Senior Manager, Program & Process Management

Who We Are:

At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line.

Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation.

Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success:

·       Runner First  

We act in the best interest of the runner

·       Word is Bond 

We do what we say we’ll do

·       Champion Heart  

We give our all in everything we do  

·       There is no “I” in Run

We stay generous with our humanity

·       Keep Moving

We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic!

We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement — because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there.   

Your Job:

The Brooks Product Operations team plays a pivotal role in enabling and empowering product teams to achieve optimal outcomes. Operating within the Global Product function, we focus on driving operational excellence through the definition, communication, and continuous improvement of operational processes, internal communication, change management, and strategic project, program and portfolio management. To support these efforts, Product Operations develops, deploys, and maintains systems, tools, and targeted solutions. We are seeking a Senior Manager, Program & Process Management to lead the execution of our product creation portfolio from concept to product introduction.

In this role, you will lead the Product Operations function, and you will focus on overseeing key programs, processes, and tools that drive maximum impact for Brooks and the runner. You will develop and manage a team of program and process managers, in addition to overseeing tools. You will be responsible for developing and executing the strategy for Product Operations in support of Footwear, Apparel and the end-to-end product Go-to-Market process— including product innovation, product creation, product sustainability, product marketing, and sourcing & manufacturing.

This role operates at a strategic level and requires close partnership with key business and functional stakeholders. The candidate must be an effective collaborator who can organize, lead, and facilitate cross-functional project & program teams, and develop recommendations for innovating end-to-end enterprise processes. Furthermore, this position will work with Footwear & Apparel leadership to support strategic initiatives, culture projects, business management, and the overall leadership project portfolio.

Your Responsibilities:

• Own and manage team within your direct organization. Ensure goals, objectives and expectations for all teams are interconnected to work towards the same strategic initiatives.

• Oversee the translation of strategy and initiatives into functional processes for your team.

• Develop and lead execution of Program and Process Management policies that impact department and/or company operations.

• Drive departmental goals, direction, and work priorities in alignment with company goals, setting achievable but demanding objectives linked to key strategies in the Program and Process Management in US and holding the team accountable to meet them.

• Communicate effectively to diverse audiences, across departments, and to company leadership to create a shared Go-To-Market process perspective.

• Oversee Program and Process Management resource planning; identify and escalate gaps in resourcing across your teams to inform resource planning and headcount decisions.

• Play an integral role in leading change management and resourcing to scale Program and Process Management Team.

• Inform and collaborate with the Footwear & Apparel Development department leadership to solve all Go-To-Market issues, challenges, and opportunities.

• Anticipate, communicate, and proactively manage opportunities and challenges for Footwear & Apparel Product Teams.

• Partner with Systems team to drive consistency within cross functional systems tools across the business.

• Lead 1-year Strategic Planning for Program and Process Management; develop clear expectations and deliverables to guide the team’s execution upon the strategy.

• Engage senior leadership in the alignment of the Program and Process Management Team strategy and roadmap with the overall business strategy and ensure integration into relevant business departments’ strategic roadmaps.

• Champion strategic and opportunistic business process improvement and cost reduction efforts and initiatives by anticipating tactical and strategic needs of the business and aligning to available resources (people, budget, technology).

• Partner with Senior Director, Footwear Development to ensure department strategy is aligned with overall business objectives.
• Develop a deep understanding of Brooks’ business and opportunities by connecting with leaders and peers across the organization. Utilize this knowledge to inform and influence Product Creation strategy development and execution.

• Gather and analyze data from multiple sources to develop insights that can inform strategy and prioritization across product functions.

• Oversee the delivery of Program and Product Management initiatives that contribute to a multi-year Program and product Management roadmap supporting key company goals and stakeholder objectives.

• Champion enterprise cross functional initiatives representing Program and Process Management to influence stakeholders and drive team POV throughout the process.

• Engage and partner with Program Director, Go-to-Market ensuring transparency and visibility to full Footwear & Apparel Program & Process.

• Successfully influence decisions across Footwear & Apparel functions with full accountability and ownership for the outcome as well as the process.

• Engage with department leaders throughout Brooks to understand their strategic needs and participate in the development of Go-To-Market strategies and roadmap.

• Build partnerships and alignment with cross-divisional partners to promote and implement Program and Process Management strategies.

• Actively engage and inform senior leadership and other internal stakeholders on Program and Process Management performance progress, challenges, and opportunities.

• Be an ambassador for Program and Process Management, working across the business to provide effective communication on Program and Process Management matters and build relationships with other teams to ensure effective dialogue between departments.

