Footwear Material Sourcing Specialist

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.

What to expect

We want to set everyone up for success, so here’s the lowdown on how we hire. Our process is a two-way street – bringing you into our culture, while helping us learn how you think.

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.

Before you get started, feel free to consider if you want to work with us. Strange question? Well, we give people a lot of space to navigate their day-to-day and that style isn't for everyone. We want you to be passionate about what you do and be sure this is the right fit. Because when skills and passion combine – it creates that 'Wow' moment.

• Step One

  It starts with you...

  You'll start by submitting your application to a specific role. We try to keep this step as simple as possible. We do get a lot of applications, but we review them all. We ask that you allow around 14 days for us to come back to you with a response. If you are a good fit to the role, someone will follow up with you within that window. If you didn't receive a reply, or were unsuccessful this time around, we encourage you to look for other possible matches at On.

• Step Two

  Interview with a recruiter

  What ignites your spirit? This is where we’ll start getting to know all about you and what makes you tick – and it’s your first chance to get a feel for our culture. Chatting with a member of our talent team, you’ll learn more about On and how we work. We’ll learn about what motivates you and what you could bring to the team.

• Step Three

  Interview with a hiring manager

  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.

• Step Four

  The Case Study

  What's your style? This task will help us understand how you think, face a challenge and give insight into your novel ideas. Designed to give everyone their best shot, your case study is based on something you might typically experience on the job. This is your chance to show us what you’ve got. So express yourself. Be you.

• Step Five

  The Experience Day

  Your first taste of the Oniverse. This is a time to meet some of the people you'll be working closest with. In person or virtually, you'll get a feel for the day-to-day at On and the people who make it happen. You'll chat with a few potential teammates - the conversations will be as equally driven by the role and your experience as by our values. We believe how you do things is just as important as what you do.

• Step Six

  The Result

  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.

Step One:

It starts with you...

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

We try to keep this step as simple as possible. We do get a lot of applications, but we review them all. We ask that you allow around 14 days for us to come back to you with a response. If you are a good fit to the role, someone will follow up with you within that window. If you didn't receive a reply, or were unsuccessful this time around, we encourage you to look for other possible matches at On.