Adidas

We will never launch a product unless we consider it perfect. Our product operation teams create every shirt, every shoe, and every piece of equipment for thousands of athletes and fashion lovers as if it was one of a kind. And it truly is, as they weave their passion into every product. But ensuring an industry leading product and material laboratory testing requires a lot of decision making.

As Senior Manager Testing & Quality you are the face of AC-T&Q for assigned category segments.

You are a key contributor in the product testing process by leading cross-divisional and cross-functional perception, concept and laboratory testing to ensure our products are credible to the consumer, compliant with external regulations and stand out from the competition.

This position has a strong focus on Laboratory Experience. 

Key Accountabilities

• Expert consultant and interface for assigned segment of the BU team (marketing, development, design, …) regarding cross divisional and cross functional product quality evaluation.
• Create awareness about relevant compliance, safety, and quality standards.
• Team Contributions: Support the Advanced Creation Testing & Quality leadership team to drive a collaborative working environment. Contribute to team strategy and planning decisions.
• Contribute to x-functional initiatives with partners in operations, brand and sourcing.
• Drive and implement strategic initiatives in Advanced Creation Testing across categories and with horizontal functions.
• Lead material, component, and product testing execution for assigned category segments.
• Stakeholder Management: Co-ordinate communications when needed. Manage disagreements with stakeholders including exception management, escalate when required.
• Foster x-divisional and x-functional synergies to establish and evolve our organization.
• Determine opportunities for improvement and efficiencies cross-divisionally and cross-functionally. 
• Identify gaps in our testing systems and define requirements for improvement.
• Contribute to the evolvement of testing methods, processes, and standards in close collaboration with other Testing and Quality functions. 
• Utilize framework for the team to manage & develop tester pool.
• Upskill Operation Center Product Testing (OCPT) to follow HQ standards.
• Manage testing resources and test level assignment.
• Lead BU specific benchmarking projects.
• Analyze BU specific testing data and market feedback and organize closing-the-loop sessions with stakeholders in collaboration with the Claim & Reporting team.
• Provide support to lab testing execution, lab test method, equipment enhancement, validation, and rollout.
• Ensure maintenance of Product, Concept & and Lab testing facilities and devices.
• Explore industries and sciences to identify opportunities for advanced product development and bridge the gap from complex science to simple meaningful consumer benefits and experiences.

People Management

• Build the appropriate structure to be able to manage the respective organization effectively, identify and develop future talents and create realistic succession scenarios for key positions. 
• Apply leadership framework and act as role model. 
• Ensure appropriate leadership skills are present at every level through creating a motivational and supportive work environment in which employees are coached, trained, and provided with career opportunities through development. 
• Allocate the different topics and work streams to the respective teams and employees considering experience, complexity, workload and organizational efficiency. 
• Continuously monitor and evaluate team workload and organizational efficiency with the support of systems, data and analysis and team feedback and make appropriate changes to meet business needs. 
• Provide team members/direct reports with clear direction and targets aligned with business needs and legal objectives. 

Key Relationships

• BU Creation Triad (Dev/Marketing/Design)
• AC-T&Q Execution teams and AC-TQ horizontal functions (Lab & Governance)
• POPS horizontal teams
• Sourcing Quality
• Innovation, Athlete Servicing
• Tech Team (Product & Data Analytics, Consumer insights, PDNA)
• Legal
• Universities
• Coaches & Athletes

Knowledge, Capabilities and Experience

• Strong leadership, team building skills
• Expert product and manufacturing process knowledge (product/material engineering)
• Strong analytical skills and business priorities understanding
• Ability to understand complex sport and exercise science and translate to internal/external partners
• Biomechanical knowledge
• Deep routed understanding of product quality/integrity and consumer perception
• Effective communication and presentation skills

Qualifications

• 4-year college or university degree with focus on product engineering / sports science, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 4 years of work experience in the sporting goods industry, ideally in Testing, Quality Assurance, Research & Development
• Experience in managing a team is beneficial.