Account Director gesucht bei adidas AG in Herzogenaurach / 29.04.2025

adidas is the brand that started it all. For seven decades we have been looking at what people wear on the courts, tracks, and playing fields — and have worked tirelessly to make it better. This is what excites us every day anew: making a difference by shaping the future of sport. Because for us, sport can change lives for the better.

Purpose and overall relevance for the organization:

• Ensure sustainable and profitable market share and net sales growth for defined strategic Accounts in the respective clusters/regions by implementing the company's Brand and Sales Strategies with regard to key categories and defined target groups.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define, develop, and implement the short- and long-term commercial strategies within the assigned Sales Account Group for adidas in accordance with the Global, Europe and Cluster Sales Strategies.
• Translate the commercial strategies and objectives for Central Europe into functional targets for the respective Account teams and measure performance against given KPIs.
• Together with key wholesale partners execute strategic initiatives for Central Europe and Trade Zones for key focus categories in accordance the corresponding guidelines/framework conditions, also in close cooperation with the adidas Retail and e-com teams.
• Implement the Digital Partner Commerce (DPC) Strategy and ensure achievement of defined digital KPIs.
• Establish an appropriate organizational framework for the Sales organization together with the VP Sales.
• Build business and personal contacts to the main decision makers of key Accounts with the aim of establishing adidas as preferred supplier.
• Conclude constructive trade agreements with defined Accounts based on current sales and delivery policies as well as on current adidas commercial/e-commerce guidelines.
• Develop strategic Account and Account marketing plans to achieve (net sales and market share) growth targets as well as brand marketing objectives.
• Drive adidas brand concepts, ensuring market-leading brand presence at the POS (online and offline, brand-specific, and controlled space, in-store communication).
• Professional and brand-oriented steering of the sell-in process and sell-out support.
• Ensure continuous controlling and order management as well as cost-efficient and reliable demand planning and timely delivery.
• Ensure excellent forecasting and business planning for the defined Account group.
• Ongoing challenging of the status quo and driving of creative and new ideas to improve adidas performance in the respective cluster.
• Consistent market management (i.e., Account audits and exit management) in close alignment with the European Sales Development team.
• Close alignment with Sales colleagues who are assigned to all other Accounts within the cluster (i.e., Alliance key Accounts).
• Provide sell-out analysis and KPI reporting to senior management.
• Initiate analyses and research on Accounts, competitors, and market developments.

People responsibilities

• Lead all direct reports as one integrated team by defining specifications, KPIs, targets and guiding principles for the team.
• Create a high-performance culture and manage the career and succession planning for key talents.
• Encourage, lead, and drive the development of a performance culture within the team.
• Ensure collaboration between all employees and departments.
• Further develop the direct reports' functional and social core competencies through regular coaching and mentoring.
• Provide leadership based on the Leadership Framework

Powers:

• According to the authority matrix of the adidas Group
• Authority to sign: Power of attorney (p. V.)

KPIs

• Market share within the defined account group and the main categories
• Achievement of targets in terms of net sales, trade terms and earnings
• DSO goals
• DPC targets
• Compliance with trade investments
• CSD Compliance

Main Contacts:

• Internal
• • VP Sales CE
• • Management Team CE
• • Head of Sales Coordination CE
• • Brand Activation Directors und CTC Directors CE
• • Europe Sales Strategy und Development Team
• • CtC Teams & Customer Service
• • Global Channel Management
• External
• CEOs and managing directors / board members
• Head of Purchasing (CPOs) / Purchasing departments
• Head of Marketing (CMOs) / Marketing departments
• Head of Sales (CSOs) / Sales departments
• Interfaces to business development, logistics / operations, finance

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Proven track record in managing medium-sized sales teams
• Proven leadership and management skills
• Excellent commercial knowledge and business acumen
• Negotiating skills, confident demeanor, and representational skills
• Strong strategic and operational skills
• Proven advanced skills in strategic and conceptual management
• Proven methodological competence (e.g., business planning, strategy development)
• Very good knowledge of the adidas Group's business and extensive industry experience
• Excellent team player with a proven ability to work across functions to achieve goals and objectives
• Ability to influence partners in other functional groups in order to achieve consensus and mutual understanding
• Excellent interpersonal skills (e.g., communication, negotiation skills, etc.)
• Mental flexibility, initiative and determination
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office (including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Fluent written and spoken German and English knowledge is a prerequisite.
• Digital mindset and very good knowledge of digital media

Required training and experience / minimum requirement:

• Degree in business administration or similar with a focus on sales / marketing
• 10-12 years of experience in sales
• More than 6 years of management responsibility
• Strong employee management skills and proven commercial success
• Cross-functional experience, ideally in marketing / sales / finance / operations
• Experience in the sporting goods / retail / consumer goods industry
• Sport-specific category / industry knowledge

• Our Culture
• 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.