In short

• We’re looking for a visionary creative leader to define and shape the foundational creative direction of the On brand. As Head of Creative – Brand Foundations, you will be responsible for the upfront thinking, words and vision that underpins how new categories, platforms and expressions of the brand voice come to life
• This role sits at the very beginning of the creative process; unpicking and exploring the brief (oftentimes also writing it) and leading a small but senior creative team towards solutions. The team you’ll lead is composed of a spatial designer, an art director and a graphic designer. You will establish the creative frameworks, narratives and visual principles that others build from — ensuring On’s brand remains distinctive, coherent and future-facing as it evolves across performance, lifestyle and new territories
• With a sharp strategic mind and deep creative intuition, you’ll translate brand ambition into clear creative direction, guiding teams from early concept through to alignment and handover. This is a senior leadership role at the intersection of brand strategy, creative vision and long-term brand building. Reporting to the Global Head of Brand Creative, Brand Voice

Your Mission

• Define and lead the foundational creative direction for the On brand, with a focus on new categories, early-stage concepts and long-term brand evolution
• Set the creative “north star” for projects before they enter conception and execution, establishing clear frameworks, narratives and visual principles
• Develop and articulate brand foundations that guide downstream teams across campaigns, product storytelling, assets, retail, and channels
• Partner closely with strategy, brand, and product teams to shape briefs, identify opportunities and define creative brand guardrails
• Champion originality, experimentation, and future-facing thinking while protecting the integrity of the On brand
• Synthesize complex inputs into simple, compelling creative direction that teams can execute against with confidence

Your story

• 10+ years of experience in the worlds of creative direction, copywriting, strategy, art direction, with 5+ years of creative leadership within a global brand or top-tier agency
• Proven experience setting creative direction at a foundational level, not only executing campaigns but defining entire brands, categories and worlds
• A strong portfolio demonstrating concept-led thinking, world-building, and long-term creative systems across sport, lifestyle, fashion and/or culture
• Deep understanding of how brand strategy translates into creative direction, visual language, storytelling and narrative frameworks
• Confident leading through ambiguity and energized by early-stage and often undefined creative challenges
• Experienced in guiding senior creatives and collaborating with cross-functional leaders
• A natural storyteller and communicator, able to clearly articulate creative vision to diverse audiences
• Comfortable balancing creative ambition with business realities and strategic goals
• Fluent in English, written and spoken

The On Creative Studio is the heartbeat of the brand — a global collective of thinkers, makers, and dreamers redefining performance for a new era.You’ll be part of the Brand Voice team, responsible for shaping how the On brand sounds, looks, feels and evolves globally. We work across product storytelling, retail and brand moments - from defining creative foundations to delivering best-in-class guidelines

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

Senior Director of Brand Studio

• I think something that unites people here is the pace and the drive. The ambition is quite high in everything we do and when you bring these people together, you see the outcome can be multiplied. It's super impressive to see what happens when you put these creative teams together who really help each other grow
• 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
• 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

Ready to dig into the details?This second interview will be held with your future manager and will focus on the specifics of the job. Together you’ll delve into your unique skills and experiences and how they could be relevant at On. It's also a time to assess how you might feel working side-by-side. Bring any questions you have about the job, the team or anything else you might like to know – this is an open forum

Are we a good fit?We’ll get together internally to share our feedback and decide if we’re a match. We know that job searching is a big time investment, so it’s not a decision we take lightly. It’s also time for you to reflect on the experience – are we the right place for you?No matter the outcome, we’ll give you meaningful feedback

You'll start by submitting your application to a specific role