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Lead - Apparel & Accessories, Material Quality, Testing, and Color
Location: Zurich
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In short
As the Material Quality, Testing, and Color Lead for Apparel and Accessories, you will be responsible for creating global quality standards, constructing and scaling new processes, and managing multi-team contributions that ensure premium material quality, exceptional color achievability, and pinnacle performance across the entire A&A product range. Your technical knowledge and analytical skills will support your cross-functional communication in relevant quality, color, and systems discussions. The Color and Quality teams will look to you to drive progress, exemplify technical acuity, and support their professional growth. You will be proactive in delivering material quality and color expertise, with a clear ambition for detail-driven problem solving and executing product integrity strategy in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment. You will report to the Head of Materials for A&A, and work closely with Material Development, Product Quality, Material Sourcing, Product Compliance, and material vendors/product factories around the world.
Your Mission
- Maintain complete ownership of the internal quality standards for Apparel and Accessories as it relates to materials, trims, and color. Oversee the roll-outs of updated standards and requirements for internal stakeholders, as well as external partners (T2/T1/3rd party labs)
- Manage the Material Color Team responsible for the Lab Dipping process. Drive the creation of new color processes, re-distribute team workloads based on business priorities, and control the enforcement of Color guidelines to external partners
- Serve as the point person for system creation/updates/alignments to support the integration of quality, color, and related data within the wider product creation technology ecosystem
- Ensure that all prospective materials are tested accordingly in a timely fashion to support the end-to-end material approval process
- Create, plan, and execute Tech Branding strategies in response to the business needs dictated by Product Strategy/Product Management teams
- Lead quality initiatives from the material level that produce significant and lasting improvements at the product level
- Complete regular touchpoints with Compliance, Returns, and Quality Teams to characterize integrity of past, present, and future product
- Allocate and manage the necessary budget and resources required for all development-round material/trim/color testing
- Drive the collection, interpretation, and communication of all material testing data (3rd party, T2, and Internal)
- Maximize information availability and optimize the translation of product range + material specifications to a seasonal testing plan
- Partner with product creation teams, sourcing offices, and suppliers to identify and mitigate material quality risks before manufacturing
- Collaborate with sourcing offices to support remediation of bulk material quality issues
- Serve as an ambassador to standards organizations (ISO/ASTM/AATCC) to align our own testing methodologies with international norms and ensure representation and influence within these communities.
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Your story
- Experience: You have 10+ years’ experience in materials quality, materials development, or textile production.
- Technical Expertise: You have extensive knowledge of textile fibers, production processes (including spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, and finishing), as well as a very strong understanding of standard test methods for quality testing. Trims and hard goods experience is a plus.
- Analytical Mindset: You are able to extract meaning and draw parallels from large datasets. You can extrapolate patterns to determine the best course of action in pursuit of premium quality.
- Communication: You have excellent verbal and written communication skills to collaborate with internal and external partners globally. You can present complex information effectively to audiences with minimal technical background.
- Organizational Skills: You are detail-oriented with the ability to manage and execute multiple short-term and long-term projects simultaneously.
- Global Exposure: Experience with global material sourcing and development, including travel to key manufacturing hubs, trade fairs and global sourcing offices is a must.
About the Team
We’re responsible for creating innovative products for On. We have a vital responsibility to meet the needs and demands of our runners and new customers. So we research, design, develop and test lots of ideas scientifically and aesthetically. Only products that pass our rigorous testing standards ever go to market.
About the Team video
Sindy
Apparel Developer
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.