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Senior Category Manager Italy & SEE Factory Outlets (Temporary Role)

Join adidas Europe and shape the future! For over 75 years, our European heritage has been a fusion of culture and innovation, driving global sports trends.

Our offices, from Herzogenaurach to London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Athens, Milan, Manchester and Paris, are centers of creativity and collaboration. We aim to be Europe's best sports brand, seeking pioneers and visionaries to join our bold journey.

At adidas, you're not just getting a job; you're invited to make a global impact, joining a team that values creativity, courage and innovation.

Are you ready to be part of our journey?

 

Purpose of the role:

  • Drive the commercial success of key Factory Outlet locations by optimizing net sales, conversion rates (CR), and units per transaction (UPT).
  • Serve as the product expert for Factory Outlets in Cluster, with deep knowledge of current and future product trends across categories and channels for both adidas and competitors.
  • Identify and enhance opportunities within Factory Outlets, working with Cluster commercial teams to close the market share gap in DTC Factory Outlet.

 

What you'll do:  

  • Determine the strategic approach for Factory Outlet (FO) stores, optimizing future ranges to meet consumer demand. This includes creating "Store Game Plans" and executing key initiatives based on opportunities identified by DTC FO (EU).
  • Gain in-depth consumer insights to influence range decisions based on NPS data, exit surveys, and store/ center visits.
  • Provide product input for FO store ranges in collaboration with Brand and Category teams, ensuring alignment with range architecture, price points, and lifecycle requirements.
  • Lead analysis on space and productivity initiatives, working with FO Planning.
  • Communicate seasonal product strategies to store teams and contribute to the pre-season marketing and promotional calendar.
  • Support the creation of budgets and forecasts for all cluster stores.
  • Represent the market in product-related discussions during business reviews, prioritizing high-turnover and underperforming stores.
  • Conduct performance and sell-through analysis, addressing stock issues, range gaps, and slow sellers to drive action steps.
  • Provide market input on stock requirements for key commercial periods and perform competitor analysis to enhance performance in the FO space.
  • Present quarterly business reviews with DTC FO, highlighting key drivers and insights.
  • Collaborate with local VM and Marketing teams to optimize promotions and activations.
  • Build relationships with key landlords to improve store performance.

 

Skills you'll need:

  • Consumer-focused with deep product and range understanding with an excellent understanding of balancing brand and commercial aspects to build channel specific Category solutions
  • Strong organizational skills
  • Flexibility to travel internationally
  • Strong engaging presentation style
  • Creative, open-minded individual
  • Very good functional skills (e.g. Visual Merchandising, GTM, Merchandising)
  • Mental flexibility, initiative, resilience, determination and solution oriented
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Analytical Skills on Retail KPI’s understanding, proven methodological skills (e.g., business planning, strategic development)
  • Strong skills in PowerPoint, Excel and adidas system tools 
  • Fluent in English both verbally and written. Skills and abilities in another language are a benefit

 

Main requirements:

  • University degree in business, ideally with marketing and sales focus or equivalent professional experience
  • Advanced cross functional Merchandising knowledge and market experience in sport and fashion/lifestyle categories
  • 5-7 years of typical relevant work experience ideally in Merchandising or sales

 

Location

The role will be based in our new Office in Milan!

 

Life at adidas:

  • Annual bonus
  • Meal Voucher
  • Gym and Sports opportunities
  • Free access to self-learning platform
  • Employee Assistance Program (personal counselling)
  • Hybrid working model

AT ADIDAS WE HAVE A WINNING CULTURE. BUT TO WIN, PHYSICAL POWER IS NOT ENOUGH. JUST LIKE ATHLETES OUR EMPLOYEES NEED MENTAL STRENGTH IN THEIR GAME. WE FOSTER THE ATHLETE’S MINDSET THROUGH A SET OF BEHAVIORS THAT WE WANT TO ENABLE AND DEVELOP IN OUR PEOPLE AND THAT ARE AT THE CORE OF OUR UNIQUE COMPANY CULTURE: THIS IS HOW WE WIN WHILE PLAYING FAIR.

  • COURAGE: Speak up when you see an opportunity; step up when you see a need..
  • OWNERSHIP: Pick up the ball. Be proactive, take responsibility and follow-through.
  • INNOVATION: Elevate to win. Be curious, test and learn new and better ways of doing things.
  • TEAMPLAY: Win together. Work collaboratively and cultivate a shared mindset.
  • INTEGRITY: Play by the rules. Hold yourself and others accountable to our company’s standards.
  • RESPECT: Value all players. Display empathy, be inclusive and show dignity to all.

adidas celebrates diversity, supports inclusiveness and encourages individual expression in our workplace. We do not tolerate the harassment or discrimination toward any of our applicants or employees. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Job Title:  Senior Category Manager Italy & SEE Factory Outlets (Temporary Role)

Brand: 
Location:  Monza
TEAM:  Merchandising & Planning
State: 
Country/Region:  IT
Contract Type:  Temp
Number:  525619
Date:  Apr 23, 2025
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