Senior Manager / Manager Category Management Originals FTW

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

• Build a local category strategy and leading the team to execute product merchandizing plan, Go To Market (GTM) plan to drive brand and business success within the framework set by Global Business Units (BUs)

Key Responsibilities:

• Support to drive & develop a 3-5 year category plan based on overall adidas BU process in collaboration with Global BU
• Support financial expectations set out in the category integrated business planning across all channels
• Develop category initiatives to meet key commercial goals
• Support the development of business mid-long term division plan in alignment with global vision
• Be the interface between Global Business Unit (BU) and market stakeholders
• Collaborate with relevant cross functional teams to develop and execute plans
• Own end to end (E2E) market strategy and execution from Integrated Business Planning, Commercial Input to in season trade and exit
• Own quality delivery toward each GTM milestones
• Own go to market planning excellence in compliance with targets for forecasting, pricing, profitability, range size, range flow, range adoption, Article Performance Review (APR) etc. including system, catalogue and master data maintenance
• Define the category range by sales channels, by stores or trade zone where necessary, within guidelines or alignments
• Support to materialize business opportunities throughout the communication with Global BU, Channels, Wholesale accounts and any relevant external research
• Own key franchise lifecycle and inventory level to ensure brand health
• Perform category insights and analytics including market/consumer/competitor insights and sales analysis and leverage for planning
• Own the input of local product and allocation demand to global
• Responsible for Creation Center Tokyo (CCT) creation from brief to ensure product offers to achieve the category financial target, delivery and sell through and exit
• Support cross category and functional specific initiatives
• Present range internally and externally with sufficient sample availability
• Participate to customer interaction in planning phase
• Manage, develop performance, and winning culture with fast action through organization’s people values, motivate team / direct reports in alignment with the market organization
• Development culture
• Drive employee engagement, leading by example.

KPI’s:

• Category Net Sales (NS), Net Margin and Contribution
• Sell-out all channels
• Forecast & data accuracy, Drop rate
• Net Promote Score (NPS)
• Market share

Key Relationships:

• Global  BU
• Creation center including local trading company
• Brand Activation, Culture marketing, Sport marketing
• Business development, GTM head office
• Demand planning, SCM, Finance
• Channels and External Wholesale partners

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to implement strategy
• Strong presentation/communication, negotiation and influencing skills, especially with senior stakeholders within a global matrix organization.
• Distinct track record of success and high-level range management knowledge
• Strong cross-functional and stakeholder management experience across commercial functions (e.g. marketing, sales, etc.) and support functions (finance preferred), as well as different organizational levels (Global, Market, etc.)
• Strong industry knowledge, across divisions—footwear, apparel and accessories.
• Expert understanding of markets’ consumers, accounts, economic environment and commercial needs
• Ability to Manage, Coach and Develop People
• Results Oriented Mindset
• Strong team player with high level of integrity & attention to detail
• Pro-active, collaborative and positive attitude even in changing environments
• Strong data analysis skills and ability to translate and articulate data results into clear business actions.

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• 5 years of experience in range management/product required.

• University degree in Business or equivalent professional experience, ideally in Sales and/or Marketing, MBA preferred
• Sporting goods industry experience required
• Business level in both Japanese and English Mandatory
• Has substantial experience working with local customers and international stakeholders
• High Business Acumen
• Strong PC Skills including Outlook, Word, Excel (Pivot), Powerpoint, etc
• Passion for sports and belief that through sports we have the power to change lives