Senior Manager, Solution Engineering

Global Engineering - Senior Manager Solution Engineering Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization

Global Engineering is a critical enabler of successful, efficient, and future‑ready distribution centers across the adidas Group. The function defines and drives best‑in‑class solutions for distribution center (DC) layout, process design, and automation, while ensuring global standardization and scalability.

The Senior Solution Engineer within Global Engineering plays a key role in shaping and deploying adidas' global DC engineering strategy. The role drives design standards, supports the introduction of new technologies, benchmarks adidas' DC solutions against industry leaders, and partners closely with regional engineering teams to ensure consistent, optimized, and cost‑effective DC implementations worldwide.

• Define and continuously improve global standards for DC design, including facility layout, process design, and automation concepts.
• Develop scalable DC design and automation strategies, translating business forecasts and volume scenarios into robust facility and material flow concepts.
• Drive standardization of Material Handling Equipment (MHE), automation solutions, and DC processes across regions.
• Partner with Global Non‑Trade Procurement to define and execute global and regional supplier and technology strategies.
• Lead or support feasibility studies and business cases for new DC builds, expansions, and automation investments.
• Facilitate the introduction of new DC technologies in close collaboration with regional engineering, IT (WMS/WCS/WES), and operations teams.
• Benchmark adidas DC concepts against external best‑in‑class solutions to ensure continuous innovation and competitiveness.
• Act as a technical authority and advisor to regional engineering and DC management during concept design, implementation, and ramp‑up.
• Support capital projects by leading or contributing to engineering and MHE work streams, from concept through commissioning and handover.
• Contribute to the development of the global engineering community, including best‑practice sharing, documentation, and capability development.
• Identify and evaluate problems and develop improvements to processes, layouts, internal flows, utilization, packaging material usage and methods of operation within a warehouse environment, making fact based recommendations to the lean organization.
• Evaluate Labour Management systems including implementation, configuration, analysis of results and development of recommendations to the DC heads

• Global Engineering
• Market Engineering teams
• DC Engineering teams
• Distribution Center Management and Operations
• Project Management
• TECH functions
• Global Real Estate / Work spaces
• Finance and Investment Committees
• Project Steering Boards and Executive Sponsors
• Other global functions as required by project scope

• Automation and technology suppliers
• Engineering and logistics consultants
• System integrators and solution providers

• Proven experience in distribution center design, covering facility layout, process engineering, automation, and material flow.
  • Ability to translate business forecasts and operational requirements into end‑to‑end DC designs using CAD tools (e.g., AutoCAD).
  • Strong expertise in MHE and automation solutions, including ASRS, goods-to-person, conveyor, sortation systems and advanced automation like AMR, as well as manual DC concepts.
• Broad understanding of end‑to‑end supply‑chain and logistics processes, with deep engineering expertise.
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
• Solid understanding of WMS, WCS, and WES architectures and their interaction within automated and manual DC environments.
• Strong background in complex data analysis, capacity modelling, and scenario evaluation in a distribution or supply‑chain context.
• Working knowledge and practical application of Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, and other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience with labour management systems, engineering labour standards, and work measurement methodologies.
• Strong project management capabilities, including planning,…