On - Senior Lead – Apparel Development - Zürich

Team for Career Site

Apparel & Accessories Product Creation

In short

Product excellence and innovation is at the heart of our success. Achieving a
leadership position in the marketplace requires innovative thinking and the
ability to inspire all product creation stakeholders. The Senior Lead Apparel
Development Lifestyle will be responsible for driving this creation forward by
managing a diverse development team that brings our highly technical
sportswear products to life with a sharper, tailored and luxury lens. With a
keen eye for process, a detail-oriented mind coupled with a passion for
innovation, this key position will be a vital part in the creation of tomorrow’s
effortless lifestyle fashion apparel. You will have had several dedicated years
working in product development with complex processes and solid
experience running a multi-faceted, high performance teams. You’ll look at
challenges with a solutions-oriented outlook and take initiative to improve
them, continuously striving for pinnacle products that excite our global
customer class.

Your mission

– Play a critical part of building On’s world class Lifestyle apparel collection that pushes the boundaries of product innovation, responding to the specific needs of On customers, and fusing unrivaled function with timeless styling in our pinnacle product range
– Develop and improve the On Apparel fit by bringing function, form, comfort, and aesthetic to all lifestyle-related garments (which includes Collabs, SMU, Olympics, PAD & PO verticals)
– Lead fitting sessions while advising on pattern and fit amendments alongside the Apparel Engineering team
– Co-create 3D strategy for the development and sample prototyping process alongside our Head of Technical Development
– Play a leading role in owning special innovation projects and key strategic initiatives with other Apparel Development Leads and the Director of Apparel Creation
– Maintain creation calendar integrity within your team and own all key development milestones that center around our brand mission, design intent, and our stringent quality standards
– Manage and own the holistic product development process from concept sampling up to STS and size set samples, right before styles go into bulk production (handled by our Asia Sourcing Office based in Hanoi, Vietnam)
– Possess a strong understanding of how fabrics play a crucial part of our product creation and cost engineering efforts
– Work with our Sourcing partners on seasonal T1 product allocation in terms of supplier capability, technical expertise, and workmanship/construction requirements
– Collaborate with the relevant Product Managers to identify product requirements for seasonal line assortments, commercial market needs, product delivery schedules, and product sales performance in relation to future lifestyle collections
– Build and maintain strong relationships with key strategic business partners such as our T1 garment vendors (in Asia and EU), T2 material suppliers, and third-party wash/dye, printing, and other garment finishing facilities around the world
– Provide leadership and mentoring to your immediate team as well as the overall development org by setting attainable goals, providing on the spot feedback and empathetic mentorship that will increase both individual and team productivity and happiness

Your story

– Bachelor’s degree or higher (with emphasis on Apparel, Fashion, Design, Textiles, Retail, etc. a plus)
– Minimum 10+ years of relevant work and team management experience in the fashion industry (premium sportswear and luxury brand experience preferred) specializing in product development, technical development, design, or other apparel related fields
– Excellent understanding of the industry’s processes and sportswear/fashion market knowledge with the ability to lead cross-functional projects toward a collaborative vision
– Willingness to travel globally on a regular basis to our suppliers to create, develop, and commercialize On apparel, in line with our company strategy and vision
– Be the true embodiment of a team player and human-first leader
– Balance creativity with organization and discipline in a fast-paced environment
– Embrace ambiguity and change management while bringing an entrepreneurial spirit when facing unexpected challenges
– Work calmly and reliably in an ever-changing environment, attention to detail, and react quickly with the ever-changing global retail landscape
– Strong experience in garment construction and components, fit and sizing protocol, pattern making, 3D prototyping, and product creation processes and SOPs
– Exposure to and interest in the latest emerging concepts and technologies in design, product development, and material innovation
– Strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills
– Share in our passion for igniting the human spirit through movement!

Meet the team

We are an innovative, creative, and science-driven development team
working closely to convert cutting-edge ideas into viable prototypes and
eventually commercializing them into exceptional performance products sold
globally at premium sport retailers, in our global flagship stores, and in our
DTC channel. High quality, aesthetically pleasing, and truly functional
attributes are top of mind when creating our two season apparel collections
and multiple fashion collaborations. Our cross-functional teams combine the
best experts in fields such as Development, Design, Materials, Innovation,
Sourcing, Testing, and Product Management/Merchandising to create truly
extraordinary product.