adidas had a difficult 2022, but they began building out a DEI strategy that is discussed in detail on their GamePlan A site. Use the link above to read about their plans for being a more inclusive company. The DEI strategy is admirable, but after the collapse of the Yeezy relationship and complete confusion surrounding their partnership with Fear of God for their basketball division, the United States strategy should be in repair mode which typically means reorganization and job opportunities. For this weeks JoIN post I wanted to focus on the Three Stripes and see if my notion that the brand should be hiring is true. Here is the adidas Careers site: adidas Careers – Through sport, we have the power to change lives. (adidas-group.com)
In keeping with the JoIN initiative, I am looking at jobs in the corporate arena vs retail. This is not a slight on retail positions. In looking at the confusing landscape of adidas in 2022 and their overreliance on entertainers over athletes, there appears to be a disconnect between the homebase of the company in Germany and how the U.S. is operating. While adidas in Europe is rooted in sport, soccer in particular, the U.S. strategy seems heavily reliant on influencers and fashion which leaves adidas at the mercy of trends vs performance. Performance can be highlighted and discussed via athletes and sports narratives, which has proven to be a boon for brands like On Running, Hoka and Brooks. What jobs are available in the Americas? Utilizing the navigation tools on the Career site I selected the region: Americas and the Country: United States of America.
In one of the more interesting discoveries for JoIN, in researching job openings for adidas I can make an interesting statement; adidas’ problems in the U.S. have not triggered any opportunities in their corporate jobs. I would usually write, “Here are a few of the positions open at adidas in the United States,” at this point of the post. JoIN is not about analysis. It’s about opportunity. While there are positions in the supply chain and distribution for the brand, there aren’t any positions available in
- Accounting & Finance
- Data Analytics
- Digital
- Engineering
- Global Operations
- Information Technology
- Legal
- Marketing & Communications
- Product Development
- Production
- Sales
- Sourcing
This is troubling. JoIN posts aren’t typically created to find connections where analysis shines a light on where and how brands could focus on solutions, so I won’t do that here. However, if adidas isn’t reorganizing and restructuring after a devastating 2022, this could spell trouble for the brand in the United States. Here is a list of positions open in Facilities and Human Resources:
Quality Admin (adidas-group.com)
Supervisor DC Operations – Day Shift (Mon-Thurs 7:00am-5:30pm) (adidas-group.com)
Lead Quality Inspector (adidas-group.com)
Manager Compensation (adidas-group.com)