Senior Specialist - Footwear Material

As a Footwear Material Specialist based in our Ho Chi Minh City office, you will push performance materials to the next level of innovation, aligning directly with On’s sustainability and materiality vision. Focusing on material development, technical execution, and production capabilities, you will bridge short‑term execution with our long‑term material strategy. Reporting to the Footwear Materials Lead, Vietnam, and collaborating closely with local development teams, you will act as a vital link for the Zurich HQ team—ensuring the seamless execution of footwear materials from early development through to final production.

• End‑to‑End Sourcing Execution:
  Manage end‑to‑end material sourcing in alignment with On’s global strategy.
• Identify, onboard, and manage high‑performing material suppliers, analysing lead times and production processes (including sourcing policies, quality standards, and target pricing).
• Sustainability & Performance Optimisation:
  Evaluate and drive material‑specific targets in line with On’s sustainability roadmap.
• Proactively identify opportunities to elevate material performance, advance circularity, and optimise production efficiencies.
• Toolbox & System Management:
  Support core and seasonal Material Toolbox initiatives, ensuring the PLM system is accurately updated.
• Manage and maintain the physical and digital material libraries across On’s Vietnam locations.
• Quality Assurance & Technical Problem Solving:
  Partner with the lab team on physical testing criteria and standards.
• Ensure all materials are rigorously tested and approved by QA, leveraging your deep understanding of yarns, material structures, and polymers to troubleshoot issues and advise on material enhancements.
• Supplier Relationship Management:
  Build and foster transparent, highly communicative relationships with strategic material suppliers and chemical vendors.
• Track and manage performance based on distinct vendor profiles to ensure long‑term alignment.
• Cross‑Functional
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Partner with Planning and manufacturing facilities to communicate seasonal material forecasts to suppliers.
• Collaborate closely with Design, Product Development (HQ & Vietnam), Product Management, Innovation, and Sustainability teams to align on sample specifications and delivery timelines.

• You have 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 global footwear industry, or 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 and have a high level of integrity.
• Able to balance creativity with organisation and discipline in a fast‑paced environment.
• Good command of English communication. Mandarin is a plus.

The Material team at On is 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 are 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.

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.