Manager Development - Manufacturing Innovation Footwear Sourcing (m/f)

Job description

Country: Germany
Job Function: Sourcing

State / Province: Germany
Position Type: Full time

City / Location: Herzogenaurach
Brand: adidas Group

Relocation: No Selection

At adidas Group, our love of sport drives who we are and what we do. But just as a ball is more than leather and thread, and a shoe more than padding and plastic, we are bigger than our products. We don’t just work to create faster shoes and lighter fabrics: We strive to help athletes everywhere perform their best. We believe that it’s hard work inventing the future of sport, and that’s why we love it; that when you push your limits, you make it possible for others to push theirs.

At adidas Group, this drive it what connects us, whether we’re working for TaylorMade, adidas, Reebok, or Rockport. We’re all working toward a future motivated by passion, original thinking, and the desire to build upon a proud legacy.

Purpose

Management of the footwear product development in support of relevant Business Units for Speedfactories and other automated production. Provide effective transition of footwear designs from prototyping into production

Key Accountabilities

· Communicates and coordinates all necessary information that supports on time production readiness for all assigned projects.
· Ensure that new projects are engineered to cost targets focusing on best utilizing capabilities of automated production.
· Engineer workable prototypes which address desired function, cosmetics, market appeal and manufacturability and meet adidas quality standards.
· Prototyping and implementation of new & innovative footwear designs, components, processes, materials and concepts into a manufacturable and marketable finished product
· Ensure that all materials, processes and development samples are fully tested to ensure adherence to adidas’ quality standards
· Take ownership for the entire development and commercialization process for assigned products, with an emphasis on quality product development and timely completion of all tasks in accordance with the applicable operating calendar.
· Establish and maintain strong working relationships with Business Units, Design, Innovation teams, Materials Development and Supply, Quality, Costing, Product Creation Technology, Logistics and Footwear Sourcing Organization, managing designated projects to ensure an on production readiness performance.
· Organizational tasks and communication responsibilities including use of the computerized Product Data Management System; Management of e-mail and phone communication world-wide and all related organizational requirements
· Support and guide Developers in the team in all aspects of Development.

Knowledge, Capabilities and Experiences

· Technical training in footwear engineering and product development; knowledge of sourcing
· Management skills preferred
· Computer literacy (MS Office)
· Presentation skills
· Fluent English; German an advantage
· Exposure to the latest in materials, components, processes, and concepts
· Ability to understand 2D images in 3D
· Ability to frequently travel to production sources and the terrain of testing

Qualifications

· Under-graduate university degree preferred
· 3 years minimum related 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.