Head Of Material Sourcing - Apparel & Accessories (Global Sourcing)

In short

The Head of Materials Sourcing is an experienced textile visionary who will lead our Apparel & Accessories Material Supplier base Globally in alignment with the Material team in Zurich. This pivotal role demands a strategic leader who will directly influence the direction of the material Sourcing strategy with in-depth knowledge of Global economic dynamics to build agility and flexibility for On.

As the Head of Material Sourcing, based in Hanoi, Vietnam, you will be the driving force behind our material sourcing strategy, responsible for identifying & onboarding the best-in-class material suppliers globally to support On’s growth targets, which are rooted in technology, sustainability & innovation. With your technical expertise, you will lead continuous improvement projects with strategic suppliers & help them get future-ready for On’s innovation goals.

You will lead a team of highly technical material specialists, fostering an environment of continuous learning, professional development, and collaborative problem-solving. Your leadership will inspire and empower your team to push boundaries and explore new frontiers in textile technology.

A critical aspect of this role is the ability to work seamlessly and strategically across various functions within the Sourcing team—Development & Commercialization and Production Planning & Quality—as well as the extended Apparel & Accessories team in Zurich on supplier growth strategies, regionalization, lead times, cost optimization & quality.

Your Mission

• Oversee, manage, and build the Material Commercialization and Sourcing team structure to suit the current state and future for scalability

• Manage commercialization process for all material types across apparel and accessories in both synthetic and natural fibers

• Manage Counter development & Regional Material Sourcing to realize optimal benefit & agility for getting the product to market

• Understand and ensure quality and durability across all product categories as it relates to material functionality in conjunction with agreed standards

• Manage season calendars & buy ready schedules for on-time product deliveries

• Build a best-in-class Material supplier base for On with the right infrastructure, technical expertise & flexibility for speed to market

• Ensure that material KPIs in terms of Delivery, Quality & sustainability commitments are met and communicated regularly with suppliers for improvement

• Support the material innovation pipeline and work with suppliers to enhance more opportunities to co-create innovative materials

• Guide & influence price negotiations with suppliers on a seasonal basis Constantly challenge the status quo with a mindset to do better in processes & systems for gaining efficiencies

-Ensure we are building and training a best-in-class team and cultivate a culture of curiosity, learning, and development

Your story

• Bachelor’s Degree in Textile R&D, Engineering and/or technology

-15+ years experience in any material/textile-related field in (apparel) consumer products

• 10+ years of leading and developing teams

• Ability and willingness to travel globally for sourcing as well as supplier meetings and reviews

• Good understanding of global economic indicators to drive Regional sourcing strategies

• Extensive experience in Global Material Sourcing & managing multicultural supplier base

• Expertise on material costing and cost engineering

• Technical expertise in textiles as well as creative vision and a can do attitude Collaborative spirit with diverse stakeholders as well strong communication skills and emotional intelligence

• Analytical mindset for building Material Sourcing Strategies

• Ability to pivot and handle change management at a very fast-paced, high-growth business

• Commitment to Quality

• Experience of running Material Innovation projects shall be an added advantage

• Diplomatic and open mindset with diverse stakeholders as well as superior communication and presentation skills (highly cultivated verbal and written English).

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.