Somewhere, in one of our workshops right now, the future is taking shape. We are constantly working to redefine the way clothing and footwear transforms the pitch, court or course. This is what drives us: the feeling of discovery and the urge to innovate. When we create a product that makes our hearts beat faster, we know we’re onto something.
If this sounds inspiring, you might be one of us: Someone who loves to create the present, as well as shape the future. There’s a reason adidas has been at the forefront of defining sport for more than 60 years: We never stand still. Everyday, we work to improve everything we create.
At adidas, interesting, amazing and inspiring aren’t just ideas. They are what we do every single day.
Purpose: To address sport science, and athlete performance needs know-how within the creation of innovative sports product concepts. Co-manage and lead basketball innovation projects to be integrated into the product line and overall vision of the category.
Key Accountabilities
• Leads and develops the conceptual and product strategy of assigned innovation category.
• Work in tandem with Future SR Management and the Basketball BU category to develop strategic innovation project directions/opportunities.
• Develop and execute project briefs from concept to launch that create the foundation for Innovation and Design direction while serving the needs of the category and brand making athletes better.
• Facilitate and help direct Futures Design, Engineering and Research in the development of new functional concepts for basketball
• Work to integrate Basketball Innovation projects, performance content and deliverables into the Inline process.
• Effectively meets all innovation process timelines/calendars.
• Foster a strong, creative/collaborative/strategic relationship between, marketing, Inline design, and inline development.
• Implement consumer focus groups to acquire greater consumer insights for future innovations.
• Builds consumer network for consistent product feedback.
• Lead new opportunity and whitespace identification.
• Project management of Basketball Innovation design and development with a focus to apply sports specific know how.
• Actively search out athlete insights that will fuel future innovations and create solutions to the challenges athletes face today.
• Coordinate and drive communication of innovation concepts.
• Actively search out athlete insights that will fuel future innovations and create solutions to the challenges athletes face today.
• Collaborate closely with other members of the Futures Sport Science Team to provide critical research on projects.
• Analyzes and reports innovation performance.
Knowledge Skills And Abilities
• Strong knowledge of footwear development, and project management
• Knowledge of Sport Science, Sport shoes functionality and Sports in general.
• Proven ability to ideate, collaborate, and work in a team environment.
• Ability to build concepts and story tell.
• Knowledge of the footwear design process.
• General knowledge of various aspects of the sporting goods industry
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and written to all levels of the organization.
• Good cross-team collaboration, communication, and presentation skills
• Excellent problem identification and solution abilities
• Experience working in and with multi-cultural teams preferred
• Ability to travel to internal sites [Europe, Asia] and to external partners on an as-needed basis for project work and/or to resolve issues up to 25%.
Qualifications
• Four year college or university degree in Marketing/Business/Sport Science/Engineering, MBA preferred
• Minimum of 6 years experience in research, product development, or equivalent position in the sporting goods industry;
or
• Equivalent combination of both education and/or experience.
• Passion for Sport and Athlete Insights.
Pass it on for Referral Bonus. Not the right role for you, but know someone we should meet? Share with him to earn $1,000 referral bonus.
Posts
