As the Senior Lead Materials Development for Lifestyle, Collabs, and Special Projects in Apparel you will be a key driver of material excellence for our diverse apparel, In our lifestyle product ranges. Your expertise will directly influence apparel design, aesthetic and product quality. You will inspire cross-functional teams with a strategic vision, championing ambitious, sustainable solutions aligned with ON Running's brand identity.This role requires a proactive and entrepreneurial developer who thrives on challenges and is passionate about material aesthetics, premium quality and authentic sustainability. You will report to the Head of Apparel Material and collaborate closely with Apparel Design, Product Management, and Development

Your Mission

• Guide, Curate and develop a premium material palette: Ensure development material selection enhances the garment's fit, trims, and finishes, aligning with our design identity as the world's most premium sports brand and premium quality standards. Continuously feed a pipeline of material concepts for design
• Manage concept stage through commercialization handoff material development:
• Manage material development from initial design brief to product commercialization handoff, following calendar and ensuring clear communication with suppliers
• Drive Sustainability & implement innovation: Work with Head of Apparel Materials, and our innovation and sustainability teams to integrate new preferred materials and commercially ready innovations to inline product. Identify and onboard new material partners and liaise with global sourcing to help build a robust and relevant supplier network
• Manage upfront material price, and lead time with suppliers, ensuring alignment with project goals and business objectives
• Act as a key partner to all product creation stakeholders, including Design, Product Management, Development, Testing, and Sales

Your story

• Experience: You have 15-20+ years of distinguished global experience in apparel and material development, with a strong focus on luxury fashion, high-end RTW (Ready-to-Wear), and lifestyle products
• Technical Expertise: You possess extensive knowledge of materials and trim, with a specialist background in tailoring, outerwear, and jersey. You have a deep understanding of natural and synthetic fiber types and are an expert in sustainability, traceability, and circularity certifications
• Strategic Vision: You have a proven eye for high-fashion aesthetics and a deep awareness of industry trends. You can act as a strategic consultant to ensure material choices align with premium market positioning and design-led brand identity
• Communication: You have excellent verbal and written communication skills to partner with Creative Directors and executive stakeholders. You can translate complex or avant-garde design concepts into dynamic visual material stories that are understood by Product Marketing
• Organisational & Operational Skills: You are highly attentive to detail and skilled in budget oversight and process optimisation. You have a demonstrated ability to implement systems that improve development lead times and reduce costs in a fast-paced environment
• Global Exposure & Network: Experience with global material sourcing is a must, specifically possessing an established network of premium European and global mills and experience in managing factory relationships throughout the full production cycle
• Education: You hold a degree in Fashion, Textiles, or a related creative field from a reputable university, providing you with a strong foundational understanding of garment construction and textile innovation
• Fluent in English both written and speaking; additional languages are a plus

We’re responsible for creating innovative products for On. We have a vital responsibility to meet the needs and demands of our runners and new customers. So we research, design, develop and test lots of ideas scientifically and aesthetically. Only products that pass our rigorous testing standards ever go to market

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

Apparel Developer

• We always look for better decisions, we always listen to people and listen to different colleagues. We listen, we digest, and we find the most suitable one for all the team and everybody benefits. That process makes us really innovative
• 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