Head of Creative, Brand Foundations

Locations: Zurich, London

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Marketing

In short

We’re looking for a visionary creative leader to define and shape the foundational creative direction of the On brand. As Head of Creative – Brand Foundations, you will be responsible for the upfront thinking, words and vision that underpins how new categories, platforms and expressions of the brand voice come to life.

This role sits at the very beginning of the creative process; unpicking and exploring the brief (oftentimes also writing it) and leading a small but senior creative team towards solutions. The team you’ll lead is composed of a spatial designer, an art director and a graphic designer. You will establish the creative frameworks, narratives and visual principles that others build from — ensuring On’s brand remains distinctive, coherent and future-facing as it evolves across performance, lifestyle and new territories.

With a sharp strategic mind and deep creative intuition, you’ll translate brand ambition into clear creative direction, guiding teams from early concept through to alignment and handover. This is a senior leadership role at the intersection of brand strategy, creative vision and long-term brand building. Reporting to the Global Head of Brand Creative, Brand Voice.

Your Mission

Define and lead the foundational creative direction for the On brand, with a focus on new categories, early-stage concepts and long-term brand evolution
Set the creative “north star” for projects before they enter conception and execution, establishing clear frameworks, narratives and visual principles
Develop and articulate brand foundations that guide downstream teams across campaigns, product storytelling, assets, retail, and channels
Partner closely with strategy, brand, and product teams to shape briefs, identify opportunities and define creative brand guardrails.
Champion originality, experimentation, and future-facing thinking while protecting the integrity of the On brand
Synthesize complex inputs into simple, compelling creative direction that teams can execute against with confidence

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Your story

10+ years of experience in the worlds of creative direction, copywriting, strategy, art direction, with 5+ years of creative leadership within a global brand or top-tier agency
Proven experience setting creative direction at a foundational level, not only executing campaigns but defining entire brands, categories and worlds
A strong portfolio demonstrating concept-led thinking, world-building, and long-term creative systems across sport, lifestyle, fashion and/or culture
Deep understanding of how brand strategy translates into creative direction, visual language, storytelling and narrative frameworks
Confident leading through ambiguity and energized by early-stage and often undefined creative challenges
Experienced in guiding senior creatives and collaborating with cross-functional leaders
A natural storyteller and communicator, able to clearly articulate creative vision to diverse audiences
Comfortable balancing creative ambition with business realities and strategic goals
Fluent in English, written and spoken

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About the Team

The On Creative Studio is the heartbeat of the brand — a global collective of thinkers, makers, and dreamers redefining performance for a new era.You’ll be part of the Brand Voice team, responsible for shaping how the On brand sounds, looks, feels and evolves globally. We work across product storytelling, retail and brand moments - from defining creative foundations to delivering best-in-class guidelines.

This role plays a critical connective function within the team, ensuring that creative work across categories and channels is anchored in a shared, elevated brand vision.

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Ann

Senior Director of Brand Studio

I think something that unites people here is the pace and the drive. The ambition is quite high in everything we do and when you bring these people together, you see the outcome can be multiplied. It's super impressive to see what happens when you put these creative teams together who really help each other grow.

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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.