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Lead - Footwear Material Sourcing

Location: Ho Chi Minh City

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Costing & Sourcing

In short

The Footwear Material Lead plays a pivotal role in ensuring that sourcing strategies align with business needs for all material categories. Reporting to the Head of Footwear Material Sourcing based in HCMC, this role focuses on fostering strong supplier relationships, ensuring supplier performance, and upholding the highest standards of quality, sustainability, and ethical sourcing. In addition, the Footwear Material Lead will drive process optimization and cross-functional collaboration to support product creation and manufacturing excellence.

Your Mission

Lead and inspire a high-performing team of material sourcing specialists while nurturing people skills and cultivating a positive team environment
Build and maintain robust relationships with material suppliers, ensuring alignment with sourcing strategies, operations, quality, and sustainability goals
Partner with suppliers to drive efficiencies and optimize costs; while actively evaluating supplier performance to ensure continuous improvement
Spearhead team in cross-functional collaborations to proactively address perceived risks, pre-production and production challenges and put in place contingencies to ensure brand delivery expectations are met
Develop comprehensive reports and actionable strategic recommendations to drive material consolidation initiatives, enhance key performance indicators (KPIs) for improved efficiency, reduce lead times, and to ensure a resilient supply base that upholds quality standards and on-time delivery
Own material-related execution from concept through production, ensuring smooth integration between T2 suppliers and T1 factories.
Oversee rigorous material testing processes and collaborate with cross-functional teams to address material-related issues and implement corrective measures
Drive material sustainability initiatives and partner with sustainability teams to set goals, track progress, and contribute to sustainability reporting
Research and analyze market insights, stay abreast of material science advancements, emerging technologies, and market trends of innovative materials.
Perform other duty as required/assigned

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Your story

Bachelor’s degree in Textile Engineering, Footwear Technology, Material Science, or a related field.
5+ years of experience in the global footwear industry or a related field.
Strong experience working with material suppliers and manufacturing partners in Asia.
Good understanding of footwear design, development, and technical performance materials.
Strong knowledge of textiles, yarns, constructions, polymers, and material testing requirements.
Experience managing material development and sourcing from concept to commercialization.
Strong project management and cross-functional communication skills.
Able to work independently in a fast-paced, international environment.
Fluent in English; Mandarin is a plus.

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About the Team

You will be working with some of the brightest minds in the industry

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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.