Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization
As part of the EU eCommerce Product Merchandising team, the Senior Buying Manager drives end-to-end merchandising for their categories across adidas eCom Europe, ensuring the right product is delivered at the right time and in the right quantity to delight our consumers and maximize sustainable commercial growth.
You will work within a dynamic, fast-paced team, collaborating closely with multiple teams while you’ll lead the full buying process for your categories, from range selection to buy execution, aligned with seasonal and commercial targets. Partnering with EU Business Unit, you'll provide key input on product needs from the eCom lens, fueled by your category expertise & consumer insights. This way, you help shape the role of EU eCom for your categories; Running – managed by yourself - and Outdoor & Golf, managed within your team.
You will own all pre-season decisions for your category, shaping the assortment framework and driving aligned buys, while collaborating closely with Planning and Trading teams to understand and react to in-season commercial performance. Strong and proactive collaboration with Business Units, Digital Visual Merchandising, Digital Activation, Demand Planning and core eCom functions will be key to your success.
Key Responsibilities
- Own the range selection and buy process for the Running category range, aligned with defined targets and objectives:
- Act as a key point related to your category within the eCom channel and for eCom towards the respective Business Unit.
- Lead range selection in line with Brand priorities and Commercial strategy, ensuring alignment with seasonal goals and financial targets.
- Manage and guide a team of 2 people, owning their own respective categories (Outdoor + Golf) and horizontal buying team support
- Own pre-season forecasting in collaboration with European merchandising teams, based on agreed Open To Buy and range size targets.
- Manage and lead range handovers to key stakeholders, including final forecasts, launch phasing, and size curves to ensure we capture the consumer demand
- Drive in-season range management to maximize commercial performance in collaboration with the Planning & Trading team leveraging data & insights
- Ensure timely and efficient product launches through alignment with all key stakeholders ahead of online introduction.
- Support the delivery of financial and range efficiency targets for specific categories by working closely with the Planning & Trading teams. You will contribute to driving Net Sales, Sell-Through, and Standard Margin through effective range and merchandising decisions.
- Manage and maintain all range management systems (both pre-season and in-season).
- Aligning with Product Content, Demand Planning, DVM (Digital Visual Merchandising) and Digital Activation to ensure smooth, on-time and impactful product launches online.
- Be a key contributor during in-season category trading meetings, using sales performance, campaign results, and key merchandising KPI’s to inform and influence range decisions through data-driven insights.
- Actively Participate to major seasonal and go-to-market milestones to represent the channel and gain insights into key seasonal brand and BU strategies and initiatives.
Key Relationships
- Broader Product Merchandising team: Performance Buying, Lifestyle Buying, Planning & Trading, Off Price Merchandising & Merchandising Operations
- EU Business Units
- Digital Sales - Partner Program team
- DAT - Digital Activation Team
- CX & DVM – Consumer Experience and Digital Visual Merchandising
- Europe Demand Planning
Skills and Abilities
- Solid expertise in pre-season buying within a multichannel direct-to-consumer environment (e.g., own retail, franchise, and eCom) for a global brand.
- Strong understanding of merchandising, with broad exposure to related functions across the buying process.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to create clear, concise, and visually compelling presentations and reports for stakeholders.
- Proven ability to influence, and inspire teams to achieve strategic objectives, with a strong focus on fostering collaboration and driving results.
- Commercial acumen and trading mindset to drive profitable growth and react to in-season developments for their respective categories
- Analytical proficiency and ability to interpret data into insights to support fact-based forecasting and decision-making.
- Ability to lead and guide people within the team and horizontally by influencing through integrity with a collaborative mindset
- Fluent in English, both written and spoken.
- Strong category affinity is a plus
Requisite Education and Experience
- University degree.
- 5+ years of professional experience, ideally in Buying, Trading, or Planning roles.
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.