Senior Specialist

LOCATION: ZURICH

This Sr Specialist - Product Manager Kids - Footwear role reports to the Head of Product Management - PAD on the Footwear Product Strategy team, driving the development and execution of innovative, safe, and culturally relevant kids' footwear collections. This position is crucial for translating consumer insights, especially for young athletes and their parents, into a commercially successful and brand-aligned product line.

• Lead the seasonal product strategy and execution for the Kids' Footwear collection, from initial concept to market launch.
• Conduct extensive market, consumer, and competitive analysis (including safety/comfort standards and trends in the kids' sportswear market) to define and build detailed product briefs.
• Proactively manage the range direction and architecture, optimizing SKU efficiency and lifecycle planning for key franchises and categories within the kids' segment.
• Ensure full alignment with the Go To Market (GTM) plan by partnering with our developers, Design, Sales & Marketing teams and actively partaking in major internal/external presentations, milestones, and key product launches
• Analyze in-season sell-through data and product performance to evaluate commercial success and provide actionable feedback for future collection strategy and planning.

• 3-5 years of experience in product management, merchandising, or buying within the sporting goods or fashion industry, with a strong preference for Kids' or Performance categories.
• Proven track record of managing the full product lifecycle for complex projects and successful collection launches.
• Deep understanding of the kids' consumer (both children and parents) and the connection between product, culture, and market trends.
• Expertise in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems and product data management, ensuring accuracy and alignment with creation calendars.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate business and consumer insights into a compelling, commercially-focused product strategy.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and cross-functional leadership skills to influence stakeholders and present ranges internally and externally.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken).

The PAD Footwear Product Strategy team sits at the intersection of all product creation functions, steering the product identity, viability, and commercial success of our collections. We balance innovation, technical excellence, and consumer needs to deliver products that strengthen brand desirability. Our mission goes beyond performance: we specifically focus on translating high-level athletic concepts and brand heritage into culturally relevant and commercially viable lifestyle products for our consumer base, all while fostering a collaborative, learning-focused environment.

As the Product Management team, we're responsible for managing product creation to facilitate go to market efforts; concept to consumer. Our cross functional interaction is driven by a consumer-focused mindset to ensure we create a product line that sells in and through.

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HEAD OF STRATEGIC PRODUCT INITIATIVES

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