Senior Director DEI & Talent Headoffice - Temp for 12 months (m/f/d) in Herzogenaurach

Senior Director DEI & Talent Headoffice - Temp for 12 months (m/f/d)

Adidas is an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from people of all ages, genders (incl. gender identity), ethnic and social backgrounds, nationalities, sexual orientations, religions and beliefs, and those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities*. We do not tolerate harassment or discrimination toward any of our applicants or employees.

*We actively encourage individuals with disabilities to apply and will provide reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process.

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

This role acts as a strategic integrator and trusted advisor, driving the execution of the Global Talent and DEI strategies while serving as a liaison between HR leadership and the Executive Board. It ensures alignment of Talent and DEI priorities with organizational objectives, orchestrates governance processes, and manages cross-functional initiatives that impact workforce experience, leadership development, and inclusion. The position combines strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and operational excellence to enable a cohesive HR agenda that supports business growth and cultural transformation.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Drive planning and governance for Global Talent and DEI strategies, ensuring clarity, alignment, and execution across HR and business functions.
• Lead the orchestration of executive-level interactions (e.g., DEI Executive Council, Talent SLT updates), preparing high-impact presentations and reports for Board and senior leadership.
• Oversee governance processes including roadmap development, policy management, risk/opportunity assessment, and resource planning.
• Act as a trusted liaison between HR leadership (Talent & DEI) and the Executive Board, influencing and aligning on strategic priorities.
• Represent HR in crisis management scenarios and provide consultation on Talent and DEI-related issues, internal policies, and external best practices.
• Amplify the work of HR teams by ensuring messaging and strategic objectives land effectively with senior stakeholders.

Program & Initiative Management

• Own and drive strategic projects and initiatives across Talent and DEI, including Women in Leadership strategy, global DEI moments, and act as SPOC for all talent related products and projects towards markets and Global functions.
• Implement tracking and reporting mechanisms for Talent and DEI KPIs, ensuring transparency and accountability.
• Research and apply innovative frameworks and methodologies to enhance impact and scalability.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Foster collaboration between HR centers of excellence (Talent, Employee Relations, DEI) and corporate functions to embed inclusive practices and talent priorities into business operations.
• Lead collaboration with other HR CoE’s (Rewards, Transformation & Solutions) to ensure alignment for core strategic priorities and thus mitigate risks
• Partner with Corporate Communications to shape organizational messaging for DEI and HR talent priorities and commitments.
• Lead and mentor a team, promoting a culture of collaboration, agility, and excellence.
• Provide guidance and coaching to ensure high-quality outputs tailored for senior leadership audiences.
• Amplify your leadership in the broader DEI and HR Talent community driving a positive culture and high engagement.

Key relationships

• SVP HR Talent / SVP DEI
• HR SLT
• Executive Board members
• HR Talent & DEI leadership teams
• Employee Resource Groups and global HR network

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Holistic, cross-functional view and understanding of the adidas organization and business
• Deep expertise in Talent Management, Leadership Development, and DEI principles.
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and Board-level stakeholders.
• Strong project management and governance skills; adept at managing complex, multi-regional initiatives.
• Strong and effective verbal and written communication skills (incl. in presentation and facilitation), experience analyzing and reporting workforce data to Board and senior leadership is beneficial
• Analytical mindset with ability to synthesize data into insights and strategic recommendations.
• High resilience, discretion, and ability to navigate ambiguity.
• A proven track record of leading and implementing large-scale global or regional programs and projects across the company with multiple stakeholders, including senior level leaders
• Experience in seeking alignment across leadership groups in order to influence without authority
• Ability to develop strategy and translate into actionable goals and activities
• Demonstrated management of strategic initiatives across multi-regional markets
• Experience in diversity, equity and inclusion with the ability to influence, design, implement and execute programs
• Ability to be adaptable, agile, navigate ambiguity, and collectively make an impact, while behaving and reflecting the values of the organization
• Excellent problem-solving skills, accompanied by ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with speed and accuracy while being highly organized
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to use data to develop insights, telling stories, driving decisions and measuring impact
• A high level of resilience, discretion and ability to maintain confidentiality
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and guide teams
• Strong relationship building skills, with ability to work collaboratively and drive consensus
• Hands-on mentality, including understanding the demands of physical presence in the HQ to support the Board & senior leaders in crisis management

Education & Experience

• University degree in Business, HR, Law, or related field.
• 10+ years progressive experience in HR, Talent, DEI, or strategic program management within a global organization.
• Fluency in English; German preferred.
• A proven track record with high-level stakeholder management, Board-level stakeholder management experience is strongly beneficial.

AT ADIDAS WE HAVE A WINNING CULTURE. BUT TO WIN, PHYSICAL POWER IS NOT ENOUGH. JUST LIKE ATHLETES OUR EMPLOYEES NEED MENTAL STRENGTH IN THEIR GAME. WE FOSTER THE ATHLETE’S MINDSET THROUGH A SET OF BEHAVIORS THAT WE WANT TO ENABLE AND DEVELOP IN OUR PEOPLE AND THAT ARE AT THE CORE OF OUR UNIQUE COMPANY CULTURE: THIS IS HOW WE WIN WHILE PLAYING FAIR.

• COURAGE:Speak up when you see an opportunity; step up when you see a need..
• OWNERSHIP:Pick up the ball. Be proactive, take responsibility and follow-through.
• INNOVATION: Elevate to win. Be curious, test and learn new and better ways of doing things.
• TEAMPLAY: Win together. Work collaboratively and cultivate a shared mindset.
• INTEGRITY: Play by the rules. Hold yourself and others accountable to our company’s standards.
• RESPECT: Value all players. Display empathy, be inclusive and show dignity to all.

At adidas, we strongly believe that embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our culture and talent processes gives our employees a sense of belonging and our brand a real competitive advantage.

Culture Starts With People, It Starts With You

By recruiting talent and developing our people to reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities, we foster a culture of inclusion that engages our employees and authentically connects our brand with our consumers.

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