Director, Materials Scouting
adidas
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Office
Location: Shanghai • 🇨🇳 China
Visit company websiteJob Level
Lead
About the role
- 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.
Requirements
- 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
- Proven management skills and team responsibilities with large intercultural teams
- Apparel/ materials industry expertise
- Strong project management, problem solving knowledge and skills
- Strong ability to network and collaborate with multiple stakeholders
- Fluent in English both written and spoken
Benefits
- adidas’ Responsible Sourcing & Purchasing Policy
- Leadership development opportunities
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard skills
material technology scoutingmaterial developmentproject managementproblem solvingsourcing operationsbenchmarkingresearch and implementationmulti-sourcing flexibilitysupply chain resilienceteam management
Soft skills
leadershipcollaborationnetworkingcoachingrelationship buildingstrategic thinkingcommunicationintercultural team managementtalent identificationsuccession planning
Certifications
Master's degree in Textile EngineeringResponsible Sourcing & Purchasing Policy compliance