Head of Footwear Sourcing Strategy

This role's mission is to bridge the gap between global sourcing and product development, ensuring sourcing is a strategic enabler from the outset. By fostering strong partnerships across Innovation, Creation, Quality, Supply Chain, and Sustainability teams, you'll drive a learning culture that enhances quality and on-time delivery. Ultimately, your success hinges on delivering a sourcing roadmap that enables the flawless execution of our product portfolio, balancing cost, quality, and delivery objectives.

Strategic Alignment:
Drive close collaboration between the sourcing organisation (primarily based in Vietnam) and the wider product organisation (based in Switzerland)

Integrate Sourcing Considerations:
Ensure sourcing requirements are strategically embedded into the product roadmap, enabling all projects to be fully ‘sourcing ready’ by the time of product freeze

Stakeholder Management:
Act as a strategic partner across cross-functional teams including Innovation, Creation, Quality, Supply Chain, and Sustainability

Learning Culture:
Embed a ‘learning culture & process’ within our product development process to structurally enhance quality & on-time delivery

Portfolio Execution:
Deliver a sourcing roadmap that supports flawless execution of the product portfolio, balancing cost, quality, and delivery objectives

8+ years of progressive experience in strategic footwear sourcing, production operations (apparel & accessories experience is a plus)

Product Development Acumen - strong understanding of the product development lifecycle, from concept to commercialisation, with a specific emphasis on the points of integration for sourcing, experience across upstream product strategy, innovation, product creation, and quality management

Strong ability to ‘connect the dots’ across functions, ability to navigate ambiguity and adapt to changing priorities

Strong leadership skills to manage a portfolio of cross-functional projects

Strategic Thinking & Execution - proven ability to translate strategic objectives into actionable plans and drive their successful execution within a complex organisational structure

Cross-cultural Collaboration - experience working in a global organisation, demonstrated experience in fostering effective collaboration between geographically dispersed teams (e.g., Europe and Asia)

Stakeholder Management - exceptional ability to build and maintain strong relationships with diverse internal stakeholders at all levels, influencing outcomes and driving consensus

Continuous Improvement Mindset - experience in implementing continuous improvement methodologies and fostering a learning-oriented environment

Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills - strong analytical capabilities to evaluate complex trade-offs (cost, quality, delivery) and develop effective solutions, strong ability to synthesise, structure & simplify complex problems

Excellent Communication Skills - ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to various audiences; engaging, influencing and aligning with senior leaders

You will be part of the Product Organisation:
The innovation engine that is responsible to design, develop & source innovative products.

Just by the banks of the Limmat you’ll find our largest global hub in Zürich West – On Labs – where you can hike up 12 floors through our custom-built spiral trail.

Unlike other brands, we aren't just executioners out here in Vietnam, we give ideas as well. Sometimes they have a new idea in Zurich and we might find a process to make it more efficient and we share that.

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…