Director, Materials Scouting

Purpose:

• Leading material scouting & adopting initiatives across Asia.
• Driving the validation of new material concepts, managing pilot programs, and co-creating long-term development roadmaps.
• Bridging materials capability gaps cross region, while effectively balancing opportunities and risks to align with the strategic objectives of the Material Sourcing team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead material technology scouting initiatives to identify and validate innovative technology concepts that significantly enhance product development capabilities.
• Establish and strengthen material scouting capabilities in assigned region across the industry, enhancing the potential of multi-sourcing flexibility and resilience supply chain.
• Drive the validation of new material concepts and generate advanced material technologies through research and implementation, ensuring alignment with current market trends and evolving consumer demands.
• Oversee and manage material scouting pilot programs at selected Tier 2/3/4 suppliers, facilitating effective testing and scaling of new material concepts to ensure successful integration into production processes.
• Lead strategic benchmarking of industry standards to pinpoint key areas for improvement, while analysing existing products and market trends to inform high-level decisions regarding material sourcing and development.
• Co-create and manage long-term material development roadmaps in collaboration with HQ material team, ensuring alignment with brand strategic objectives.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives and drive assigned projects as necessary to ensure alignment and successful execution of brand strategic objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including material suppliers, industry partners, and internal counterparts, to foster scouting collaboration.
• Develop and coach team members, identifying key talent while establishing robust succession plans to ensure a strong leadership pipeline.
• Ensure all sourcing operations and practices fully comply with adidas’ Responsible Sourcing & Purchasing Policy, adidas standards and legal requirements, while managing the relevant processes internally and externally.
• Role model leadership to foster a culture of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that strives for an inclusive workplace.

Key Relationships:

• HQ material teams
• T2/3/4 suppliers
• Material planning
• Material operations
• Material innovation scaling 
• Sustainability
• Manufacturing Innovation

Knowledge, Transferrable Skills & Abilities:

• Leadership qualities that contribute to achieving the company’s strategic objectives and personal development goals
• Proven management skills and team responsibilities with large intercultural teams
• Apparel/ materials industry expertise
• Strong project management, problem solving knowledge and skills
• Strong influencing, communication and presentation skills
• Strong ability to network and collaborate with multiple stakeholders
• Fluent in English both written and spoken 

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree, preferred study of Textile Engineering, or other material related field
• 10+ years of apparel materials development related experience and/or an equivalent combination education and experience
• 3+ years of people management experience