Sr. Manager Development, Apparel

Senior Product Development Manager 

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

Manage a team of technical product developers in the creation and commercialization of pinnacle apparel products, with a focus on elevated workmanship, fit and quality. Create and actively monitor development calendars to ensure deadlines, costing KPIs and quality standards are met. Acts as an advocate for product integrity by working closely with cross functional creation center teams, factories and external brand partners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensure industry leading and efficient technical development process on a global level
• Ensure the achievement of goals and objectives set by the business unit through partnership with Pattern, Design and Marketing
• Proactively communicate on an on-going basis with the global pattern team as well as cross functional teams to ensure an efficient development and fit process
• Actively monitor development calendars to ensure that deadlines are achieved
• Build and maintain a close relationship with all cross-functional teams, divisions, brands and external partners
• Manage handover from design to factory to ensure that all information provided to factory is complete. Manage factory 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 factory regarding Article Description/Bill of Materials, costing or other data as required at calendar milestones
• Evaluate all prototypes for compliance with article description, manages fit approval/size specification, approval of color, accessories and materials. Manage comments to factory
• 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
• If required, review size sets for accuracy of measurements and merchantability of complete size range including logo placement and fit. (LO/OC to approve size sets not requested/approved by CC after buy ready release)
• Review and sign off sealing sample with complete article description including all related documents prior to buy ready dates. Ensure full conformity to published policies to ensure a final legal article description for final product
• Provide direction and inspire the factories’ pattern team to ensure that the pattern creation process is synergized with focus on consistency and the highest level of quality
• Build up a consultant/expert function within the global pattern team to train technical developers, product developers and overseas factories
• Knowledge of adidas basic pattern references across all BUs and Brands. Ensure aligned needs of all Creation Centers and markets and make the final call on basic patterns to reference for factories to initiate on
• Communicate to internal and external team’s seasonal product initiatives, process changes and long-term category vision
• Drive and execute key initiatives and provide input to short, mid and long term planning and budgeting
• Take responsibility for monitoring and continuously improving workload and organizational efficiency with the support of IT-systems, data and analysis
• Allocate the different products/projects to the respective technical developers and factories considering experience, product complexity and workload
• Research innovation from market or supply chain as far as garment construction, pattern/fit, embellishment, trims. Work cross functionally with BOPS teams, IT, Sourcing and factory/mill to implement into product creation
• Drive process improvements by implementing new technologies into the development process

Key Relationships:

• Design, Marketing, Materials, Costing. Pattern, Planning & Sourcing
• Factory’s Merchandising and Patternmaking teams
• Liaison Office ‘s Merchandising, Technical Services and Costing teams

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong communication (both written and verbal) and facilitation (small and large groups) skills
• Ability to deliver effective and persuasive presentations on complex topics to diverse audiences
• Ability to think strategically, anticipate and define problems, synthesize complex data and develop innovative solutions
• Ability to think end-to-end with a global mindset
• Ability to provide a clear framework for performance to direct reports
• Ability to coach, guide, manage and develop a team
• Ability to cope with change, make decisions and act comfortably with risk and uncertainty
• In-depth Knowledge of garment construction and manufacturing
• Advanced Knowledge of material construction and related testing
• Advanced Knowledge of wear and physical product testing
• Ability to fit a garment and comment to factory on changes required
• Good understanding of sourcing allocation impact on product from a quality and cost perspective
• Fluent in English (written and spoken)
• Strong IT skills ( MS office, PDM, CAD ) and ability to work with Product Data Management Systems
• Knowledge of Gerber, 3D pattern (CLO, Browzwear, v-stitcher) is a plus
• Travel, domestic and international as required by business needs

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• Four-year college or university degree with emphasis on clothing technology and/or manufacturing
• Minimum 10+ years of progressive work experience in apparel product development, technical design or pattern making.
• Proven record of accomplishment in the field of apparel development with a technical/pattern background
• Experience in managing direct reports with a coaching mindset and leading cross-functional teams in the development process
• Previous experience working with external partnerships and collaboration is preferred
• Fluent in English (written and spoken)

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at adidas means championing individual uniqueness and cultivating a culture of belonging in which everyone can create at their best.  We embrace diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives and seek to create a workforce that reflects our consumers and communities.​
• adidas offers robust and progressive medical, including HSA (Health Savings Account) with employer funding or FSA (Flexible Spending Account) options, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, adoption, with surrogate and fertility support, short and long-term disability, and basic life and AD&D insurance, which can be supplemented with employee-paid coverage. Employees are able to enroll in adidas’ 401k plan and Stock Purchase Plan with employer match. Full-time employees are eligible for education assistance and generous Leave policies including 12 weeks of paid parental leave. ​
• Employees are eligible to earn an annual bonus based on both company and personal performance. Employees accrue prorated flexible time off in the amount .4388 hours per day that increases with years of service, twelve paid holidays throughout the calendar year and Service Time Off during milestone years.
• The anticipated low and high end of the base pay range for this position is $126,000 - $151,000. Actual salary will be based on various factors, such as a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills and competencies, proficiency for the role.​

• At adidas we offer a Hybrid work policy which requires attendance in the office Monday through Thursday, with the flexibility to work remotely on Friday each week. For work requiring a high degree of collaboration or an in-person presentation, in-office attendance is required even on Friday. The working location of this position is Los Angeles, California.​

• Though our teammates hail from all corners of the world, our working language is English.