Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organisation:
We'll never launch a product unless we consider it perfect. Our product development teams create every shirt, every shoe and every piece of equipment for thousands of athletes and fashion lovers as if it was one of a kind. And it truly is, as they weave their passion into every single product. But translating designs, drawings and renderings into real products requires a lot of decision making.
As Manager Product Costing Footwear, you are contributing to the Brand growth and profitability by gaining a full understanding of its business potential, anticipating requirements, proposing cost-based solutions to achieve Brand adidas objectives. You will be responsible for providing cost engineering expertise, identifying, prioritizing, and implementing cost savings initiatives to hit seasonal product target FOBs and margin. You will develop costing tools and insights to enable product teams for manufacturing and to achieve optimal product cost and maximise product value.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide product costing expertise during product creation cycles to advise on key cost drivers and options to maximize product value and costs to meet margin targets
- Provide technical costing expertise to enable design for manufacturing, facilitating conversations to maximize product cost value with cross-functional teams
- Create FOB & margin report at each of milestone and analysis gaps. Ensure follow up with leaders, development and product line manager for any variations vs target margin/FOBs.
- Increase awareness and understanding for cost process within organization through effective communication and training
- Drive or support projects to enhance Costing processes & framework in collaboration with Brand, Product & Global Operations
- Participate in Sourcing meetings, sharing BU challenges & opportunities, to find solutions
- Contribute to allocation decisions, by creating transparency of landed cost optimization
- Ensure costing standards, policies and & practices are shared, followed accurately from start to finish while following established timelines and calendars.
- Prepare & communicate additional analysis as required, Cost driver trend / FOB & Margin analysis
- Ensure all relevant costing systems are maintained, partnering with relevant stakeholders
- Role model leadership to foster a culture of Diversity Equity & Inclusion that strives for an inclusive workplace.
Key Relationships:
- Brand: Design, Marketing
- Global Sourcing: Sourcing Development, Operations, Costing.
- External stakeholder: Tier 1 Costing
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Technical knowledge of product , material construction & properties, and product pricing
- Knowledge of sporting good industry, specializing in product costing, product development, or production.
- Good presentation, negotiation, influencing, people and communication skills
- Written and verbal communication skills and fluent in English
- Ability to work both independently and cooperatively with a diverse group of people
- Clear, logical analytical approach to problem-solving
- Computer literacy (Microsoft Word, Excel, Power-Point / Power BI).
- Ability to investigate data, find trends, forecast performance and provide insightful recommendations
Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:
- University degree in footwear technology, manufactunring, engineering or business, or technical degree as footwear technician
- Alternatively, combination of relevant education, experience, and training
- Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience in Footwear Product Costing