Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

Our aspiration as the Finance function at adidas is to be a reliable business partner driving growth and value creation. As a central element within the Finance organization, Corporate Controlling drives financial steering and decision making through high-quality financial analysis and foresight. The department covers financial planning & strategic controlling, global demand planning, sales finance, brand/marketing finance, reporting as well as value creation and group functions finance.

As Director Free Cash Flow and Operating Working Capital, you will be leading the company-wide financial reporting, controlling, planning and management of all Free Cash Flow items, considering Operating Profit, additional cash-relevant P&L elements as well as balance sheet changes, including a particular focus on Operating Working Capital (Accounts Receivables, Net Inventory, Accounts Payables) with the objective to provide transparency and insights to the senior leadership team to steer both, operational and strategic decision making, and impact the company’s as well as market’s and segment’s Cash Flow.

Together with your team, you will analyze monthly actuals, construct regular forecasts, create long-term simulations, identify risks and opportunities, run scenario analysis and prepare ambition steering and target setting. You will hold markets and functions as well as corporate finance teams accountable for their forecasts and continuously strive for improved forecast accuracy. In addition, you will support the transformation and digitalization journey within Trans4rm and drive leadership for the roadmap on Free Cash Flow and OWC management.

Key Responsibilities :

Functional/Operational

• Define and own the company-wide indirect Free Cash Flow and OWC (Accounts Receivables, Net Inventory, Accounts Payables) reporting, planning and management activities including monthly actuals analytics, current year forecasting, long-term simulations, scenario modelling and target setting
• Lead a fact-based and efficient decision-making process by providing insightful financial analysis and simulations and derived recommendations to the Finance Senior Leadership/Executive Team
• Act as central point of contact for the company-wide indirect Free Cash Flow process and as global lead for steering all elements of Operating Working Capital (Accounts Receivables, Net Inventory, Accounts Payables)
• Develop and implement result-oriented communication packages, information flow and seamless collaboration within the Corporate Controlling organization and other Finance Functions (e.g. Group Accounting, Treasury and Investor Relations) to present derived results, recommendations and solutions.
• Drive best in class analytics and continuous improvement in the area of own responsibility
• Engage with markets, functions and Corporate Finance teams to align on planning assumptions and to drive forecast accuracy and accountability

Continuous Improvement and Innovation

• Own the definition and implementation of new and improvement of existing structures and processes (e.g., definition of Free Cash Flow structure, forecasting process for FCF items) by ensuring cross-departmental collaboration and driving company-wide implementation
• Create new and improved working methods and structures as well as lead the creation of sustainable and meaningful regular reporting and ad-hoc analyses that significantly contribute to the overall success.
• Lead with curiosity to deepen the overall understanding of the indirect free cash flow method
• Initiate and manage relevant projects and take over an impacting role in larger cross-functional sized projects (transformation and digitalization journey within TRANS4RM), implement findings and ensure sustainability of achievements
• Drive programs/projects and respective alignment within Corporate Controlling by acting as a business partner and/or solution provider as the situation requires and as well ensure the implementation of common solutions

People Management

• Create a supportive, motivational and inspiring work environment in which employees are coached, trained and provided with career opportunities through development
• Be a role model in living our values and leading a team by driving motivation, engagement, development and a sense of belonging
• Allocate tasks to the respective employees considering experience, complexity, workload and organizational efficiency

Key Relationships:

• SVP Corporate Controlling and respective Senior Leadership Team
• Corporate Controlling teams (e.g. Corporate Reporting, Sales Finance, Market Finance, HQ Finance)
• Treasury, Accounting, Tax
• Finance and demand planning functions in Markets
• Global Demand Planning
• GBS and Trans4rm
• Investor Relations

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

• Corporate Finance experience and extensive competency with analysis of Financial Data (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow metrics); knowledge of IFRS and accounting standards is a plus
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to synthesize large sets of information and conceptual skills with experience in financial modelling
• Ability to work independently within a global and changing environment, and to demonstrate an understanding of the complexity, interactions and dynamics within an international company
• Ability to think and act strategically, developing creative and innovative solutions within an entrepreneurial environment to drive department roadmap and improvement agenda
• Strong business acumen and comprehensive understanding of internal processes
• Strong problem-solving mindset (structuring, analysis, synthesis) to operate cross-functionally and understand external business drivers
• High degree of result- and stakeholder-orientation and ability to prioritize
• Very strong communication, influencing & negotiation skills to appropriately serve senior executives, stakeholders and cross functional business leaders
• Strong people management skills, ability to coach, guide and develop a team
• Good planning and organization skills, including project management skills
• Comprehensive understanding of system landscape with strong PowerPoint and Excel skills, specific analytics tools are a plus
• Affinity towards modern Finance tools
• Fluent in English (written and spoken)

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• Advanced degree or qualification in Finance, Economics, Business Administration or Accounting
• 10+ years’ experience in Accounting / Controlling / Reporting within an international company
• Track record of outstanding performance in education and career