Footwear Jobs in San Diego, CA (NOW HIRING)

POSITION OVERVIEW

At adidas, we never launch a product unless we consider it perfect.

Our product creation teams bring together consumer insight, design excellence, technical expertise, and commercial ambition to create footwear that performs at the highest level and connects with golfers around the world. Every product is shaped through thoughtful strategy, disciplined execution, and a commitment to delivering meaningful consumer and business impact.

The Director, Product Marketing (Golf Footwear) owns the global adidas Golf footwear strategy, portfolio direction, and category business agenda. This role translates consumer, market, athlete, and commercial insights into multi-season product priorities that drive brand relevance, profitable growth, and competitive advantage across global markets.

The Director leads the Footwear Product Marketing team and serves as the senior cross-functional category leader across Product, Design, Development, Go-to-Market, Marketing, Sports Marketing, Sales, and Finance. Within approved Golf and Brand strategy, this role sets seasonal direction, guides portfolio and investment recommendations, steers financial performance, and resolves material category trade-offs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Global Footwear Strategy: Own the multi-year, annual, and seasonal global footwear strategy aligned with adidas Golf, Brand, and Enterprise priorities.

Portfolio Direction: Set consumer priorities, portfolio architecture, franchise direction, price-tier strategy, and range requirements across global markets.

Financial Performance: Partner with Finance and Commercial leaders to establish and manage category targets including net sales, margin, article count, volume, market share, and inventory productivity.

Business Analysis: Use sell-in, sell-through, consumer, competitive, and marketplace insights to identify business risks, growth opportunities, and corrective actions.

Investment Priorities: Recommend category investment, innovation, and resource priorities to the SVP & General Manager and relevant Golf leadership forums.

Product Creation: Lead the footwear product creation agenda with Design and Development from strategic brief through commercialization and launch.

Seasonal Direction: Establish seasonal briefs, decision criteria, and milestone expectations that connect consumer needs, brand direction, technical performance, and commercial viability.

Category Decision Making: Own category prioritization and resolve product, timeline, cost, quality, and range trade-offs with cross-functional partners.

Innovation: Set the footwear innovation agenda and sponsor advanced creation opportunities across materials, technology, athlete insights, and responsible digital or AI-enabled capabilities.

Go-to-Market Leadership: Partner with Go-to-Market, Marketing, Sports Marketing, and Markets to deliver compelling launches and consistent global category expression.

Global Category Leadership: Serve as the global footwear category leader and primary interface to Market category teams and footwear counterparts across adidas.

Executive Communication: Lead senior-level product and category presentations at sales meetings, industry events, athlete engagements, and relevant media or partner forums.

People Leadership: Lead, coach, and develop the Footwear Product Marketing team through clear objectives, capability development, performance management, and succession planning.

Cross-Functional Alignment: Build alignment across functions and markets when priorities conflict and escalate decisions with material Business Unit implications when appropriate.

Category Accountability: Own category strategy, portfolio recommendations, product briefs, financial performance, assigned budget, team capability, and cross-functional delivery within approved Golf and Brand direction.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

University degree in Business, Marketing, Product Management, Merchandising, or a related field.

10+ years of progressive experience in footwear product marketing, merchandising, category management, product creation, or a related discipline.

Demonstrated experience owning global or multi-market category strategy and financial performance.

5+ years of people leadership experience within a matrixed organization.

Deep expertise in footwear product marketing, merchandising, product creation, and portfolio management.

Strong commercial and financial acumen with experience managing category performance, portfolio productivity, and business targets.

Proven ability to set global category strategy and translate strategic priorities into executable product direction.

Proven experience leading cross-functional product creation and global go-to-market initiatives.

Strong understanding of the golf consumer, footwear marketplace, competitive environment, and performance innovation landscape.

Strong executive communication, influence, and decision-making skills within a complex global organization.

Demonstrated ability to lead teams and cross-functional programs while navigating competing priorities.

Advanced Microsoft 365 skills, particularly PowerPoint and Excel.

Fluent English, written and spoken.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

Experience leading a global footwear category or significant multi-market footwear portfolio.

Experience developing multi-season product, franchise, and portfolio strategies within the sporting goods or athletic footwear industry.

Experience partnering with senior Finance and Commercial leaders to establish and manage category financial targets.

Experience working directly with athletes, innovation teams, creation centers, and external partners to influence product direction.

Experience leading product innovation initiatives across materials, technology, athlete insights, or emerging digital capabilities.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position follows the adidas hybrid work model and is based in Carlsbad, California. Employees are expected to work in the office Monday through Thursday, with flexibility to work remotely on Fridays. In-office attendance may be required on Fridays when the work requires a high degree of collaboration or an in-person presentation.

The role operates in a fast-paced, highly collaborative global environment with regular engagement across functions, markets, senior leadership teams, athletes, and external partners. Travel may be required to support global business priorities, product creation milestones, sales meetings, industry events, and other key category activities. The working language for this position is English.

REPORTING STRUCTURE

This role operates within the adidas Golf leadership structure and partners closely with the SVP & General Manager Golf and Senior Director Product Marketing. The Director leads the Footwear Product Marketing team and is accountable for team performance, capability development, and succession planning.

The position has significant cross-functional exposure across Design, Product Development, Go-to-Market, Marketing, Sports Marketing, Commercial, Market Leadership, Finance, global and Market Footwear Product teams, Creation Centers, Innovation teams, athletes, ambassadors, and relevant external partners.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $161,260 - $194,500.

Actual salary will be based on various factors, including a candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role.

Employees are eligible to earn an annual bonus based on both company and personal performance.

Eligible full-time employees may have access to the following benefits, subject to applicable plan terms, eligibility requirements, policies, and formal plan documents:

Comprehensive medical coverage including HSA with employer funding or FSA options, dental, vision, and prescription plans.

Adoption, surrogate, and fertility support programs.

Short and long term disability coverage.

Basic life and AD and D insurance with supplemental employee paid options.

401(k) plan and Stock Purchase Plan with employer match or applicable adidas contributions.

Education assistance for eligible full time employees.

Paid parental and other eligible leave programs.

Flexible Time Off accrued at 0.4388 hours per day for employees with less than five years of service, increasing with tenure.

Twelve Company-Designated paid holidays, including a Floating Holiday, plus milestone Service Time Off for eligible employees.

Employee product discounts and access to wellness and Employee Assistance programs.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

At adidas, we foster a workplace culture built on respect, collaboration, and opportunity where employees can grow, contribute, and perform at their best.

We value diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds because they strengthen our teams, drive innovation, and help us better serve athletes, consumers, and communities around the world.

adidas is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.