Position Overview
As the Senior Lead Materials Development for Lifestyle, Collabs, and Special Projects in Apparel, you will play a pivotal role in driving material excellence across our diverse apparel lifestyle product ranges. Your expertise will profoundly influence apparel design, aesthetic, 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.
Your Mission
- Guide, Curate and Develop a Premium Material Palette: Ensure material selection enhances the garment's fit, trims, and finishes, reflecting our design identity as a leader in premium sportswear. Continuously feed a pipeline of material concepts for design.
- Manage Concept Stage through Commercialization Handoff Material Development: Oversee the material development process from the initial design brief to product commercialization handoff, maintaining clear communication with suppliers throughout.
- Drive Sustainability & Implement Innovation: Collaborate with the Head of Apparel Materials and our innovation and sustainability teams to integrate new preferred materials and innovations. Identify and onboard new material partners and liaise with global sourcing to build a robust supplier network.
- Manage Upfront Material Pricing and Lead Time: Ensure alignment with project goals and business objectives while managing pricing and lead times with suppliers.
- Act as a Key Partner: Work closely with all product creation stakeholders, including Design, Product Management, Development, Testing, and Sales.
Your Story
- Experience: You have over 10 years of global experience in apparel, material development, or a related industry, with a strong focus on lifestyle and fashion products.
- Technical Expertise: Extensive knowledge of materials, including trims, natural and synthetic fiber types, wovens, knits, insulation, and print techniques. Experience in developing directional material franchises with global suppliers is essential.
- Strategic Vision: A strong eye for product aesthetics and a deep awareness of industry trends, enabling you to think strategically in relation to ON Running's market positioning.
- Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills allow you to collaborate effectively with internal and external partners globally. You can create compelling visual material narratives that resonate with Design and Product Marketing.
- Organizational Skills: Highly attentive to detail and skilled in project management, balancing 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 a must.
Meet the Team
We are responsible for creating innovative products for ON Running. Our team is dedicated to meeting the needs and demands of runners and new customers alike. We research, design, develop, and test a multitude of ideas, both scientifically and aesthetically. Only products that pass our rigorous testing standards make it to market.
What We Offer
ON Running is committed to fostering growth and progress in its employees. We provide an environment designed to equip individuals with the tools necessary for holistic development—encouraging activity, learning, exploration, and innovation. Our distinctive approach combines a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere with access to personal self-care for both physical and mental well-being, allowing each person to be led by purpose.
Apply Now
Apply online using the form below. Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.
ON Running is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a fair and inclusive work environment, ensuring that all decisions related to recruitment, advancement, and retention are free from discrimination.