adidas AG

Key Responsibilities

• Under the guidance of the Team Leader or a Manager Materials Development be the key contact and consultant for all material related questions for all internal interfaces
• Contribute to all cross-functional discussions related to materials topics, actively participate in the material selection process and support material consolidation to improve material efficiency
• Build and maintain a close relationship with interfaces such as Design, Creation Center Product Development, Material Sourcing, Quality and Suppliers
• Ensure availability of correct materials data in FlexPLM (technical data, cost, toolbox, lifecycle)
• Give input for suitable sources for new material developments (aligned with material sourcing strategy) and guide suppliers to translate the design vision into new, innovative material which meet commercial needs of the brand
• Under the guidance of the Team Leader or a Manager Materials Development, kick-off and monitor all material developments (work together with suppliers, Sourcing, Quality and Creation Center Development) and be responsible for initial material price negotiations with suppliers (direct development) during development stage
• Ensure that all selected materials are tested and approved by Materials Quality in accordance with applicable calendar timelines
• Cooperate with cross-functional team to create a focused material toolbox and coach the cross-functional team on how to improve material efficiencies
• Set up and maintain the materials library and work on continuously improving the setup and tools for the product creation teams 
• Provide latest information on material trends to the respective Business Units/ categories also by gathering innovative input from relevant fairs, supplier meetings, apparel material show etc.

Key Relationships

• Marketing
• Design
• Sourcing
• BOPS (Creation Center Development, Costing)
• Suppliers  T2

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Good communication skills, especially when interacting with different levels of business
• Ability to anticipate problems, offers solutions, and address issues with materials in order to meet the Design team’s aesthetic goals and financial targets
• Ability to cope with change
• Ability to accept and meet critical deadlines with good planning and organization skills
• Fluent English (verbal and written)
• Strong IT skills (e-mail, MS office)

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications

• Four year college or university degree in textile engineering or comparable degree/education
• 1 – 2 years of relevant work experience in the fabric production industry (knowledge of manufacturing process, fabrics, mechanical and chemical treatments

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organisation:

Ensure the availability of materials, which support the strategic marketing & design direction to enable commercial success. Finds or develops the right materials according to calendar timelines, target prices, sourcing policy, and quality standards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Be the key contact and consultant for all material related questions for all internal interfaces
• Lead all cross-functional discussions related to materials topics, steer the material selection process and drive material consolidation to improve material efficiency

• Build and maintain a close relationship with interfaces such as Design, Creation Center Product Development, Material Sourcing, Quality and Suppliers
• Ensure availability of correct materials data in FlexPLM (technical data, cost, toolbox, lifecycle)
• Identify suitable sources for new material developments (aligned with material sourcing strategy) and guide suppliers to translate the design vision into new, innovative material which meet commercial needs of the brand
• Initiate and monitor all material developments (work together with suppliers, Sourcing, Quality and Creation Center Development) and be responsible for initial material price negotiations with suppliers (direct development) during development stage
• Ensure that all selected materials are tested and approved by Materials Quality in accordance with applicable calendar timelines
• Cooperate with cross-functional team to create a focused material toolbox and coach the cross-functional team on how to improve material efficiencies
• Set up and maintain the materials library and work on continuously improving the setup and tools for the product creation teams 
• Provide latest information on material trends to the respective Business Units/ categories also by gathering innovative input from relevant fairs, supplier meetings, apparel material show etc
• Drive Innovation projects and ensure their successful technical implementation and documentation

Key Relationships:

• Marketing
• Design
• Sourcing
• BOPS (Creation Center Development, Costing)
• Suppliers  T2

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced communication skills, especially when interacting with different levels of business
• Ability to create, plan and effectively deliver presentations in formal and informal settings
• Ability to anticipate problems, offers solutions, and address issues with materials in order to meet the Design team’s aesthetic goals and financial targets
• Ability to cope with change
• Ability to work independently or with limited guidance
• Ability to accept and meet critical deadlines with good planning and organization skills
• Fluent English (verbal and written)
• Strong IT skills (e-mail, MS office)

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• Four year college or university degree in textile engineering or comparable degree/education
• Minimum of 2-3 years work experience in the fabric production industry (knowledge of manufacturing process, fabrics, mechanical and chemical treatments)

Purpose:

