Head of Product Development (Lifestyle) / Head of Product Development (Lifestyle)

Job Title: Head of Product Development

As the Head of Product Development at On, you will lead the global Product Development function across Apparel, setting the long-term vision and strategy for transforming creative ideas into best-in-class, performance-driven, and commercially successful products. Your responsibility will include building and scaling the systems, teams, and partnerships necessary for On to deliver both technical excellence and long-term business impact—ranging from margin achievement and sustainability to innovation integration and team growth.

This is a senior leadership role requiring a visionary mindset, deep product expertise, and strong organizational leadership. You will serve as a key thought partner to Design, Product Management, Sourcing, and Innovation, effectively translating On’s brand ambition into a technical and scalable reality.

Your Mission

• Define and implement the long-term strategy for Apparel Product Development, ensuring alignment with brand vision, business goals, and product creation needs across categories and collections.
• Lead and evolve the global Apparel Development team, managing multiple layers of leadership, and creating the necessary environment, tools, and structure for sustainable, high-performance delivery.
• Drive cross-functional alignment across Product, Design, Innovation, Materials, Sourcing, and Operations to enable seamless, efficient, and forward-thinking product creation.
• Ensure commercial readiness and scalability of the apparel portfolio, advocating for product execution that meets margin, quality, and innovation goals.
• Translate creative direction into executable product frameworks, ensuring collections are technically sound, fit-accurate, and financially viable without compromising brand identity.
• Own the execution of On’s sustainability targets within Product Development, embedding circular design principles, sustainable material usage, and responsible construction methods into processes and practices.
• Act as a strong commercial and technical voice at the leadership table, ensuring product development decisions are grounded in business reality while supporting creative ambition and future growth.
• Attract, develop, and retain top talent, fostering an inclusive, high-performing team culture that supports personal and professional growth at all levels.
• Develop future leaders within the development team, incorporating succession planning, mentoring, and coaching as fundamental aspects of leadership.
• Monitor industry, technology, and supply chain trends to keep the team and processes ahead of the curve, scalable, and prepared for future challenges.
• Encourage a culture of curiosity, accountability, and resilience, assisting the team in navigating ambiguity, scaling with clarity, and collaborating with trust.

Your Story

• 14+ years of experience in apparel product development, with significant time spent in senior leadership roles overseeing multi-category or global teams.
• Proven success in building and implementing long-term product and team strategies in alignment with broader business or brand goals.
• Strong track record in translating creative design into high-quality, commercially successful products, particularly within technical or performance-driven apparel.
• Deep understanding of fit engineering, construction, costing, manufacturing, and product lifecycle management.
• Experience leading organizations to meet or exceed sustainability and innovation targets, with a strong understanding of sustainable materials, supply chain practices, and compliance standards.
• Inspirational people leader with a history of building and scaling teams, developing leaders, and nurturing inclusive, values-driven cultures.
• Commercially savvy, with experience owning margin targets and development strategies across multiple seasons and categories.
• Skilled cross-functional collaborator with the ability to influence at all levels—from tactical execution to executive strategy.
• Strong communicator capable of simplifying complexity, fostering alignment, and driving organizational clarity.
• Fluent in English; additional languages (particularly Mandarin or German) are a plus.
• Willingness to travel globally as needed to support team and supplier operations.

Meet the Team

We are engineers who transform ideas into reality. Development is a mindset, not a department, and each team member is empowered to make decisions, with an understanding that failure is part of the learning process. As an integrated function in the design and briefing process, we are detail-oriented, execution-focused, and solution-driven—guiding products through tight timelines while maintaining the highest possible quality, both on the shelf and in use.

What We Offer

On is a place dedicated to growth and progress. We provide an environment designed to equip individuals with the tools to develop holistically—for physical activity, learning, exploration, and innovation. Our distinctive approach integrates a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere with access to personal self-care for both physical and mental well-being, ensuring everyone is led by purpose.

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

On is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering a work environment that is fair and inclusive, where all recruitment, advancement, and retention decisions are free from discrimination.