Purpose

A key player in Global Sourcing in driving Sourcing’s vision to be the Most Agile, Most Competitive, Most Digitalized & Cleanest Supply Base in the industry Drive engineering & manufacturing innovations on both process and product levels, from concept validation to full deployment, to create overall industrial competitiveness Take priority action as a consultant pool of technical experts guiding to a world-class supply of rubber, EVA, PU, injected plastic components, ink/paint, textile coloration, finishing processes, adhesives, and other chemical products and their manufacturing processes

 

Key Responsibilities

Research sporting goods, technologies, and supply partners via pulse checks and other industries to benchmark and identify opportunities for innovative technologies, processes, or materials that enhance industrial competitiveness Understand the IP (Intellectual Property) landscape and proactively raise potential IP filing opportunities with the team and brand legal Collaborate in project teams for engineering and manufacturing innovation, from concept validation to full deployment, contributing technical expertise throughout readiness levels, gate 1 & 2 meetings, and scalability phases Identify challenges and opportunities during innovation readiness stages and initiate necessary workstreams, focusing on performance, efficiency, cost, and sustainability Maintain accurate and up-to-date project data and engage with the PMO for guidance and support as needed Receive seasonal compound requests from product creation teams and guide supply partners in experimentation, formulation, testing, and transitioning from development to production Own the Material Lifecycle Management system for bottom material creation and management (clean-ups) Validate and release new bottom material suppliers and raw materials Provide technical consulting feedback to materials teams for: New bottom component tier 2 supplier onboarding via technical assessment Seasonal strategic capacity recommendations Seasonal validation of compound and pigment formulations for final price list Technical solutions for large-scale chemistry-related quality issues or claims Annually update A-01 policy related to chemistry topics and relevant projects/reports Ensure all sourcing operations comply with adidas’ Responsible Sourcing & Purchasing Policy, internal standards, and legal requirements Role model leadership to foster a culture of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

 

Key Relationships

Global Sourcing: costing, materials operations, sourcing operations, sustainability sourcing, engineering and manufacturing innovation teams HQ Innovation: innovation management, materials creation, sustainability, and product development teams External stakeholders: sourcing suppliers

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Advanced knowledge of polymer chemistry and other chemical products, including formulations, processing, machinery, and physical testing in the following specialties: Solid: rubber, injected plastic components, textiles Liquid: ink/paint, textile coloration, dyes/finishing chemicals, adhesives, primers Gas: EVA, PU, TPU, and other chemical foams Strong analytical skills for problem-solving and project planning/delivery Ability to explain highly technical concepts to non-technical audiences Visionary mindset with awareness of industry trends and consumer needs Basic understanding of costing principles Strong influencing, presentation, and communication skills Proven ability to lead multidimensional project teams Fluent in English (written and spoken) Proficient in Microsoft Office

 

Requisite Education and Experience

University degree in Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Textile Engineering, or related engineering fields Minimum 7+ years of relevant experience