Sr. Specialist – Football Category

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization: At adidas, we have a clear purpose: "Through sport, we have the power to change lives." This guiding principle shapes how we operate as a company, how we collaborate with our partners, how we create our products, and how we connect with our consumers. Our values represent essential behaviours and mindsets, reflecting the "You Got This" attitude we strive to see in every team member. This same purpose and mindset are at the heart of Concept to Consumer (CTC) role that enable consumer-focused category execution by coordinating product availability, impactful seasonal campaigns activations and driving in-season trading strategies. This role ensures cross-functional alignment and operational excellence across channels to deliver impactful consumer experiences and business results. Key Responsibilities: - Generate and consolidate market and financial insights (incl. sell-out data), to inform category strategy, transforming it into actionable insights for category and commercial teams. - Own the input of country range selection into planning systems, enabling a seamless end-to-end sell-in process. - Monitor and report category performance in-season, identifying risks and opportunities to optimize sell-through. - Coordinate in-season trading strategies across channels, ensuring agility in response to market dynamics. - Participate in category activation planning in collaboration with Brand Comms, Omni, and channels teams. - Manage campaign calendars and launch timelines, communicating changes and coordinating execution across functions. - Ensure product availability by aligning with supply chain, demand planning, and account teams. - Support discount and inventory strategies, including slow mover management and license expiration considerations. - Facilitate cross-functional meetings and communications, acting as the central connector between CTC, channels, and brand teams. - Manage Key Franchises: Oversee the product lifecycle through sell-out monitoring and inventory coverage control. Propose corrective actions when necessary, aligned with the category's strategic plan. Key decisions include sell-out simulations to assess the need for Speed activation (product replenishment) or production cuts - Forecasting and Buying Suggestions: Generate forecasts and purchase recommendations based on category strategy. Monitor adherence and take action when needed (e.g., additional buys or order cancellations). - End-to-End Product Creation Coordination: Manage the product creation process for local clubs. Act as the link between Sports Marketing, Clubs, and the Global Creation Team — from initial briefing and sample approval to margin analysis and feasibility checks. - Pre-Sell Engagement: Actively participate in pre-sell meetings with key accounts to share strategy and provide guidance. - BU Weekly Coordination: Lead weekly alignment meetings with all relevant functions within the Business Unit. - Brand Campaign Support: Provide strategic input and feedback to ensure category campaigns reflect business priorities. Key Relationships: - CTC Category Leads - Marketing Operations - Brand Comms, SPOMA and Omnichannel Teams - Demand Planning - Supply Chain team - Channels Knowledge Skills and Abilities: - Strong analytical and reporting capabilities (e.g., Excel, Power BI) - Deep understanding of consumer and market dynamics - Excellent coordination and communication skills - Proficiency in campaign planning and product lifecycle management - Ability to manage complexity and drive cross-functional alignment Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications: - University degree or equivalent education - Minimum 2 years of experience in category management, marketing, or commercial operations