• Oversee establishment and continuous improvement of processes to deliver seasonal products on time with high quality.

• As a proactive business partner, build trusted relationships with other leaders at Brooks, and lead or support cross-functional projects.

• Act as a steward of Brooks culture and change management agent across Program and Process Management Team.

• Build a culture of openness and trust with team members to help them achieve their personal best and motivate them to strive for continued growth.
• As a leader on the Program and Process management team, be proactive in maintaining and improving team culture by identifying gaps and delivering solutions to address opportunities for improvement.

• Lead the Program and Process Management Team toward a shared objective of consistent project and process management tools and on time delivery.

• Provide opportunities and feedback to team members to build their skill sets and stretch opportunities for them to grow their career.

• Practice unorthodox or atypical ways of solving problems to conceive innovative, leading-edge concepts/ideas.

• Lead program, project and process innovation and partner cross-functionally to build the tools and processes that continuously advance Brooks end to end Go-To-Maret processes.

• Evolve, innovate, and evangelize processes/ tools/ systems to deliver products on time.

• Stay current with industry trends and innovation in the Program and Process Management space and be a thought leader across the organization.

• Build Product Operations Team budget and contribute to the overall Footwear Development budget.

• Accountable for planning and monitoring of Product Operations Team operating budget.

• Demonstrate extreme enterprise accountability in managing Product Operations Team.

• Apply Brooks requirements around budget planning and capex documentation to garner resources necessary to evolve the team to meet business objectives.

• Align financial, people and business resources to functional roadmap priorities.

• Lead the team and hold them accountable to delivering target product intro dates.

• Bachelor's degree (B. A. or B.S.) from four-year University, preferably in Project or Program Management. M.B.A. preferred, but not required. Equivalent years of experience can be considered in lieu of degree(s).

• 10+ years of experience in project/ program & process management experience, including of product development and manufacturing/ operations processes.

• 5+ years of experience in directing, managing, and developing high performance teams.

• Demonstrated understanding of the principles, standards and tools associated with business analysis, project management and process engineering.

• Strong teammate, successful collaborator, ability to influence, motivate and mentor others.

• Proven leadership capabilities to supervise a team and lead strategic business objectives with a proven ability to prioritize workload and manage short term and long-range projects.

• Proven track record in project management, problem solving and change management.

• Ability to build and foster strong relationships across the organization, from individual contributors to senior management. Establishes trust and inspires others to ensure business goals are met.

• Highly Collaborative leadership skills. Partners actively and achieves alignment. Inspires and achieves results through teams; establishes a culture of candor, accountability, and speed.

• Being self-driven, eager to learn and goal-oriented with strong time-management skills.

• Exceptional work ethic: being adaptable to ever-changing demands, with the ability to refocus and develop options for quick changes in projects.

• Ability to see the big picture, work with abstract concepts and thrive in a fast paced environment

• Demonstrated ability to develop highly productive relationships with individuals and teams that are made up of diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds resulting in effective working relationships across the company.

• Curious and open minded; always up for a challenge, inventive and creative. Ability to challenge the status quo- always looking at improving our people, products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details.

• Detail oriented. Strong organizational and time management skills are a must.

• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to work in a fast paced, changing environment, anticipating, and resolving problems in a timely manner.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with an advanced ability to communicate a point of view concisely and functional expertise within project teams and to external stakeholders. Strong storytelling, presentation, and communication skills, including meeting facilitation.

• Expert MS Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

• Embraces and lives the Brooks values!

Compensation: The pay range for this position, based out of the Brooks Seattle HQ, is $142,253 - $227,605 per year. Base pay offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.  

Other:

Brooks is proud to offer a robust benefits package to our employees and their families!

Benefits- including medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance, HSA and employer contribution, FSA, family & fertility assistance, 401K Savings Plan and match, employee assistance program, and transportation assistance.

Paid Time Off- Brooks offers generous time off including five weeks of paid time off, eleven paid holidays, paid sick and parental leave.

Bonus-in addition to base pay, Brooks employees may also be offered an annual bonus based on company performance.

Perks- including product discounts, employee recognition, fitness discounts, volunteer and donation benefits.

Location- You will spend at least 3 days per week in our Seattle offices, as we believe our organization flourishes when connections, collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and celebrations happen in person.

At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, two-spirit identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, the presence of a physical, mental, or sensory disability, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), caste, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, actual or perceived victims of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking, HIV or Hepatitis C infection, political ideology, use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, or any other non-merit based factors.