Senior Lead - Apparel Materials Development (Lifestyle) / Senior Leadess - Apparel Materials Development (Lifestyle)

In Short

As the Senior Lead of Materials Development for Lifestyle, Collabs, and Special Projects in Apparel, you will play a crucial role in driving material excellence across our diverse apparel ranges. Your expertise will have a direct impact on garment 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 demands 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 teams.

Your Mission

• Guide, Curate and Develop a Premium Material Palette: Ensure that material selections enhance garment fit, trims, and finishes, in alignment with our design identity as the world's most premium sports brand. Continuously contribute to a pipeline of material concepts for design.
• Manage Concept Stage Through Commercialization Handoff: Oversee material development from the initial design brief to product commercialization, adhering to timelines while maintaining 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 viable innovations into inline products. Identify and onboard new material partners, while liaising with global sourcing to build a robust and relevant supplier network.
• Manage Upfront Material Pricing and Lead Times: Ensure alignment with project goals and business objectives through effective management of material pricing and lead times with suppliers.
• Act as a Key Partner: Collaborate with all stakeholders involved in product creation, including Design, Product Management, Development, Testing, and Sales.

Your Story

• Experience: You bring over 10 years of global experience in apparel, material development, or a similar industry, with a strong focus on lifestyle and fashion products.
• Technical Expertise: You boast extensive knowledge of materials and trims, covering natural and synthetic fiber types, wovens, knits, insulation, and print techniques. You have successfully developed directional material franchises with global suppliers.
• Strategic Vision: With a keen eye for product aesthetics and an understanding of industry trends, you can think and act strategically regarding ON Running’s market positioning.
• Communication: Your excellent verbal and written communication skills enable you to collaborate with global internal and external partners effectively and present complex information clearly. You can create dynamic visual material stories that resonate with Design and Product Marketing teams.
• Organizational Skills: Highly attentive to detail, you possess strong project management skills, allowing you to balance creative direction with organization in a fast-paced environment.
• Global Exposure: Experience with global material sourcing and development is essential, including travel to key manufacturing hubs, trade fairs, and global sourcing offices.

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. To achieve this, we research, design, develop, and test numerous ideas both scientifically and aesthetically. Only products that meet our rigorous testing standards make it to market.

What We Offer

ON is dedicated to fostering growth and progress. We provide an environment designed to equip individuals with the tools necessary for holistic development—encouraging active lifestyles, learning, exploration, and innovation. Our distinctive approach combines a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere with personal self-care resources for both physical and mental well-being, driven by a shared sense of purpose.

ON is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a fair and inclusive work environment where all recruitment, advancement, and retention decisions are made without discrimination.

Apply online using the form below.

Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.