In Short
As the Director of Global Apparel & Accessories Merchandising, you will define the strategic direction for On’s Apparel and Accessories business, holding end-to-end accountability for the development and scaling of product lines. Your core mission is to drive sustainable commercial growth while establishing On’s premium activewear positioning in the market.
This role lies at the intersection of Product Strategy, Commercial, and Regional & Channel Merchandising. You will engage with global leaders and foster a collaborative environment that empowers regions to execute swiftly and effectively within evolving frameworks. As Apparel becomes a crucial growth pillar for On, your focus will be on building and scaling this category with clarity, discipline, and a strong emphasis on consumer impact.
Your Mission
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Global Strategy, Assortment Ownership & Operating Model
- Define and evolve the global Apparel and Accessories Merchandising strategy, including channel roles, tiering, pricing logic, and seasonal depth.
- Lead and implement global merchandising strategies across Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) and Wholesale channels, aligned with On’s growth ambitions and long-term brand objectives.
- Own global assortment direction, collaborating closely with Regional Merchandising to balance global consistency with regional relevance.
- Serve as the commercial voice upstream, influencing Product Strategy and Product Creation based on consumer insights, market understanding, and commercial performance.
- Continuously refine the global merchandising operating model, clarifying collaboration across Product, Commercial, and Regional teams as the business grows.
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Commercial & Financial Leadership
- Lead global merchandise financial planning in partnership with Planning and Finance, optimizing SKU productivity, inventory efficiency, and profitable growth.
- Oversee the global pricing architecture for Apparel and Accessories, maintaining price integrity while enhancing full-price sell-through.
- Utilize consumer, market, and performance data to inform both short-term actions and long-term category strategies, blending intuition with analytical rigor.
- Continuously challenge complexity to ensure focused assortment strategies as the organization scales.
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Collaboration, Leadership & Capability Building
- Work 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, setting high standards in strategic thinking, commercial discipline, and decision-making.
- Foster team capabilities and leadership depth as the Apparel and Accessories business expands and evolves.
Your Story
- Over 10 years of merchandising experience, ideally in premium activewear or high-performance apparel environments.
- A proven track record of operating at scale within brands known for blending desirability, performance credibility, and commercial discipline.
- Extensive international exposure across regions such as EMEA, North America, and Asia-Pacific, with in-depth knowledge of regional consumer and channel differences.
- Demonstrated ability to drive global assortment decisions, setting clear direction while collaborating effectively with regional teams.
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to make informed trade-offs and decisions even amidst uncertainty.
- Deep understanding of retail math and key performance indicators across retail, eCommerce, and wholesale channels.
- Effective leadership experience with a passion for talent development and raising standards.
- A keen eye for Visual Merchandising, facilitating the creation of inspiring and commercially viable assortments.
- Strategic thinker comfortable with independent work, directing initiatives from strategy to execution.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, capable of influencing and aligning diverse internal and external stakeholders.
- Business fluency in English; proficiency in additional languages is an advantage.
Meet the Team
The Commercial team at On embodies the energetic and ambitious spirit characteristic of one of the fastest-growing sportswear brands. This dynamic team operates at the intersection of entrepreneurial energy and increasing scale and complexity, attracting leaders who can enhance systems while maintaining a consumer-centric approach. Together, we strive to inspire the human spirit through movement.
Apply online using the form below. Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.