Global Merchandising Head of Lifestyle & Special Projects / Global Merchandising Headess of Lifestyle & Special Projects

Job Title: Global Merchandising Head of Lifestyle & Special Projects

In short, as the Global Merchandising Head of Lifestyle & Special Projects, you will shape and drive the Global Merchandising strategy across On’s Lifestyle portfolio, which includes Lifestyle Footwear and Special Projects spanning Footwear, Apparel, and Accessories. Your role will involve owning the global range architecture, consumer proposition, and tailored assortments to ensure On delivers the right product to the right consumer, in the right channel, at the right time, and at the right price.

At the heart of this role is your ability to create consumer desirability and brand heat while building a sustainable and scalable Lifestyle business. You will translate On’s global brand and product strategy into compelling assortments that balance commercial performance with premium brand positioning.

Your Responsibilities

• Build the Global Lifestyle Merchandising Strategy
  • Define and evolve the global merchandising strategy for Lifestyle and Special Projects, translating On’s broader brand and product priorities into clear consumer and commercial strategies.
  • Identify opportunities to expand Lifestyle into new consumer segments, channels, and categories while protecting On’s premium positioning.
  • Develop clear merchandising frameworks that balance consumer desirability, brand heat, commercial opportunity, and sustainable profitability.
• Drive Product & Franchise Strategy
  • Influence product briefs and franchise strategies from concept through to commercialization, ensuring products are rooted in clear consumer and market opportunities.
  • Establish clear roles for hero, core, growth, and incubation franchises, ensuring the portfolio evolves with consumer demand.
  • Identify when franchises should be scaled, reset, repositioned, or exited based on consumer and commercial signals.
• Own Global Range & Assortment Excellence
  • Build seasonal range plans across Lifestyle and Special Projects, translating global strategy into detailed SKU-level line plans.
  • Build consumer-right tailored channel assortments globally, balancing global consistency with regional and account-specific opportunities.
  • Ensure global and regional teams are aligned on the range strategy while allowing appropriate market localization.
• Lead Special Projects
  • Own the global merchandising strategy for Special Projects, defining the consumer proposition, range, targets, distribution, and commercial strategy.
  • Develop clear scarcity and allocation frameworks to balance brand heat with commercial opportunity.
  • Partner closely with Product, Design, and Brand to bring strategically important innovations and collaborations to market.
• Drive Commercial Performance
  • Own global seasonal targets and commercial KPIs across Lifestyle and Special Projects.
  • Use performance data, consumer signals, and market intelligence to continuously refine the global range strategy.

Your Story

You bring with you over 8 years of experience in premium sportswear, luxury fashion, or streetwear, with significant experience in managing global or multi-market businesses. You are a strong people leader capable of building and inspiring a high-performing global merchandising team. Your proven track record in developing global merchandising strategies and commercial plans across various channels and markets makes you an ideal candidate.

Additionally, you possess:

• A deep understanding of Lifestyle and sneaker culture, with strong instincts for creating consumer relevance and brand heat.
• Commercial strength, balancing brand aspiration, consumer desirability, and financial performance.
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, matrixed global environment, with a strong executive presence to influence senior stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking capability, seamlessly bridging 5-year visions and SKU-level details.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills, connecting Product, Design, Innovation, Brand, Merchandising, Sales, and Regional teams around common goals.
• Resilience and an entrepreneurial spirit, thriving in ambiguity and proactively building solutions in a high-growth environment.
• A data-led approach while being consumer-obsessed, combining quantitative insights with a strong sense of product and cultural intuition.

Meet the Team

On’s Global Merchandising Team sits at the center of Product, Brand, and Commercial Strategy, ensuring we create and deliver the right products to the right consumers, in the right markets, at the right time and scale. As the Global Merchandising Head of Lifestyle & Special Projects, you will lead the merchandising strategy for one of On’s key future growth opportunities, collaborating across global and regional teams to build a consumer-led, commercially sustainable, and culturally relevant Lifestyle business.

Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.