Senior Director – Innovation and Operations Improvement

About the role

The Senior Director – Innovation and Operations Improvement will shape and scale adidas Global Business Services (GBS) innovation agenda, driving AI, automation and continuous‑improvement initiatives across finance, procurement and HR services.

Key responsibilities

• Define and continuously refine the GBS Innovation vision, strategy and operating model in line with corporate objectives.
• Establish governance, methodologies and tools to move ideas from exploration to business transition.
• Develop a multi‑year innovation roadmap based on user problems, market trends and emerging technologies.
• Lead end‑to‑end delivery of innovation and intelligent‑automation projects, from discovery through design, implementation and scaling.
• Apply agile, pragmatic approaches to accelerate time‑to‑value while maintaining execution discipline.
• Collaborate with GBS leadership, Global Process Owners, functions, markets and technology teams to translate strategic priorities into tangible outcomes.
• Create strategic narratives, business cases and leadership materials to secure senior‑executive buy‑in.

Required profile

• Proven senior‑leadership experience driving innovation, AI and automation in large, global business‑service environments.
• Strong track record of delivering complex, cross‑functional transformation programs.
• Excellent ability to connect strategic priorities with practical implementation.
• Experience working with global process owners, technology partners and senior stakeholders.

Required skills

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Automation technologies
• Analytics and data‑driven decision making
• Process management and continuous‑improvement governance