In short

As our Senior Lead - Sustainability Design, you will be a strategic driver working at the intersection of sustainability and design. Your mission: to weave sustainability deeply into our design processes – making it not just a feature, but a foundation of our design ethos. This is not a design role, but a cross-functional leadership position, shaping how we design rather than what we design. You’ll work closely with counterparts in product strategy, development, and innovation to ensure sustainability isn’t an afterthought, but a foundational lens applied from concept to shelf.

Your Mission

  • Lead impact mapping across footwear, apparel and accessories. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to embed principles of design for circularity and sustainability into all product designs.
  • Translate strategy into a clear roadmap for the team by connecting the dots across innovation, strategy, design, development, and sourcing – whether through circular design principles, alternative dyeing methods, or identifying synergies between teams.
  • Collaborate closely with product strategy and sustainability teams to serve as a key enabler and consultant. Guide the prioritization of design decisions and initiatives that deliver the highest positive environmental impact, ensuring sustainability goals are not only set but achieved through proactive leadership and strategic planning.
  • Shepherd early-stage sustainable innovations from the Sustainability Concept into the Design team, helping translate new ideas and technologies, and ensuring feasibility and adoption.
  • Build strong connections to and coordinate with the material teams to research, validate, and roll out low-impact materials, from selection through implementation – through leveraging your deep knowledge of materials.
  • Partner with color design to implement impactful practices, such as dope dyeing and thoughtful palette building, that reduce environmental impact without compromising on aesthetic or appeal.
  • Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing teams to specify and validate low-impact materials and production methods into midsoles, speedboards, outsoles, and other bottom-unit components, ensuring these choices significantly reduce the shoe’s footprint and align with circularity goals from concept through production.
  • Educate and inspire the design team through workshops and ongoing training, sharing best practices and keeping the team up-to-date on the latest trends, innovations, and technologies in sustainable design.
  • Track and promote progress by championing circular initiatives during design reviews and internal events, and regularly sharing updates and insights with the Sustainability team to drive momentum and alignment.
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

  • A strong, mixed educational background in design and impact sciences, i.e. environmental sciences, sustainability management or similar.
  • Deep understanding of materials and processes and their impact on LCA’s and other metrics measuring impact
  • Proven track record of leading design teams towards successful implementation of sustainability initiatives and achieving significant environmental impact reductions.
  • Excellent communication skills, capable of inspiring and educating teams across the organization, as well as negotiating and influencing external partners and stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects with multiple stakeholders, aligning short-term actions with long-term sustainability goals.
  • Proactive by nature and entrepreneurial at heart. You thrive in high ambiguity, turning uncertainty into a clear direction and forward momentum for sustainable design.
  • Fluent in English, with proficiency in additional languages considered a bonus.
  • A visionary thinker with a practical, project-management mindset. You are known for your ability to convert innovative, sustainable solutions into tangible practices and for your dedication to transforming industry norms.
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About the Team

You’ll be part of a vibrant and diverse Design Studio that drives On’s disruptive product design across footwear, apparel, accessories, design direction, and innovation. You’ll collaborate cross-functionally with concept and innovation designers, material experts, color specialists, product developers, and go-to-market teams – acting as the connective tissue in a culture that values creativity, curiosity, and collaboration.

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Two woman having a talk at a table

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The difference is in the detail. So we push boundaries. Mark those marginal gains. All in pursuit of designing ever better looking products. That’s what we do – what’s best today, can be improved tomorrow.

Learn about our Spirits
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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.