Manage the product development process for assigned styles from seasonal kick off through to commercialization. Collaborate with internal teams and suppliers to provide effective transition from brief/design through to development “buy-ready” commercialisation, on time, within the agreed margin parameter and at the required quality standards.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Ensure target price and product designs are aligned through predictive costing. Review, validate and approve T1 costing information throughout the entire creation process. Ensure compliance to agreed standards. Negotiate with T1 as needed
• Manage handover from design to T1 to ensure that all information provided to T1 is complete. Manage T1 feedback to design and marketing and incorporate where quality or cost can be improved without sacrificing product aesthetics  
• Ensure timely and accurate data entry by T1 regarding AD/BOM, costing or other data as required at calendar milestones
• Evaluate all prototypes for compliance with AD, manages fit approval/size specification, approval of color, accessories and materials. Manage comments to T1
• Ensure that all materials and accessories as well as prototypes are tested and adhere to adidas quality, safety and A01 standards. Manage quality exceptions with senior management as needed
• Review and sign off sealing sample with complete AD including all related documents prior to buy ready dates. Ensure full conformity to published policies to ensure a final legal AD for final product

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Knowledge of material construction and related testing
• Knowledge of production garment construction and manufacturing 
• Ability to fit a garment and comment to T1 on changes required
• Knowledge of costing and ability to negotiate as required
• Effective communication and negotiation skills 
• Fluent English (written and spoken) 
• Advanced IT skills (MS Office) and ability to work with Product Data Management Systems
• Domestic and International Travel as required

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications: 

1. Four-year colleague or university degree in clothing technology and/or manufacturing or comparable education.
2. 1-2 years of work experience in garment/textile industry  

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

Implement company’s strategic business and systems direction into digital through product creation and technical infrastructure for apparel 3D.

Manage product operations process for selected digital ranges in adidas’ transition into 100% digital creation end2end. Drive process, methodologies and technical information in collaboration with Marketing, Design MDA and T1 to ensure the completion of sampling and production of apparel through Digital software.

Key Responsibilities:

• Communicate all necessary information to Marketing, Design, Creation Centre Development, Suppliers and LO/OC to ensure the effective and efficient creation of outstanding product 
• Engineering design concepts into the format of Clo file content of patterns and fit, garment workmanship and print or AOP execution for T1. To increase the speed and efficiency of processes by eliminating non-value adding steps and try to execute “Right the First Time”
• Support the apparel team with technical solutions by analyzing designs for manufacturability, production and material properties, offering economic and efficient solutions to achieve cost targets.
• Collaborate with Sourcing to enable them to execute product demands and ensure construction meets adidas quality standards through 3D technical packs.
• Able to evaluate work processes and calendars for future improvements in close communication with Product Development, Pattern, MDI, Marketing, Design & T1.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Proficient knowledge of virtual creation / 3D CLO. With Strong visual skills and the ability to transfer into a readable digital file that a factory can produce a garment from
• Advanced IT skills Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop (MS packages) and ability to work with Flex Systems
• Sufficient knowledge of material construction and related testing
• Good knowledge of pattern grading, the pattern/CAD creation software
• Confident in all aspects of production, garment construction and manufacturing
• Ability to work independently under minimal guidance on several projects simultaneously while adhering to a specified deadline
• Capable to effectively present information in one-on-one and large group situations to vendors, designers, and other employees of the organization
• Excellent understanding of Modular and its key principles features, fabrics and compliance.
• Costing and negotiation skills
• Effective communication and ability to teach others

Key Relationships:  

• Design 
• Digital Creators
• Marketing
• MDA
• Pattern
• T1

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications: 

• Four-year College or University degree in clothing technology and/or manufacturing or comparable education
• Minimum 1-2 Years of work experience in garment/textile industry  
• Professional and proficient English, verbal and written

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization

Implement company’s strategic business and systems direction into digital through product creation and technical infrastructure for apparel 3D within adidas.

Manage the product operations process for assigned styles from seasonal kick off through to commercialization. Collaborate with internal teams and suppliers to provide effective transition from brief/design through to development “buy-ready” commercialisation, on time, within the agreed margin parameter and at the required quality standards.

Manage product operations process for selected digital ranges at adidas transition into 100% digital creation end2end. Drive process, methodologies and technical information in collaboration with Marketing, Design MDA and T1 to ensure the completion of sampling and production of apparel through Digital software.

Key Responsibilities

• Achieve Buy ready’s according to milestones on time to achieve KPIs
• Engineering design concepts into the format of Clo file content of patterns and fit, garment workmanship and print or AOP execution for T1. To increase the speed and efficiency of processes by eliminating non-value adding steps and try to execute “Right the First Time”
• Support the apparel team with technical solutions by analyzing designs for manufacturability, production and material properties, offering economic and efficient solutions to achieve cost targets.
• Collaborate with Sourcing to enable them to execute product demands and ensure construction meets adidas quality standards through 2D and/or 3D technical packs.
• Mentor new employees in technical product development by teaching them about adidas specific technical standards, processes and systems related to the Tech Pack creation
• Able to evaluate work processes and calendars for future improvements in close communication with Product Development, Pattern, MDI, Marketing, Design & T1.
• Ensure target price and product designs are aligned through predictive costing. Review, validate and approve T1 costing information throughout the entire creation process. Ensure compliance to agreed standards. Negotiate with T1 as needed.
• Ensure that all materials and accessories as well as prototypes are tested and adhere to adidas quality, safety and A01 standards. Manage quality exceptions with senior management as needed
• Ensure full conformity to published policies to ensure a final legal AD for final product.
• Researches innovation from market or supply chain as far as garment construction, pattern/fit, embellishment, trims. Work cross functionally with BOPS teams, Sourcing and T1/T2 to implement into product creation

