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 range. Your expertise will significantly influence apparel design, aesthetics, and product quality. You will inspire cross-functional teams with a strategic vision, championing ambitious, sustainable solutions that align with ON Running's brand identity.
This role is ideal for a proactive and entrepreneurial individual who thrives on challenges and is passionate about material aesthetics, premium quality, and authentic sustainability. You will report to the Head of Apparel Material while collaborating closely with Apparel Design, Product Management, and Development teams.
Your Mission
- Guide, Curate and Develop a Premium Material Palette: Ensure that material selections enhance the garment's fit, trims, and finishes, aligning with our identity as the world's most premium sports brand and premium quality standards. Continuously feed a pipeline of material concepts for design.
- Manage Concept Stage through Commercialization Handoff: Oversee material development from initial design brief to product commercialization handoff, adhering to deadlines and maintaining clear communication with suppliers.
- Drive Sustainability & Implement Innovation: Collaborate with the Head of Apparel Materials and the 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 establish a robust and relevant supplier network.
- Manage Upfront Material Price and Lead Time: Ensure alignment with project goals and business objectives when negotiating with suppliers.
- Act as a Key Partner: Collaborate with all product creation stakeholders, including Design, Product Management, Development, Testing, and Sales.
Your Story
- Experience: 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 and trims, including natural and synthetic fiber types, wovens, knits, insulation, and print techniques. Proven experience in developing directional material franchises with global suppliers.
- Strategic Vision: A keen eye for product aesthetics, a strong awareness of industry trends, and the ability to think strategically in relation to ON Running's market positioning.
- Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective collaboration with internal and external partners globally. Capable of presenting dynamic visual material stories that resonate with Design and Product Marketing.
- Organizational Skills: Detail-oriented 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 a must.
Meet the Team
We are responsible for creating innovative products for ON Running. Our team has a vital responsibility to meet the needs and demands of our runners and new customers. We research, design, develop, and test numerous ideas both scientifically and aesthetically. Only products that pass our rigorous testing standards ever make it to market.
What We Offer
ON Running is a company centered around growth and progress. We provide an environment designed to equip individuals with the tools necessary for holistic development—fostering an active lifestyle, encouraging learning, exploring, and innovating. Our distinctive approach combines a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere with access to personal self-care for both physical and mental well-being, ensuring each person 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 made without discrimination.