As Manager Category Management Business Unit Specialist Sports [SP/SP], you will drive the category business Net Sales in Emerging Markets for your categories of responsibility. You will be the EM expert for category, understanding consumer trends, distribution opportunities and competitor strategies. Together with the Senior Manager & the BU Lead you will execute seasonal, fiscal and long-term strategic plans to grow profitable market-share for the category.

To succeed you will collaborate with EM cluster/country organizations and Channel teams to identify and address business opportunities in the market and deliver against those by collaborating with the Global Business Unit throughout the seasonal Go-to-Market process.

You will be the point of contact for BU SP/SP in EM for pre-season planning, in-season tracking, monitoring, and actioning.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Execute defined BU KPIs with the objective to grow the business across EM Countries & Channels.
Execute the seasonal Go-To-Market (GTM) process and calendar milestones for the category in Emerging Markets.
Deliver an effective Emerging Markets Range that allows Clusters to maximize their opportunities.
Build a Category “Common Range/ Power Pack” as the foundation of EM Range ensuring consistent Brand Footprint without compromising on any commercial opportunities.
Ensure all system requirements for ranging in RMA and M-3 is met: GTM milestones and timelines.
Drive decision making through data analytics & category tracking paired with consumer trends and market opportunities.
Be the interface between Global Business Unit (BU) and market stakeholders.
Work closely with Brand Activation, Omnichannel & Membership teams to deliver Category activations & Credibility moments with impact.
Perform category analysis including Buy-Sales review, market/consumer/competitor insights and leverage for planning.

KPIS:

EM Category Net Sales, Key Franchise growth/share of NS.
Range Planning : FTW & Apparel
Own Running Apparel business along with defined KPIs
Deliver Special Projects: Cluster relevant SP/SP opportunities. For example: Netball / Badminton / Aussie Rules & Rugby League.
Execute seasonal GTM calendar and deliver as per timelines.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS:

EM Horizontal Brand Teams (Hub Brand Communications & Activation, Marketing Operations, Sports Marketing)
EM Cluster Category Management/CTC teams
EM Hub Channel teams
EM Demand Planning & SCM
Global SP/SP Business Unit

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Passion for Sports, Fitness & Fashion
Strong analytical skills structured and process oriented.
Experience in Category Management, Merchandising experience is a plus.
Consumer-focused with deep product and range understanding with an excellent ability to balance brand and commercial aspects and build channel specific GTM solutions
Experience in footwear and apparel design and development is a plus
Pro-active (engaging & impact-oriented) mind-set, ability to think end-to-end.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with different international cultures.
Strong communication (both written and verbal), presentation and facilitation skills
(small and large groups)
Ability to communicate with Senior Leadership in Global & Local teams.
Ability to travel, domestic or international, as required.

REQUISITE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE / MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

5+ years Product Management and Merchandising experience, ideally in sporting goods, fashion, or other youth culture brands.
University degree in business or fashion/sports, ideally with Marketing and sales focus or equivalent professional experience; MBA is a plus.
Strong MS-Office skills - advanced user of Excel, PowerPoint and Power BI.
Fluent in English (verbal and written) with strong communication & presentation skills.

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.

AT ADIDAS, WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT EMBEDDING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) INTO OUR CULTURE AND TALENT PROCESSES GIVES OUR EMPLOYEES A SENSE OF BELONGING AND OUR BRAND A REAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.

– CULTURE STARTS WITH PEOPLE, IT STARTS WITH YOU –

BY RECRUITING TALENT AND DEVELOPING OUR PEOPLE TO REFLECT THE RICH DIVERSITY OF OUR CONSUMERS AND COMMUNITIES, WE FOSTER A CULTURE OF INCLUSION THAT ENGAGES OUR EMPLOYEES AND AUTHENTICALLY CONNECTS OUR BRAND WITH OUR CONSUMERS.

JOB TITLE:

Manager Category Management SPSP EM

BRAND:

LOCATION:

Cape Town

TEAM:

Merchandising & Planning

STATE:

West

COUNTRY/REGION:

CONTRACT TYPE:

Full time

NUMBER:

538483

DATE:

Jan 5, 2026

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