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Lead - Merchandising (Apparel & Accessories)
Locations: Zurich, London
Apply for this role(opens in a new tab)In short
As the Merchandising Lead for Apparel & Accessories (EMEA), you aren’t just managing a category - you’re fueling the engine of one of On’s most exciting growth sectors. Reporting to the Senior Lead, you will be an architect of a strategy that transforms consumer insights into a dominant, premium marketplace presence.
With a builder’s spirit and a relentless curiosity for what moves the modern athlete, you’ll curate impactful assortments across Wholesale, DTC, and Distributor markets. This is your chance to define the On experience - from the streets of London to the cityscapes of the GCC - ensuring every product lands with precision.
Collaborating with Global and Regional partners across Apparel, Accessories and Footwear Merchandising, Sales, and DTC teams, you will champion the unique needs of our diverse EMEA communities to build brand love from head to toe. This role requires a consumer-obsessed self-starter who thrives in ambiguity and can seamlessly pivot from deep-dive spreadsheet analytics to high-level strategic vision.
Your Mission
- Strategic Vision: Contribute to the seasonal and long-range roadmap for EMEA Apparel & Accessories, ensuring regional insights shape the brand's path.
- Line Architecture: Help build regional product frameworks that balance commercial growth with cohesive, premium storytelling.
- Regional Relevance: Adapt global directives into assortments that resonate with EMEA communities while maintaining a consistent brand identity.
- Cross-Functional Synergy: Partner with Product, Marketing, and Sales teams to ensure the EMEA vision is seamlessly executed from concept to sell-out.
- Multi-Channel Alignment: Support DTC, Wholesale, and Distributor channels in developing cohesive assortments that land in the right tiers and locations.
- Commercial Health: Collaborate with Planning and Analytics to drive productivity, optimizing flow and sell-through through data-backed decision-making.
- Global Advocacy: Influence the global line planning process by providing critical EMEA-specific feedback on regional market needs.
- Brand Energy: Support the development of special projects, collaborations, and capsule collections that elevate brand heat and emotional connection.
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Your story
- You have 5+ years of experience in apparel and/or accessories merchandising or buying with regional or global scope.
- You have a relevant understanding of apparel dynamics across performance and lifestyle categories.
- You are commercially sharp and consumer-obsessed, with strong business acumen and analytical depth.
- You have a proven ability to manage SKU productivity, lifecycle, choice count, and flow.
- You are able to operate at multiple altitudes, strategic and hands-on, and navigate ambiguity with clarity.
- You are a highly collaborative team player, skilled at influencing cross-functional teams with ability to foster alignment, inspire trust, and work across teams/functions with strong communication, and a calm presence in the face of complexity.
- You are a confident communicator with experience representing a category both internally and externally.
- You are fluent in English; other European languages are a plus You are able to travel across the region, up to 3-4 days per month.
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.