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Head of Talent Business Partnering, Retail Operations

Location: Zurich

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In short

We are redefining the retail experience, scaling our global footprint toward 300+ stores while maintaining premium standards and our unique culture. Our mission is to ensure that as we grow, the "human" element of our retail operations remains our greatest competitive advantage.

Your Mission

Your mission is to chart the course and drive the strategic execution of the Talent Business Partnering function for our global Retail operations. You will simplify complexity and ensure that our premium standards are experienced by every team member globally. You will balance long-term foundational work with the high-speed, dynamic nature of retail, ensuring that our growth is both efficient and people-centric.

Key Responsibilities:

  • EMEA Regional Business partnering: Directly lead the EMEA talent BP team as a key priority. You will ensure the region serves as the global gold standard for retail operations and talent density, providing high-touch partnership to regional leadership.
  • Global Coordination & Strategic Orchestration: Act as the central point of coordination for all regional Retail Talent BPs (AMER, APAC/China), aligning daily talent topics with our global strategic vision.
  • Team Member Experience: Lead the effort to ensure the team member journey—from onboarding to offboarding—is consistent, premium, and frictionless across all regions.
  • Market Entry & Expansion: Lead the talent workstreams for new country openings, coordinating and supporting talent functions during the opening process, to ensure new teams are culturally immersed and operationally ready.
  • Model Application: Ensure that rewards, processes, and systems are designed to maximize team member engagement and clarity in every market.
  • Empowering Communication: Establish a light-touch, supportive communication rhythm that fosters a sense of global community and celebrates regional excellence.
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    Your story

    You are an entrepreneurial "builder" who thrives in ambiguity and has the grit to handle daily operational challenges while keeping an eye on the long-term horizon. You are a natural connector who influences through partnership rather than hierarchy.

    What you bring:

    • Experience: A minimum of +5 years in Regional HR leadership roles specifically within the Retail or Hospitality sectors. You have a deep understanding of the "floor" and understand how operational decisions impact the frontline experience.
    • Regional Mastery: A proven track record of managing complex, multi-country landscapes during periods of fast growth, with extensive experience specifically in the EMEA region.
    • Agility: The ability to navigate shifting priorities in a fast-growing business without compromising the quality of the team member experience. Informed Judgment: You combine data-driven insights (retention, employment costs, business KPIs) with professional intuition to make sound decisions in a dynamic environment.
    • Strategic Alignment: You can translate high-level business needs into realistic, executable plans that bring people on board and create alignment across regions.
    • Language: Fluency in English is essential; additional languages relevant to our EMEA footprint are a plus.
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    About the Team

    You will join a dynamic, global Business Partnering team that acts as the strategic engine for our retail growth. Reporting to the Director of Business Partnering, Retail, you will lead the EMEA regional BP team and collaborate with a global network of talent partners across AMER and APAC. You will partner closely with Global experts and Retail Operations leaders to ensure that our organizational model is lived every day in our stores.

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    Gavin

    Talent Acquisition Specialist

    I’m getting people curious about On – what we're working on, and ultimately what kind of working environment we have, the essence as to what life here is like. I love to get people on a call and change their perception.
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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.