Purpose

• A key player in PD&S in driving to be the Most Agile, Most Competitive, Most Innovative & Sustainable Supply Base in the industry.
• Apply 3D, AI, automation and emerging technologies to strengthen supplier capability and deliver measurable improvements in speed, quality, scalability, cost and business value.
• Lead the digital asset or supplier capability portfolio, translating Sourcing Digital Asset direction into scalable supplier transformation and implementation.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the Sourcing subject-matter lead for the assigned digital asset or supplier capability portfolio, representing supplier perspectives in cross functional discussion and translating changes in product development workflows, digital asset requirements, system integration and emerging technologies into supplier capability, capacity and implementation needs.
• Translate the Sourcing Digital Asset direction and prioritised requirements into scalable execution plans, supplier capability frameworks and improvement priorities, working with functional owners and technology partners to ensure supplier feasibility and operational readiness.
• Identify and prioritise opportunities to improve supplier-facing product development and digital asset workflows through process re-engineering, system integration, AI and automation.
• Evaluate feasibility, supplier readiness, adoption and realised benefits, providing evidence-based recommendations to the Director on whether initiatives should be scaled, refined, transferred, partnered or stopped.
• Enable suppliers to integrate and apply digital creation tools, digital assets and product data across product development, manufacturing, quality and commercial workflows, building connected, reusable and scalable ways of working.
• Co-develop and implement digital asset quality, data, metadata and interoperability standards, identifying supplier-related governance, security and intellectual-property requirements for resolution by the appropriate functional owners.
• Lead supplier capability transformation with Sourcing Operations, addressing performance, capacity and readiness gaps while enabling greater supplier ownership and cross-supplier learning.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with BCS, ADV3D, TECH and other relevant digital asset stakeholders, keeping Sourcing Operations connected to evolving direction and initiatives so that supplier perspectives and implementation needs are addressed early.

Role model leadership to foster Diversity Equity & Inclusion culture that strives for an inclusive workplace.

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.

Key Relationships

• Product Development & Sourcing
• Brands & Sales
• Sourcing Suppliers: Tier 1 & 2
• Other Global Functions Teams: TECH
• External Stakeholders: Soft-& hardware vendors, Agencies

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proven experience implementing and scaling AI, automation and emerging technologies in digital asset creation, delivering measurable improvements in speed, quality, scalability, cost or business value.
• Strong understanding of the evolving digital asset landscape, including 3D, photography, AI-generated and AI-enhanced imagery, and other fit-for-purpose commercial assets.
• Deep expertise in 3D digital product creation and relevant platforms, including CLO, Rhino, Blender, Vizoo, Shima Seiki, Revobit or comparable solutions.
• Strong knowledge of end-to-end product development, pattern engineering, manufacturing and digital asset workflows across relevant product divisions.
• Strong process-transformation capability, with the ability to identify opportunities, challenge established workflows and lead initiatives through validation and operationalisation.
• Proven ability to translate direction and prioritised requirements into scalable execution plans, supplier capability frameworks and improvement priorities
• Ability to evaluate feasibility, supplier readiness, adoption and realised benefits and provide evidence-based recommendations on whether initiatives should be scaled, refined, partnered, transferred or stopped.
• Strong understanding of supplier capability, capacity, performance and readiness, with experience leading structured capability transformation and enabling greater supplier ownership.
• Ability to enable suppliers to integrate and apply digital creation tools, digital assets and product data across product development, manufacturing, quality and commercial workflows.
• Proven ability to lead complex transformation initiatives across suppliers, Sourcing teams, functional owners and technology partners.
• Strong team leadership, coaching, influencing, stakeholder-management and change-management skills.
• Fluent in written and spoken English, with the ability to lead effectively across suppliers, functions, cultures and geographical regions.

Requisite Education and Experience

• University degree or equivalent qualification in design, product development, engineering, manufacturing, digital technology, computer science, computer graphics, business transformation or a related field.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in digital product creation, product development, manufacturing innovation or digital transformation.
• Demonstrated experience in supplier capability transformation, process re-engineering and the practical implementation of 3D, AI, automation or emerging technologies.
• Proven experience owning transformation programs or supplier capability portfolios from opportunity assessment through validation and operationalization.
• Proven experience leading teams or workstreams and complex cross-functional initiatives across global suppliers, business functions and technology partners.