On - Footwear Material Sourcing (Specialist) - Hanoi

Team for Career Site

Costing & Sourcing

In short

As a Footwear Material Specialist, you will drive performance materials to the next level of technology in line with ON’s materiality vision. You will focus on the material development, technicalities, and production capabilities, aligning to short/medium-term goals as well as the longer-term material strategy. You will be based in Hanoi (or North Vietnam) and support the Zurich HQ teams in the execution of materials on footwear from the development stage through to production. You will report to the Head of Footwear Sourcing Asia as well as having constant communication with the Asia Development teams.

Your mission

– Manage end-to-end material sourcing based on On’s sourcing strategy. Identify, develop, and manage material suppliers and technical material support to analyze lead time and process (e.g., sourcing policies, quality standards and best target prices) in accordance with HQ material direction, HQ briefs, and On’s Product Development Center and its factories.

– Manage the relationship with the supplier’s top management team, influence the management culture, and drive performance.

– Evaluate and aim for material-specific targets in regard to the On sustainability roadmap as well as identify opportunities for gains in material performance, sustainability, and efficiency.

– Support Toolbox initiatives: Select, review, and update the core and seasonal material toolboxes as well as the IT-based PLM system. Support the material libraries management in ON’s Vietnam locations.

– Liaise and align with the laboratory on physical testing criteria and standards. Oversee that all materials are tested and approved by QA while problem-solving and advising on material improvements through understanding of yarns, material structures and polymers.

– Build and foster strong relationships and communicative channels with material suppliers and chemical vendors. Track and manage strategic suppliers based on individual vendor profiles: strategic and in-line.

– Engage with Planning and factories to communicate seasonal material forecasts to suppliers and liaise with Design, Product Development (HQ & Asia), Product Management, Innovation, and Sustainability teams on sample specifications and delivery.

Your story

– You’ve got a degree in Footwear Textile Sciences, Textile
Engineering/Technology, but you’re not ready to stop learning just yet.

– A real expert in your field, you’ve worked in the global footwear industry, or a relevant industry, for at least 5 years, within Asia suppliers.

– Affinity for footwear design and technology, particularly in the technical performance category, with an eye for aesthetics and key awareness of technical materials both within the industry and analogous industries.

– A true team player, you understand and respect the importance of collaboration and compromise.

– Able to balance creativity with organization and discipline in a fast-paced environment.

– Good command of English communication. Mandarin is a plus.

Meet the team

The Materials team at On are both creative and technical—we translate design visions into performance materials through technical knowledge and experience, but equally come to the table with newness from outside suppliers when the time is right.
As the glue that binds design, development, and product management together – we’re a new team that’s gaining momentum. Materials are getting recognition for how integral they are in product creation, so we need proactive, entrepreneurial people to hit the ground running.