Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

The Brand Finance Team partners with the adidas Brand team to set and achieve tactical and strategic financial targets, while driving financial analysis to support fact-based decision making.

The objective of the adidas Brand Finance team is to provide financial transparency and insights which includes all aspects of financial planning, controlling, performance management as well as management reporting for category performance during the creation, go-to-market and sell-out process.

This is a key position for an organized, passionate, and growth-oriented future leader who understands and enables fact-based and consumer-centric decisions. The role strengthens both short- and long-term planning to achieve financial goals as well as GCA strategy. The Senior Manager Brand Finance acts as a financial advisor and business partner and ensures sustainable growth and profitable business decisions by providing guidelines and insights with a dedicated focus on the assigned Sub-Brand and/or Business Units (BU).

Key Responsibilities:

• Facilitate Integrated Business Planning (IBP) for the respective Sub-Brand / BU, providing analysis and ensuring input and alignment.
• Analyze BU financials on a regular basis, highlighting risks, opportunities and focus needs, and deriving recommended action steps.
• Consult the respective BU with ad hoc analyses and scenario planning.
• Create new and improved working methods that significantly contribute to the overall department’s or Business Unit’s success.
• Support seasonal range planning process with detailed analysis as required to optimize brand and financial impact.
• Analyze and simulate pricing strategies to maximize profitability and optimal product mix
• Develop and implement communication packages to present derived results, recommendations and solutions. This includes management and execution of standard reporting as well as ad-hoc analysis
• Manage and develop team members and set environment for performance, in particular: develop functional, technical, and social skills within the team (esp. provide guidance and leadership to direct reports, interns, trainees, etc.)

Key Relationships:

• GCA Product team
• HQ Brand Finance team
• GCA IBP team
• GCA Demand Planning
• Omni-channel Buying Team
• FP&A Leads
• Creation Center Shanghai team
• Finance Operation team
• External Partners / external Business Consultants

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to think and act strategically, developing creative and innovative solutions within an entrepreneurial environment
• Strong analytical mindset, facility with numbers, financial modelling and problem-solving skills
• Very strong communication, influencing & negotiation skills to appropriately serve senior executives, stakeholders and cross functional business leaders
• Ability to maneuver in a consistently changing environment
• Ability to operate cross-functionally and understanding of external business drivers
• Thorough understanding of the complexity, interactions and dynamics within an international company
• Business fluency in English (written and spoken)
• Comprehensive understanding of system landscape

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• University degree in Business Administration/Finance/Controlling
• 5-7 years of relevant work experience, preferably within the retail, sporting goods industry or comparable industries
• Controlling experience in marketing- or brand-driven environment preferred