In short
At On, we believe color and material are not just design elements—they’re emotional connectors and powerful storytellers. As the Senior Lead – Colour Designer for Footwear, you’ll shape the future of On’s footwear aesthetics by merging artistry, science, and innovation. You’ll lead the strategic direction for color design across our footwear collections for Lifestyle or Performance, ensuring each product embodies On’s unique blend of performance, design, and sustainability.
You will guide a team of designers through the entire creation process—from trend research and conceptualization to production and merchandising—crafting color and material narratives that captivate consumers and express the essence of our brand.
Join us and play a key role in redefining the visual language of performance footwear.
Your Mission
- Lead Colour Strategy: Define and execute the seasonal color vision for footwear Lifestyle or Performance in alignment with brand identity, market trends, and consumer insights.
- Consumer-Centered Design: Strategize the use of color to evoke emotion, strengthen brand storytelling, and drive commercial success.
- Cross-Category Collaboration: Partner closely with Apparel Color Design, Product Strategy, Design, Development, and Merchandising to ensure a unified aesthetic across all categories.
- Trend Forecasting & Research: Stay ahead of cultural, artistic, and technological shifts influencing color design and translate these into actionable seasonal palettes.
- Color Storytelling: Create cohesive narratives that integrate color to enhance performance and emotional resonance.
- Tool & Library Management: Curate and maintain a dynamic digital and physical color library to inspire and guide design teams.
- Leadership & Mentorship: Guide and inspire a team of color designers, fostering an inclusive environment of creativity, innovation, and growth.
- Global Collaboration: Work closely with Zurich and Vietnam teams to ensure clear briefs, efficient handovers, and process excellence from concept to production.
- Sustainability Leadership: Continuously challenge current dyeing and finishing standards to improve environmental impact and durability.
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Your story
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Color Science, Material Design, Industrial Design, or a related field.
- 7+ years of experience in footwear or apparel color design, with at least 3 years in a leadership or mentoring role.
- Proven expertise in color strategy and storytelling within a performance or lifestyle brand.
- Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes and color application limitations.
- Deep understanding of merchandising methodologies, consumer insights, and data-driven color assortment planning.
- Familiar with Coloro and Pantone and other color systems, Adobe Creative Suite, and PLM tools; familiarity with data tools (e.g., Looker) is a plus.
- Passionate about sustainability and color innovation.
- Highly collaborative, solutions-driven, and able to thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environments.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to present concepts compellingly to cross-functional teams and leadership.
- Fluent in English (spoken and written); other languages are a plus.
About the Team
Our Color and Materials Team plays a pivotal role in shaping the visual identity and aesthetic appeal of our products across all categories. Comprising talented professionals with diverse backgrounds in color theory and material science, our team collaborates seamlessly to deliver innovative and trend-setting designs that resonate with our consumers and elevate our brand presence in the market. In essence, our Color and Material Design Teams serve as the creative powerhouse pulling together the past, present and future perspectives to drive the visual and tactile experience of our products. Through a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach, we craft compelling color and material design solutions that captivate consumers, differentiate our brand, and inspire lasting connections in the competitive marketplace. This role requires someone with a balance of creative vision, technical expertise, and the ability to collaborate seamlessly across different teams. If you are passionate about color design in footwear and want to help shape the future of product aesthetics, we’d love to hear from you!
About the Team video
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.
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.