About this role
<p><strong>Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:</strong> Act as the head of category management for Soccer and Motorsports for NAM. Consistently shape, plan, and execute short, medium, and long-term strategy and objectives for the category. Influence and implement global concepts in a locally relevant way, considering different consumer needs and distribution channels. Drive cross-functional execution and operational excellence.<strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>Key Responsibilities:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Own and deliver the North America GTM strategy against global priorities; lead category management team to bring the strategy to life </li> <li>Develop a complete 3-5-year plan for the BU based on the adidas SBP, the respective global BU’s and market strategic plan</li> <li>Collaborate with assortment planning, sales, SCM and other relevant cross functional teams to execute the plan </li> <li>Align with Global on product range build, assortment strategy, and market specific needs </li> <li>Ensure go to market and merchandising excellence, including system and article readiness</li> <li>Build and sell in plans that provide clear product and commercial objectives </li> <li>Develop category initiatives to meet key commercial goals </li> <li>Build market/retailer network to maintain marketplace and consumer awareness </li> <li>Present ranges internally and externally (to key retailers) </li> <li>Continually monitor and analyze product range and sales results to determine products that maximize profitability/productivity </li> <li>Manage the process with effective communication and action steps to achieve margin, profitability, and acceptable inventory levels </li> <li>Ensure organizational efficiency through motivation, training, and development of direct reports </li> <li>Provide performance framework for direct reports by setting SMART performance targets and coach for continuous improvement</li> </ul> <p><strong>Key Relationships:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Category and Marketplace Merchandising</li> <li>DTC, Wholesale and relevant commercial partners</li> <li>Merchandising Planning and Systems</li> <li>Brand Operations (GTM, Sample, & Merch Ops)</li> <li>Brand Communications</li> <li>Sports Marketing</li> <li>Finance</li> <li>Demand Planning and relevant SCM partners</li> <li>Global Business Partners</li> <li>Local Creation teams</li> </ul> <p><strong>Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Advanced cross-functional Merchandising and Marketing knowledge and Market experience in sport and/or fashion/lifestyle categories (sporting goods industry preferred) </li> <li>Leading and managing a diverse team </li> <li>Consumer-focused with deep product and range understanding and the ability to balance Brand and Commercial priorities to build channel- and consumer-specific activation plans that meet KPI targets </li> <li>Advanced user of MS Office suite of products </li> <li>Experience in both market and above market organization preferred </li> <li>Excellent verbal and written communication skills </li> <li>Strong presentation, planning, and analytical skills </li> <li>A thorough understanding of the marketplace through the lens of soccer</li> <li>Ability to travel domestic and international up to 20% of time</li> </ul> <p><strong>Minimum Qualifications:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor’s degree, with an emphasis in Marketing/Business preferred, and </li> <li>10+ years’ sports or other product marketing or related experience, 5 years at the managerial level in the Sporting Goods Industry. </li> <li>Equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be substituted for degree.</li> </ul>