In Short
As the Senior Lead Materials Development for Performance in Apparel, you will be a key driver of material excellence across our diverse lifestyle product ranges. Your expertise will directly influence apparel design, aesthetics, and product quality. You will inspire cross-functional teams with a strategic vision, championing ambitious and sustainable solutions that align with ON Running’s brand identity.
This role requires a proactive and entrepreneurial developer who thrives on challenges and is passionate about material aesthetics, premium quality, and authentic sustainability. You will report to the Head of Apparel Material and collaborate closely with Apparel Design, Product Management, and Development Leads.
Your Mission
- Guide, Curate, and Develop a Premium Material Palette: Ensure material selection enhances the garment's fit, trims, and finishes, aligning with our design and performance identity as the world’s most premium sports brand. Continuously feed a pipeline of material concepts for design.
- Manage Concept Stage through Commercialization Handoff: Oversee material development from the initial design brief to product commercialization handoff, adhering to the calendar and ensuring clear communication with suppliers.
- Drive Sustainability & Implement Innovation: Collaborate with the Head of Apparel Materials and our innovation and sustainability teams to integrate new preferred materials and commercially ready innovations into inline products. Identify and onboard new material partners while liaising with global sourcing to build a robust supplier network.
- Financial Acumen: Manage upfront material pricing and lead times with suppliers, ensuring alignment with project goals and business objectives.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as a key partner to all product creation stakeholders, including Design, Product Management, Development, Testing, and Sales.
Your Story
- Experience: You have 10+ years of global experience in apparel, material development, or a related industry, with a strong focus on performance apparel products. You can identify materials that enhance athlete experiences and promote On’s mission of “Feel nothing to feel everything.”
- Technical Expertise: You possess extensive knowledge of materials and trims, including natural and synthetic fiber types, wovens, knits, performance finishes, insulation, and print techniques. You have developed directional material franchises with global suppliers.
- Strategic Vision: You have a keen eye for product aesthetics, a deep awareness of industry trends, and the ability to think and act strategically regarding ON Running's market positioning.
- Communication: You have excellent verbal and written communication skills to collaborate effectively with internal and external partners globally. You can present complex information dynamically and create compelling visual material stories understood by Design and Product Marketing.
- Organizational Skills: You are highly attentive to detail and skilled in project management, able to balance creative direction with organization in a fast-paced environment.
- Global Exposure: Experience with global material sourcing and development, including travel to key manufacturing hubs, trade fairs, and global sourcing offices, is essential.
Meet the Team
We are responsible for creating innovative products for On. Our mission is to meet the needs and demands of our runners and new customers. We research, design, develop, and test numerous ideas from both scientific and aesthetic perspectives. Only products that pass our rigorous testing standards are released to the market.
What We Offer
On is dedicated to growth and progress. We provide an environment designed to equip individuals with the tools to develop holistically—staying active, learning, exploring, and innovating. Our unique approach combines a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere with resources for personal self-care to promote both physical and mental well-being, leading each individual with purpose.
On is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a work environment that is fair and inclusive, where all decisions related to recruitment, advancement, and retention are free of discrimination.
Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.