Manager, Advanced Polymers (SCF)

Is a key player in Product Development & Sourcing, driving towards the most agile, most competitive, most digitalised and cleanest supply base in the industry. It drives engineering and manufacturing innovation at both process and product level, from concept validation to full deployment, to create overall industrial competitiveness. The position forms part of a consultant pool of technical experts guiding towards a world-class supply of foams, rubber, plastics, adhesives, ink/paint, coloration, textiles and other polymer compounds and their manufacturing processes.

• Understand the intellectual property (IP) landscape.
• Run individual and project team-based collaboration for engineering and manufacturing innovation of product concepts and ingredients from validation to full deployment, applying technical expertise and action throughout the readiness levels, gate 1 and 2 meetings
• And scalability for assigned projects and phases.
• Identify challenges and opportunities during the innovation readiness level stages and follow up the workstreams needed, maintaining an emphasis on performance, efficiency, cost and sustainability benefits.
• Receive seasonal compound requests from product creation teams and guide supply partner counterparts to experiment, formulate, test and effectively transition from development to production to satisfy those needs.
• Maintain the Material Lifecycle Management system for bottom material creation and management, including clean-ups.
• Give technical consultant feedback to Ops/Materials teams for new supplier onboarding, costing and quality.
• 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.
• Role model adidas values and behaviours and foster a culture of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion that strives for an inclusive workplace.
• Drive engineering and manufacturing innovations at both process and product level from concept validation to full deployment to create overall industrial competitiveness.
• Act as part of a consultant pool of technical experts guiding towards a world-class supply of foams, rubber, plastics, adhesives, ink/paint, coloration, textiles and other polymer compounds and their manufacturing processes.

• University degree in Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Textile Engineering or a related engineering area.
• Minimum 3+ years of relevant experience.
• Advanced knowledge of polymer chemistry and other chemical products, including formulations, processing, machinery and physical testing, in the field of Solid, Liquid and/or Gas specialties: Solid — rubber, injected plastic components, textiles
• Liquid — ink/paint, textile coloration dyes/finishing chemicals, adhesives and primers
• Gas — chemical foams (EVA, PU) and physical foams (SCF, beads).
• Strong analytical skills for problem solving and for the creation, planning and delivery of project work.
• Ability to explain highly technical concepts to a non-technical audience.
• Basic understanding of costing principles.
• Good influencing, interpersonal, presentation and communication skills.
• Fluent in English, written and spoken.
• Strong Microsoft Office and AI skills.
• Constantly challenges the status quo.

Adidas believes that embedding diversity, equity and inclusion into its culture and talent processes gives its employees a sense of belonging and its brand a real competitive advantage.