meets agreed upon requirements for correctness and completeness of information and allows an optimized use of design information for tech. package creation at HQ and/or at source/Tier 1 partners.
· Engineer workable prototypes which address desired function, aesthetics, market appeal and manufacturability and meet adidas quality standards.
· Collaborate and interact directly with dedicated development teams at our Tier 1 partners to ensure that all critical deliverables for key development milestones are met, specifically OTIF provision of high quality development prototypes.
· Collaborate with Tier 1 partners to resolve routine business issues in an efficient and result oriented manner.
· Identify critical issues and fundamental road blocks during the direct development process with Tier 1 partners, provide necessary action plans and timely follow-up and escalate critical issues if necessary to direct supervisor.
· Monitor and guide the creation of Bill of Material information at Tier 1 suppliers according to established guidelines and calendar milestones, and assume full accountability for the accuracy of the BOM content at key milestones.
· Rationalize the selection of materials to support an optimized use of the material tool box and to allow economies of scale.
· Ensure that all materials, processes and development samples are fully tested to ensure adherence to adidas’ quality standards.
· Drive margin maximization and cost target achievement at model level in alignment with Marketing, Design and HQ Costing and assume responsibility for addressing critical costing issues and conducting recaps to liaison offices and/or T1 partners to achieve price targets.
· Promote awareness of main product cost drivers to Marketing, Design and independently coordinate/conduct predictive costing and/or pre-costing activities as well as costing reviews at critical milestones.
· Responsible for communicating all necessary information and coordinate all tasks that support on time Color Way Activation for all assigned projects.
· Establish and maintain a strong working relationship with key parties as listed below, managing designated projects to ensure an on time color way activation performance.
· Support and guide Assistant Project Managers in the team to further their growth in all aspects of Project Management.

Key Relationships

· Marketing
· Design
· a.i.t.
· Tier 1 supply partners
· Material Development
· Product Creation Technology
· Sourcing
· Fit and Wear Test Department
· Quality Assurance
· Costing
· Supply Chain management
· Customs

Knowledge skills and abilities

· Strong project management skills
· Basic understanding of costing principles
· Ability to understand 2D images in 3D
· Ability to create, plan and deliver presentations
· MS office skills
· Fluent English; German an advantage

Qualifications

· Four-year college or university degree
· Technical training in footwear engineering and product development, knowledge of sourcing.
· At least 3 years of relevant work experience in the athletic footwear industry, specializing in product development, design and / or marketing.
· Proven record of accomplishment in the field of footwear development.
· Exposure to the latest in materials, components, processes, and concepts