Senior Manager, Category Management

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

Reporting to the Pacific Category Director, the Senior Manager, Category Management will lead the creation and execution of category strategies and range plans for the Pacific market. This role ensures alignment with guidelines from Emerging Markets Business Units & Global, driving growth and brand relevance across Originals and related categories.

Key Responsibilities:

Partner with the Category Director to develop winning category strategies for the Originals Business Unit.

Validate category ranges against country Range Architecture and market needs.

Leverage deep understanding of the Pacific market landscape from both customer and consumer perspectives.

Lead and inspire direct reports across multiple categories: Originals Apparel & Footwear, Kids, Accessories, Basketball Lifestyle, Statement, Hype & Skateboarding.

Build strong relationships with Emerging Markets BU, advocating for local market needs.

Conduct in-depth category analysis, including sell-through, forecasting, pricing corridors, and segmentation compliance.

Manage E2E calendar deliverables, pricing harmonization, and volume/mix forecasts to hit margin, Net Sales, and forecast accuracy targets.

Provide timely feedback on samples, oversee ordering processes, and maintain system accuracy for local articles and SMUs.

Maximize in-season creation and hype opportunities while ensuring mandatory range compliance.

Define and manage customer segmentation, competition insights, and category-level market intelligence.

Deliver impactful category presentations at key GTM milestones.

Collaborate with Brand Activation on seasonal category brand calendars.

Lead key internal meetings (Pre-view, Monthly Category, Pre-Buy, Final Buy, Marketing Campaign reviews, etc.) and support strategic planning processes (IBP/SBP).

KPI's:

Category Net Sales growth

Net and Gross Margin performance

Sell-out rates

Market share gains

Key Relationships:

Senior Brand Director

Category Director

Brand Team (RA, AP, MOPS, BA, Digital)

Emerging Markets BU Team

Wholesale Channel Team

Direct-to-Consumer Buying Team

Finance, Demand Planning, Business Development

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Proven experience in marketing, merchandising, category management/planning, assortment planning, or retail, with a strong track record of results.

Cross-disciplinary exposure (brand communication, sales) advantageous.

Influential leadership skills with the ability to align stakeholders.

Strong numerical and analytical capabilities; advanced MS Excel & PowerPoint proficiency.

Highly organized, process-oriented, and fact-driven decision-maker.

Comfortable working under pressure in collaborative team settings.

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

University degree in Business or Marketing

7+ years relevant experience

Passion for sports and style

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.

At adidas, we strongly believe that embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our culture and talent processes gives our employees a sense of belonging and our brand a real competitive advantage.

– Culture Starts With People, It Starts With You –

By recruiting talent and developing our people to reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities, we foster a culture of inclusion that engages our employees and authentically connects our brand with our consumers.