Key Relationships

• Product Operations – Development, Materials, Costing. Pattern Maker, Testing, quality
• Digital Creators
• Marketing and Design
• T1 -Merchandising and Patternmaking
• LO/OC Merchandising, Technical Services and Costing

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Advanced IT skills Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop (MS packages) and ability to work with Product Data Management Systems
• Proficient knowledge of pattern creation and grading, the pattern/CAD creation software
• Advanced competence of virtual creation / 3D preferably CLO. With Strong visual skills and the ability to transfer into a readable digital file that a factory can produce a garment from.
• Strong Knowledge of material construction and related testing
• Confident in all aspects of production, garment construction and manufacturing
• Ability to work independently under minimal guidance on several projects simultaneously while adhering to a specified deadline
• Ability to effectively present information and trainings in one-on-one and large group situations to vendors, designers, and other employees of the organization
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed (One overseas trip per season on average)

Requisite Education and Qualifications

• College or University degree in Technical Design, Clothing technology, Clothing technology /Manufacturing or comparable education
• Minimum 2-4 years of work experience in Garment Industry 
• Experience with the entire product lifecycle process (project scope and time planning, development steps, production/execution of entire collections / ranges)
• Professional and proficient English, verbal and written

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

This role contributes to adidas’ mission to be the best sports brand in the world by gathering and evaluating perception feedback from consumers (fit, comfort, performance, quality) and translating it into recommendations for product development. This role works (cross-) divisional for assigned business units.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Management/Research

• Manage workstreams and initiatives in alignment with global objectives
• Challenge status quo and strive to evolve perception testing on a continuous base

Product Testing

• Represent Testing in seasonal briefings with Marketing and Development
• Allocate appropriate level of perception tests (e.g. fit, wear, performance tests, high-speed-filming, benchmark testing) based on intended use and consumer profile with counterparts from Development in collaboration with Concept Excellence
• Manage own workload and prioritize tasks in line with workload tool
• Resolve issues during testing process and come up with solutions; in the second step escalate to Senior Manager Product Testing
• Assign appropriate questionnaire modules in partnership with external IT provider
• Plan and execute perception tests according to adidas’ Testing standards within timelines
• Analyze perception test results based on consumer feedback and product condition and assess risk level of claims and defective returns
• Write test reports with recommendations to Development and document those in the respective systems
• Determine if product can move forward in creation process based on executed perception tests
• Share and discuss test results with Development, Marketing and Design in Performance Line Review Meetings
• Review, discuss and decide on execution of outline test requests
• Provide input for test standards and procedures to Standards and Compliance experts
• Create seasonal summary reports and overviews upon request
• Operation Center Product Testing: act as key contact, input training materials, provide audit content, provide guidance for improvement based on audit results

Tester Pool

• Pro-actively recruit new product testers through events and networking
• Review online applications for product testers and select suitable profiles
• Set up and maintain product tester database in central system
• Collect signatures from product testers for all relevant processes (e.g. wear test agreement)
• Ensure data protection rules are followed during all steps of testing

Sample Management

• (System-)order, unpack, prepare and ship product samples for testing purposes
• Organize short- and long-term storage of product samples according to policy and legal requirements

Device Management

• Maintain Testing facilities and devices

Key Relationships:

• Development
• Marketing
• Design
• Advanced Creation – Testing & Quality
• Sourcing Quality
• Target consumers, coaches, equipment managers and universities
• 3rd party testing facilities and consultants

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Passion for sports in general and in-depth knowledge of the responsible sport categories
• Knowledge of product creation and development (e.g. materials, components, modifications, technologies, assembly)
• Ability to work individually, with a high degree of flexibility and a collaborative mindset
• Ability to openly communicate and collaborate with cross-functional teams at all levels of the organization
• Strong communication, presentation and influencing skills
• Advanced user level of Microsoft Office 365 (e.g. Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access)
• Data analysis skills of advantage
• Language: fluent in English (written and spoken), for Germany: German required
• Ability to travel domestically and globally