Senior Specialist - Brand Activation, Italy

Location:Milan

Apply for this role

A man wearing a baseball cap, glasses, a light sweater and black shorts stands on a concrete stairwell holding a tablet under his arm and a glass while smiling and looking up.

Marketing

In short

Welcome to On. We’re redefining the future of sportswear as one of the world’s fastest-growing premium performance brands.

As a Senior Specialist – Brand Activation for Italy you will shape how our brand comes to life across the market. Your mission is to empower local teams to deliver best-in-class partner training and create unforgettable grassroots experiences that connect deeply with our communities. If you’re a natural collaborator who thrives on turning ideas into meaningful moments that move people, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact in Italy — a dynamic and high-growth market for On.

Your Mission

Own and deliver best-in-class, integrated brand activations across Italy—including events, community initiatives, and partnerships—by translating global strategy into locally relevant experiences that enhance brand desirability while remaining anchored in On’s core DNA.
Drive brand education as a core pillar of the role. Ensure retail teams and in-store staff are consistently up to date with the latest brand and product training, empowering them to confidently communicate On’s heritage and innovative technology. Support B2B activations in collaboration with commercial and retail teams, enhancing brand presence and partner engagement.
You work autonomously, communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, challenge conventions and the status quo, and champion innovative approaches to brand building. You are energized by complexity, thrive in dynamic environments, and are not afraid of being stretched or taking on ambitious challenges.
Drive cross-functional excellence and strategic alignment by managing diverse relationships—including global teams, external agencies, athletes, partners, retailers and federations—to orchestrate complex B2B and B2C workstreams from conceptual planning through to final execution and evaluation.
Act as the eyes and hands on the ground for Marketing, guaranteeing best-in-class visual merchandising and POS installations that showcase On’s products at the highest standard.
Proactively engage, educate, and manage freelance Brand Activation and Visual Merchandising teams, supporting scheduling and coordination of their activities.
Oversee campaign planning, event production, logistics, budgeting, and post-event evaluation.
Track performance through KPIs, reporting insights and continuously optimizing impact.
Ensure accurate and timely administration of all activation activities within CRM systems — a small but critical contribution to team transparency and performance tracking.

Two women in athletic clothing sit on a bench with takeaway coffee cups, smiling and chatting after a workout.

Your story

Typically we look for 5+ years of relevant experience in brand activation, or related fields such as retail, sales, marketing, or events.
A genuine passion for people and movement — essential to thriving as a Brand Activation Specialist at On. Deep knowledge of relevant running or movement lifestyle communities across Italy with a key city focus on Milan
An entrepreneurial mindset and proactive attitude. You’re energized by being out in the community — leading runs, activating events, and building connections — rather than sitting behind a desk.
Solid understanding of B2B environments, partnerships, and retail activations.
Proven experience managing agencies, suppliers, and complex stakeholder ecosystems.
Excellent organizational, communication, and project management skills.
Ideally based in Milan or the Greater Milan area, as this is a regional role.
Fluent Italian (C1+ level) and strong working proficiency in English (C1+ level).
A valid driver’s license and comfort with driving for business needs.
Willingness and flexibility to travel. You will have opportunities to attend global conferences, offsites, and major sporting industry events.
Adaptability and a hands-on approach. You navigate evolving environments and on-the-ground challenges with a solution-oriented mindset. You know when to reinvent and when to optimize.
Alignment with On’s 5 Spirits. Visit our careers page to learn more about the values that guide how we work and grow together.

Two women in activewear run outdoors, smiling, surrounded by greenery and other runners.

About the Team

Reporting to the Senior Lead - Brand Activation, Italy this role is responsible for driving best-in-class brand activations across Italy, a supercharged market for On.

The Brand Activation team brings this mission to life through impactful community initiatives, partnerships, and experiential campaigns. In Italy—a key growth market—you will work cross-functionally to deliver premium, locally relevant activations that inspire runners and movers and strengthen On’s presence at the heart of the community.

You will be part of the EMEA Marketing team, united by a clear mission: to amplify the brand and build meaningful connections with our communities.

Four people work on laptops around a high table in a glass meeting room, while another person walks by outside holding a drink.

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.

Group of people sit and talk at curved concrete benches on a rooftop garden with a city skyline in the background.

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.