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We are working with a adidas (yes, “that” adidas) in their search for a Senior Manager, Global Ecommerce User Experience based in Canton, MA. Check ’em out:
Position Description
Are you a passionate believer in the importance of user experience? Can you visualize solutions to business problems that delight users? Do you build your designs on a foundation of rigorous user research? If the answer is yes, one of the most admired brands in the world is looking for you.
The Senior Manager of User Experience will join adidas’ Global Center for Excellence supporting its ecommerce platforms worldwide.
HARRY’S COMMENTS: The war for talent has made its way to Canton, MA, where adidas’ global ecommerce business is expanding faster than the client can handle the volume. This is a simple matter of the client needing sharp people to build its business.
If you look at UX as an input into adidas’ business process, it’s essential that adidas add UX experts in two different areas of its business: The client needs to create more websites, and it needs to optimize the sites it has.
Outside resources won’t cut it: There is a certain amount of ramp-up that must be gained before an adidas UX professional can start offering meaningful input, and it’s painful to use outside resources who may not stick around — or may not take a personal interest in adidas’ success. In UX roles, efficiencies are gained only by hiring the right people and scaling them over time.
To hit the ground running in this position, the right candidate will have a deep understanding of ecommerce UX issues. And we would expect you to be able to make meaningful recommendations within 90 days. For example, suppose adidas needs a new website: How would you design that website? How would you enhance it? What specific steps would you take to improve the user interface? How would you know which user interface is right for your users?
What’s your PROCESS for these things? How will your process work given adidas’ existing platforms? And how will you PRIORITIZE your issues?
There are a lot of moving parts in this position, and you must have experience managing large UX projects. Additionally, you’ll need a strong, business oriented voice to guide business issues through the organization. You’ll need to manage outside contractors in the way that gets the most out of them, and you will need to reach across multiple departments and functional silos to get things done. Meaning, you’ll need to be politically agile without being a political animal.
Before you apply, ask yourself:
“Have I led large scale UX testing initiatives?” At adidas, UX professionals design things; create the prototype; go into a room with users and ask them to do some tasks; get their feedback and recommendations; and document those findings. Can you do that?
“How much design experience do I have?” Have you created websites, blueprints, wireframes, thumbnails, and site maps by listening to business users and trying to parse what they want into an actual framework? For example, let’s say someone at adidas sits down with you and says “I want a website that can do XYZ…”. You should have your own methodology for executing around that inquiry.
“Do I have meaningful experience with ecommerce?” Meaning, do you know how to design sites and user interfaces where money actually changes hands? Do you understand how to get a user from the homepage through the checkout process in a brand-friendly way? Be prepared to give examples.
I have placed people with adidas before, and they love it. They love the culture. They love the travel. They love the compensation. They love the opportunity. And they love the momentum of the whole place. If any of this sounds like heaven on earth to you, I would love to hear from you.
Position Responsibilities:
- Provide input and oversight for the creation of the front-end blueprint for ecommerce initiatives.
- Create and implement a usability testing process and regular user feedback loop for the enterprise.
- Serve as the UX expert within the organization and create a set of shared best practices, and validate these through research and present in internal forums.
- Collaborate with global analytics and perform deep dives to unearth customer behavior insight.
- Lead projects to implement these findings.
- Evangelize the importance of great UX and propagate this vision throughout adidas’ businesses.
As the ideal person for this role, you’ll have:
- Understanding and appreciation of UX issues in ecommerce.
- Direct ecommerce experience.
- At least 6-8 years of experience as a UX/usability practitioner and complete command over the various aspects of the discipline.
- 2-4 years’ experience managing other UX professionals.
- Solid experience creating and running usability testing. (You must be comfortable implementing the full cycle of recruit-test-report.)
- Experience working in cross functional teams implementing UX solutions.
- Experience creating visual artifacts and other means of conveying front-end requirements.
You must also possess:
- A Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline (human factors, psychology etc.). Master’s preferred.
- Strong interpersonal and presentation skills. You must be very comfortable speaking to large groups and senior executives.
- Understanding of HTML, CSS and web 2.0 technologies.
- You will also have decent prototyping skills and can work your way around Photoshop and Dreamweaver.
- And: You’ll need a positive ‘can do’ attitude and a sense of humor.
Applications for this position are being coordinated by Harry Joiner. To apply, please send your resume in Word format to directly to Harry. Be sure to ask him for a packet of market research and company / competitive intel that will differentiate you in your candidacy. Due to the intensely competitive nature of this search, thorough preparation for these interviews with this proprietary material is strongly recommended.
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