In short

Product excellence and innovation is at the heart of our success. Achieving a leadership position in the marketplace requires innovative thinking and the ability to inspire all product creation stakeholders. The Senior Lead Apparel Development Lifestyle will be responsible for driving this creation forward by managing a diverse development team that brings our highly technical sportswear products to life with a sharper, tailored and luxury lens. With a keen eye for process, a detail-oriented mind coupled with a passion for innovation, this key position will be a vital part in the creation of tomorrow’s effortless lifestyle fashion apparel. You will have had several dedicated years working in product development with complex processes and solid experience running a multi-faceted, high performance teams. You’ll look at challenges with a solutions-oriented outlook and take initiative to improve them, continuously striving for pinnacle products that excite our global customer class.

Your Mission

  • Play a critical part of building On’s world class Lifestyle apparel collection that pushes the boundaries of product innovation, responding to the specific needs of On customers, and fusing unrivaled function with timeless styling in our pinnacle product range
  • Develop and improve the On Apparel fit by bringing function, form, comfort, and aesthetic to all lifestyle-related garments (which includes Collabs, SMU, Olympics, PAD & PO verticals)
  • Lead fitting sessions while advising on pattern and fit amendments alongside the Apparel Engineering team
  • Co-create 3D strategy for the development and sample prototyping process alongside our Head of Technical Development
  • Play a leading role in owning special innovation projects and key strategic initiatives with other Apparel Development Leads and the Director of Apparel Creation
  • Maintain creation calendar integrity within your team and own all key development milestones that center around our brand mission, design intent, and our stringent quality standards
  • Manage and own the holistic product development process from concept sampling up to STS and size set samples, right before styles go into bulk production (handled by our Asia Sourcing Office based in Hanoi, Vietnam)
  • Possess a strong understanding of how fabrics play a crucial part of our product creation and cost engineering efforts
  • Work with our Sourcing partners on seasonal T1 product allocation in terms of supplier capability, technical expertise, and workmanship/construction requirements
  • Collaborate with the relevant Product Managers to identify product requirements for seasonal line assortments, commercial market needs, product delivery schedules, and product sales performance in relation to future lifestyle collections
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with key strategic business partners such as our T1 garment vendors (in Asia and EU), T2 material suppliers, and third-party wash/dye, printing, and other garment finishing facilities around the world
  • Provide leadership and mentoring to your immediate team as well as the overall development org by setting attainable goals, providing on the spot feedback and empathetic mentorship that will increase both individual and team productivity and happiness
Group of girls smiling
  • Man and woman sat at desks talking
  • Open planned office with men and women sat on a a large curved sofa
  • Group of runners talking outside the office
  • A team of people sat on the steps with a view of mountains outside the office.
  • Two women smiling at each other in a meeting room with large curved windows
  • A group of people sat around a table looking at large design papers
  • 3 men sat around with laptops smiling at each other
  • a large group of runners holding an On flag smiling at the camera
  • Man and woman sat at desks talking
  • Open planned office with men and women sat on a a large curved sofa
  • Group of runners talking outside the office
  • A team of people sat on the steps with a view of mountains outside the office.
  • Two women smiling at each other in a meeting room with large curved windows
  • A group of people sat around a table looking at large design papers
  • 3 men sat around with laptops smiling at each other
  • a large group of runners holding an On flag smiling at the camera
  • Man and woman sat at desks talking
  • Open planned office with men and women sat on a a large curved sofa
  • Group of runners talking outside the office
  • A team of people sat on the steps with a view of mountains outside the office.
  • Two women smiling at each other in a meeting room with large curved windows
  • A group of people sat around a table looking at large design papers
  • 3 men sat around with laptops smiling at each other
  • a large group of runners holding an On flag smiling at the camera

Your story

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher (with emphasis on Apparel, Fashion, Design, Textiles, Retail, etc. a plus)
  • Minimum 10+ years of relevant work and team management experience in the fashion industry (premium sportswear and luxury brand experience preferred) specializing in product development, technical development, design, or other apparel related fields
  • Excellent understanding of the industry’s processes and sportswear/fashion market knowledge with the ability to lead cross-functional projects toward a collaborative vision
  • Willingness to travel globally on a regular basis to our suppliers to create, develop, and commercialize On apparel, in line with our company strategy and vision
  • Be the true embodiment of a team player and human-first leader
  • Balance creativity with organization and discipline in a fast-paced environment
  • Embrace ambiguity and change management while bringing an entrepreneurial spirit when facing unexpected challenges
  • Work calmly and reliably in an ever-changing environment, attention to detail, and react quickly with the ever-changing global retail landscape
  • Strong experience in garment construction and components, fit and sizing protocol, pattern making, 3D prototyping, and product creation processes and SOPs
  • Exposure to and interest in the latest emerging concepts and technologies in design, product development, and material innovation
  • Strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills
  • Share in our passion for igniting the human spirit through movement!
two women sitting at a table talking with laptops

About the Team

We are an innovative, creative, and science-driven development team working closely to convert cutting-edge ideas into viable prototypes and eventually commercializing them into exceptional performance products sold globally at premium sport retailers, in our global flagship stores, and in our DTC channel. High quality, aesthetically pleasing, and truly functional attributes are top of mind when creating our two season apparel collections and multiple fashion collaborations. Our cross-functional teams combine the best experts in fields such as Development, Design, Materials, Innovation, Sourcing, Testing, and Product Management/Merchandising to create truly extraordinary product.

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A woman working on apparel & accessory product creation
A woman working on apparel & accessory product creation

Athlete

Athlete

Two women climbing a wide concrete staircase.

Performance is in our DNA. We channel the Athlete mindset to create for anyone who loves to move – precision-first products that deliver on quality, form and function to help our fans push limits and look good doing it.

Learn about our Spirits
A woman focussed on working with fabric on the table in front of her.

Sindy

Apparel Developer

We always look for better decisions, we always listen to people and listen to different colleagues. We listen, we digest, and we find the most suitable one for all the team and everybody benefits. That process makes us really innovative.
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What we offer

On is a place that is centered around growth and progress. We offer an environment designed to give people the tools to develop holistically – to stay active, to learn, explore and innovate. Our distinctive approach combines a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere, with access to personal self-care for both physical and mental well-being, so each person is led by 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.

Build the better you

What to expect

We want to set everyone up for success, so here’s the lowdown on how we hire. Our process is a two-way street – bringing you into our culture, while helping us learn how you think.

Our full process can last about eight weeks from application to offer, because we care about getting it right. These steps explain how we usually do things.

Before you get started, feel free to consider if you want to work with us. Strange question? Well, we give people a lot of space to navigate their day-to-day and that style isn't for everyone. We want you to be passionate about what you do and be sure this is the right fit. Because when skills and passion combine – it creates that 'Wow' moment.