Senior Lead - Apparel Development (Male) / Senior Lead - Apparel Development (Female)

Job Overview

As a Senior Lead - Apparel Development at On, you will serve as the technical architect and strategic developer for our global apparel organization. Your influence extends beyond the execution of individual products; you will be responsible for defining engineering standards, technical roadmaps, and operational frameworks that support our teams' scaling efforts. Acting as a critical bridge between visionary design and commercial reality, you will balance an entrepreneurial drive for innovation with the structural discipline required for global excellence. Additionally, you will be a trusted advisor to senior leadership, a mentor to the wider development community, and the final authority on technical integrity for our most complex and high-visibility initiatives.

Your Mission

• Lead the development of complex technical apparel styles and seasonal projects, ensuring excellence in performance, durability, and fit consistency across all size scales.
• Drive technical solutions tailored to high-performance environments, addressing durability for high-intensity movement, repeated laundering, and complex branding integrations.
• Partner closely with Design to translate creative concepts into scalable, production-ready Tech Packs that maintain visual identity while delivering elite performance standards.
• Oversee fit, grading, and size-set consistency for premium product lines, ensuring accuracy across global consumer and professional size ranges.
• Collaborate with Materials and Innovation to advance lightweight constructions, moisture management systems, bonded or seamless applications, and advanced ventilation mapping.
• Act as a technical lead for high-visibility product launches, managing risk, timelines, and stakeholder alignment with professional authority.
• Work directly with global manufacturing partners to ensure repeatability, durability, and quality at scale for large-volume product programs.
• Manage seasonal costing excellence by advising on material choices, yield, construction methods, and vendor suitability while maintaining quality and performance standards.
• Drive hands-on cost engineering initiatives, making development decisions that balance performance, margin targets, and scalability.
• Maintain data integrity and ensure accuracy of all development information within PLM, enabling clear communication, traceability, and scalable execution.
• Mentor Junior and Mid-Level Developers within the category, sharing expertise in construction and development best practices.
• Stay ahead of industry innovation in team apparel systems, including advancements in lightweight fabrics, athlete data integration, and sustainable material solutions.

Your Story

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Apparel Engineering, Textile Technology, or a related field, combined with an entrepreneurial spirit that challenges the status quo.
• 12+ years of apparel development experience, with a significant track record of leading complex, high-performance categories at a top-tier global sports or outdoor brand.
• Industry-recognised expertise in functional garment engineering, advanced textile mechanics, and specialised construction methods (e.g., bonding, seam-sealing, 3D body mapping).
• Demonstrated ability to look beyond the garment to optimize PLM workflows, Digital Product Creation (DPC) integration, and global quality protocols.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical risks into strategic business language for C-suite and cross-functional leaders.
• Experience managing multiple seasonal drops aligned to fixed competition calendars.
• Experience managing a diverse international vendor base and a willingness to travel globally to support technical development and production excellence at the source.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are a plus.

About the Team

We are a collaborative, creative, and science-driven development team working closely to convert cutting-edge ideas into viable prototypes and ultimately commercializing them into exceptional performance products sold globally at premium sport retailers, in our flagship stores, and through our Direct-to-Consumer channels. High quality, aesthetically pleasing design, and truly functional attributes are at the forefront of our two-season apparel collections and multiple fashion collaborations. Our cross-functional teams combine the best talent from Development, Design, Materials, Innovation, Sourcing, Testing, and Product Management/Merchandising to create truly extraordinary sportswear products.

Application Process

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