Director HR - Brands

About the Role

As a Director HR for Brands at adidas, you will lead and foster a comprehensive people ecosystem focused on delivering value at every significant interaction within the function/business area. Your role centers on implementing the People Strategy effectively while acting as a strategic HR partner to the organization, guiding both senior leadership and your HR teams across local, regional, and global levels. adidas is deeply committed to equality and inclusivity, welcoming applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds and providing accommodations during recruitment for those with disabilities.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary HR contact and trusted advisor for senior business leaders and customers.
• Coach and mentor senior leaders to empower effective decision-making in people engagement and performance areas.
• Lead execution of the People Strategy, with an emphasis on critical strategic priorities.
• Drive complex organizational design, change, and transformation initiatives aligning structures with strategic goals.
• Identify and develop skills and capabilities in support of strategic workforce planning processes.
• Utilize data analytics and dashboards to inform organizational strategies.
• Build robust leadership talent pipelines and succession plans for senior roles.
• Oversee the consistent application of core HR policies compliant with adidas Group guidelines and legal requirements.
• Rapidly address inquiries and concerns from senior management.
• Coordinate and support regional on-site activities such as office closures and employee events.
• Communicate key business priorities with Rewards, Talent, and Strategy teams to integrate requirements into new initiatives.
• Maintain global HR reporting in cooperation with controlling and global partners, anticipating emerging people trends.
• Maintain high communication standards with management, contributing strategically to team structuring and development decisions.
• Champion positive employee relations with effective HR measures, acting as a role model in embodying adidas values by motivating, engaging, and developing teams.

Key Relationships

• Leadership Team of support organizations (Board -1/2 level)
• HR colleagues locally, regionally, and globally
• HR Leads across global locations
• Talent and Rewards Partners
• Talent Acquisition Team Leads
• Finance department
• Works Council
• HR Services
• Talent reporting to M1/VP and below

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong HR capabilities including employee relations, expert HR knowledge, use of HR metrics, change and organizational design delivery, workforce planning, and awareness of people trends.
• Business acumen including commercial awareness, aligning HR with business strategy, and understanding of value chains and key processes.
• Consulting skills such as facilitating solutions tailored to business needs, trusted advisory, influencing, coaching, project management, and leadership development.
• Innovative thinking and leadership of team management and motivation.
• Excellent customer orientation with strong coaching, mediation, verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven presentation and facilitation ability with large groups and senior management.
• Capacity to drive innovation, lead change management initiatives, and translate strategic goals into actionable projects.
• Strong influencing and convincing communication skills with clear idea articulation.

Education and Experience

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources Management, or a related discipline.
• Between 8 to 10 years progressive experience in multinational organizations, particularly in HR management, rewards, talent, or related business functions.
• Preferably experienced in managing people and possessing an international mindset.
• Fluency in English is required; additional languages are advantageous.
• Demonstrated capability as a strategic HR partner supporting business growth and global HR tool development.
• Experience managing complex employee relations issues, including union activities and sensitive investigations.
• Leadership experience in acquisition, divestiture, and integration of new organizational units.

Adidas’ Commitment

adidas celebrates diversity and inclusion and encourages all individuals to express themselves fully within the workplace. The company maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of harassment or discrimination against applicants or employees.