Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization
Manage the product development process for assigned styles from seasonal kickoff through commercialization. Collaborate with internal teams and suppliers to provide an effective transition from brief and design through development and buy-ready commercialization, on time, within agreed margin parameters, and at required quality standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Communicate necessary information to Marketing, Design, Suppliers, and LO/OC to ensure the effective and efficient creation of outstanding products.
- Ensure target price and product designs are aligned through predictive costing. Review, validate, and approve T1 costing information throughout the creation process and ensure compliance with agreed standards. Negotiate with T1 as needed.
- Manage the handover from design to T1 and ensure all information provided to T1 is complete.
- Manage T1 feedback to design and marketing and incorporate improvements where quality or cost can be improved without sacrificing product aesthetics.
- Ensure timely and accurate T1 data entry for AD/BOM, costing, and other data required at calendar milestones.
- Evaluate prototypes for compliance with AD, manage fit approval and size specifications, approve colors, accessories, and materials, and manage comments to T1.
- Ensure materials, accessories, and prototypes are tested and adhere to adidas quality, safety, and A01 standards. Manage quality exceptions with senior management as needed.
- Review size sets for measurement accuracy and merchantability of the complete size range, including logo placement and fit, when required.
- Review and sign off sealing samples with complete AD and related documents before buy-ready dates.
- Ensure full conformity to published policies to create final legal AD for the final product.
- Research innovation from the market or supply chain in garment construction, pattern and fit, embellishment, and trims.
- Work cross-functionally with BOPS teams, aIT, Sourcing, and T1/T2 to implement innovations into product creation.
Key Relationships
Design, Marketing and Brand Operations, Development, Materials, Costing, Pattern Maker T1, Merchandising and Patternmaking, LO/OC Merchandising, Technical Services, and Costing.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Knowledge of material construction and related testing.
- Knowledge of wear and physical product testing.
- Knowledge of production garment construction and manufacturing.
- Ability to fit a garment and communicate required changes to T1.
- Knowledge of costing and ability to negotiate as required.
- Effective communication and negotiation skills.
- Understanding of the respective vision and strategy for the brands.
- Ability to communicate the vision, strategy, and success criteria to LO/OC/T1 and sourcing teams.
- Fluent English, written and spoken.
- Strong IT skills, including MS Office, and ability to work with Product Data Management Systems.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.
Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications
- College or university degree in clothing technology and/or manufacturing, or comparable education.
- Minimum 2–3 years of work experience in the garment or textile industry.
About adidas
At adidas, employees are encouraged to demonstrate courage, ownership, innovation, teamplay, integrity, and respect. The company emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion as part of its culture and talent processes.