Director, Footwear Product - SMU

Who We Are:

Reebok is a global fitness brand inspired by its American roots and a passion for movement. With a strong heritage in sport and innovation, we design footwear for athletes and fitness enthusiasts worldwide. Our mission is to help people be their best—physically, mentally, and socially—through the power of movement. We believe that when individuals move freely and confidently, they can fully express their authentic selves.

Position Summary

The Director of Footwear Product -SMU leads the Special Makeup and Key Account Servicing team, supporting our teams around the world in close to market additions to Reebok’s footwear range across all categories and age groups.

Key Responsibilities:

Key Account Servicing and Product Creation

• Drive growth with strategic partners domestically and internationally through SMU Product Creation across all categories and age groups
• Collaborate with sales and business planning teams to engage with accounts to develop and maintain partnerships that ensure Reebok's effective presence and presentation at retail
• Support sales and business planning teams with account pre-lines and previews
• Collaborate with inline product creation team to share key account wins and ensure feedback is executed in future ranges
• Ensure appropriate and correct brand positioning across all categories and age groups

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Create an effective work environment for the team across all cross-functional categories-product creation, business planning, sales, etc.
• Promote a high-performance culture by setting clear expectations and individual goals, and focus the team /
• organization on key drivers that impact success
• Build a high-performing team through development and day-to-day coaching of staff
• Be an advocate for the category both internally and externally to ensure that proper resources are garnered

Manage Business Processes and Projects

• Ensure overall adherence to the product creation calendar and achievement of key milestones through critical decision making and leadership
• Resolve issues with the team relating to design, staff performance, or cross-functional problems
• Partner with cross-functional leaders to design, streamline and optimize processes and workflows to ensure quality of entire commercialization process

Business and Industry Acumen

• Provide insight and analysis of consumer and marketing trends, competition, retail landscape, and cultural
• drivers affecting business dynamics
• Analyze and summarize internal and external data
• Analyze and prepare category business performance reports on a quarterly basis to present to Senior Leadership team

Key Relationships:

• Inline Product Marketing
• Product Development
• Design
• Costing
• US Sales
• International Business Planning
• Global Direct Account Team
• External Operating Partners
• Wholesale Accounts

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in footwear product management, at least 5 of which were in a management or leadership role.
• Knowledge of product creation process essential
• Bachelor’s degree in related field. MBA a plus.
• Ability to travel internationally
• Strong presentation skills (presenting to large groups expected)
• Ability to partner with, collaborate with, and influence internal and external business partners

Skills & Competencies

• Strong influencing skills
• Strong collaboration skills
• Strong verbal/written communication and presentation skills
• Excellent verbal and written language skills in English
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office products
• Experience in FlexPLM preferred
• Excellent analytical skills
• Be a leader to those in the department
• Provide prompt and constructive feedback, and assume a coaching role in order to support and inspire his/her cross functional team
• Ensure overall adherence to product creation calendar and achievement of key milestones through critical decision-making and leadership
• Tackle conflicts proactively and find constructive solutions together with his/her counterparts

Working Conditions:

• This is a full-time position
• This role follows a hybrid work model, requiring on-site presence at the Boston office at least three days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).
• Domestic and International travel
• Ability to lift boxes/bags/packages upwards of 50 lbs.