Director Group Policies

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organisation:
- Responsible for driving compliance with global policies and standards [Global Policy Manual (GPM), Group Finance Manual (GFM)] and Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICoFR) best practices. Act as a Center of Excellence for International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and ICoFR vis-à-vis the entire adidas organization and internal/external auditors to ensure adherence and consistent implementation of global policies (with focus on GFM) and ICoFR. Ensure adequacy of Internal Controls mechanisms regarding the financial data/reporting (via IFRS / global policies and guidelines / Risk-Control-Matrices).- Key Responsibilities:
- Independently manage and be responsible that ICoFR are adequate/reliable by the following:

- o Drive the optimization of the adidas’ Internal Control System (with focus on Financial Reporting) to facilitate the achievement of the global adidas’ objectives
o Continuously improve and challenge the status quo of processes/risk-control-matrices with regard to the area of responsibility
o Present derived internal control requirements to market, brand and functional leadership teams with the goal to raise awareness of the relevance of ICoFR topics for operational and strategic business decisions on Market, Brand and Corporate Functions level
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o Foster the sharing of ICoFR best practices between the Markets, Brands and Corporate Functions
o Conduct on-site visits to provide support to the Markets and Brands if needed
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- Independently manage and be responsible that global policies and standards (GPM, GFM, global approval processes, etc.) are state-of-the-art, proper communicated and trained by the following:

- o develop new global accounting policies and update/improve existing global accounting policies if needed
o Responsible for the coordination/alignment of GFM policies
o Drive the global internal communication and training of new/updated global policies to ensure that they are understood and complied with (in collaboration with the responsible Corporate Function)
- Ensure a service function and provide comprehensive expertise for accounting topics and policies to Senior Management in finance and their teams worldwide (Corporate Internal Audit, Investor Relations, Corporate Treasury, Corporate Tax, controlling and accounting on Market, Brand and Corporate Functions level)
- Independently manage and coordinate the quarterly global representation letter process
- Independently manage and coordinate the timely and accurate preparation of selected notes to the consolidated financial statements
- Advocate the adidas’ view while negotiating with the external Group Audit Managers and Partners to gain their endorsement of strategically driven accounting decisions, new and/or updated/improved global accounting policies as well as topics relating to the notes to the consolidated financial statements, other accounting matters and the global IFRS external audit scope/audit fee budget
- Independently manage the global IFRS external audit scope/audit fee budget process and the monitoring of the global non-audit services performed by the external auditors in accordance with EU requirements
- Lead and manage internal projects of relevance for the entire adidas organization (e.g. implementation of new IFRS standards) and be involved as a major player in cross functional projects (e.g. implementation of a new lease management IT tool) including analysis of effects on adidas’ KPIs/financials as well as systems and processes, change management and training of stakeholders worldwide Lead and develop team members by setting priorities and performance objectives, providing feedback and implementing an individual training plan
- Authorities:
- Veto on accounting methods and GPM policies not compliant with IFRS, GPM and ICS principles
- Key Relationships:
- Senior Management and peers of other Corporate Functions at HQ - not limited to finance
- Senior Management of Corporate Functions/Markets/Clusters/Subsidiaries (e.g. Market FDs / local FDs)
- Senior Management and peers of other Corporate Governance Functions (e.g. Risk Management, Compliance Management, Internal Audit)
- External Group Audit Managers and Partners
- Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Excellent and up-to-date knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
- Strong and up-to-date knowledge of Internal Control Systems (in particular with focus on Internal Controls over Financial Reporting)
- Comprehensive understanding of global and local business, processes (incl. risks / controls) and structures
- Strong analytical, organizational, project management and time management skills
- Strong interpersonal, presentation and communication skills for influencing others, internally and externally
- Strong people management skills, i.e. ability to coach, guide, manage and develop a team
- Well-developed computer skills (MS-Office), ideally experienced in