Assistant Manager, Platform Trading (Partner Program)

Job description

Country: United States
Job Function: Sales

State / Province: Oregon
Position Type: Full time

City / Location: Portland
Brand: adidas

Relocation: Yes

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

The Partner Program is at the forefront of creating a new digitally led adidas. By fostering a results oriented, fast moving & data driven culture, the Partner Program team is continually Creating The New. This new role will be pivotal in the continued growth and overall success of the Partner Program. The Assistant Manager role needs to meet and/or exceed budgeted divisional sales and profitability goals within the adidas digital sales environment by establishing assortments, merchandising strategy, sell-through management sales and inventory levels by category on a seasonal basis. We’re looking for a talented business manager and cross-functional partner who can identify opportunities and work through evolving challenges in an effective and collaborative way.

Key Responsibilities

· Drive seasonal strategy for area of responsibility and create best in class channel relevant assortments specific to our consumer and on trend that drive top line sales and profitability to achieve targets.
· Build and leverage relationships with cross-functional teams (i.e. buying, planning, marketing and distribution) and our Global and BU partners to obtain information necessary to create and execute merchandising strategies
· Identify and develop sales, marketing and promotional opportunities at the category, concept, collection and article level to maximize sales for both pre-season and in season for all tiers and regions.
· Analyze seasonal assortment of products, use the data to create strategy for future seasons, and recommend courses of action with cross functional team
· Present complete seasonal strategy with Planning, validating assortment choices, financial roll up, marketing and promotional direction
· Responsible for weekly product decisions that react to the consumer trends including chasing of product, markdown decisions and presenting these recommendations at the trading meetings.
· Maximizing sport moments and commercial retail events by offering compelling localized product for our consumer.
· Marketplace: Build assortments for designated categories to deliver planned category profitability and sell-through targets. Manage product in-season, devising and implementing promotional, mark-down and transition/close-out strategies.
· Continually challenge the status quo, think differently and push boundaries.

Key Relationships

· Partner Program specific teams (Business Development, Account Management, Merchandising, Operations, etc)
· adidas US Marketing teams (Business Units, Sales, Planning, Finance, Merchandising, etc)
· DTC, eCommerce & wholesale teams (Retail Planning, Analytics, Operations, Merch, etc.)
· adidas US and Global DBC functions for implementation of new processes and tools, work stream results, etc.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across organization functions and levels.
· Ability to identify and quantify sales opportunities and market trends
· Excellent analytical skills and a thorough understanding of retail math
· Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions
· Ability to understand and translate financial data to make recommendations and decisions
· Strong communication and presentation skills, written and verbal
· Ability to think strategically, synthesize complex data and develop innovative solutions
· Ability to delivery effective and persuasive presentations that support business decisions
· Ability to influence decisions and outcomes cross functionally
· Ability to accept and meet critical deadlines with good planning and organization skills
· Experience with, and a thorough understanding of, managing and influencing Open to Buy metrics
· Proficiency with MS Office Suite and working with systems/application
· Advanced Excel skills
· Travel required domestically and internationally up to 10% of time

Minimum Qualifications

· Minimum of 3+ years of professional work experience
· Degree from college/university or equivalent combination of experience and education in lieu of degree; advanced degree a plus
· eCommerce, omnichannel, and/or digital commerce experience a plus
· Experience buying footwear or apparel preferred.