Job Description: Director of Global Apparel & Accessories Merchandising
As the Director of Global Apparel & Accessories Merchandising, you will set the global direction for On’s Apparel and Accessories business. You will carry end-to-end accountability for how the line is built and scaled, as well as how assortments are segmented and commercialized across regions and channels. Your mandate is to drive scalable commercial growth in Apparel and Accessories while establishing On’s premium activewear positioning in the market.
This role functions at the intersection of Product Strategy, Commercial, and Regional & Channel Merchandising. You will work with strong global leadership intent and a highly collaborative mindset, enabling regional teams to execute with speed and relevance within evolving global frameworks. As Apparel becomes an increasingly critical growth pillar for On, your focus will be on building and scaling the category with clarity, discipline, and consumer impact.
Your Mission
- Global strategy, assortment ownership & operating model
- Define and evolve the global Apparel and Accessories Merchandising strategy and line architecture, including channel roles, tiering, pricing logic, and seasonal depth.
- Lead and execute global merchandising strategies across DTC and Wholesale, aligning with On’s growth ambitions and long-term brand objectives.
- Own global assortment direction, closely partnering with Regional Merchandising to balance global consistency with regional relevance.
- Act as the commercial voice upstream, influencing Product Strategy and Product Creation using insights grounded in consumer behavior, market understanding, and commercial performance.
- Refine the global merchandising operating model, clarifying collaboration methods across Product, Commercial, and Regional teams as the business scales.
- Commercial & financial leadership
- Lead global merchandise financial planning in partnership with Planning and Finance, driving SKU productivity, inventory efficiency, and profitable growth.
- Own the global pricing architecture for Apparel and Accessories, maintaining price integrity while optimizing full-price sell-through.
- Use consumer, market, and performance data to inform both short-term actions and long-term category strategies, balancing intuition with analytical rigor.
- Continuously challenge complexity and drive focus as assortments and the organization grow.
- Collaboration, leadership & capability building
- Partner closely with Regional Merchandising teams to translate global strategies into locally relevant assortments while maintaining alignment on global priorities.
- Collaborate with Marketing, Creative, and Visual Merchandising to ensure cohesive seasonal storytelling and impactful execution across all consumer touchpoints.
- Build, lead, and upskill the global merchandising organization, raising standards in strategic thinking, commercial rigor, and decision-making.
- Develop team capabilities and leadership depth as the Apparel and Accessories business grows in complexity.
Your Story
- 10+ years of merchandising experience, with a proven track record in premium activewear and/or high-performance apparel.
- Experience operating at scale within brands known for balancing desirability, performance credibility, and commercial discipline.
- International experience across regions such as EMEA, North America, and Asia-Pacific, with a deep understanding of regional consumer and channel differences.
- Demonstrated ability to own and drive global assortment decisions, collaborating effectively with regional teams.
- Strong commercial judgment and confidence to make trade-offs with incomplete information.
- Deep understanding of retail mathematics and KPIs across retail, eCommerce, and wholesale channels.
- Experienced people leader with a passion for developing talent and enhancing standards.
- Strong taste and understanding of Visual Merchandising, enabling the creation of inspiring and commercially viable assortments.
- Strategic thinker who is comfortable working independently, setting direction, and driving concepts from strategy to execution.
- Excellent communicator and presenter, capable of influencing and aligning diverse stakeholders.
- Business fluency in English; additional languages are an advantage.
Meet the Team
As you might expect from one of the fastest-growing sportswear brands, the Commercial team at On is a dynamic and ambitious environment. The team blends entrepreneurial energy with increasing scale and complexity, requiring leaders who can build and refine systems while keeping the consumer at the center. Together, we work to ignite the human spirit through movement.
Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.