Senior Lead - Communications, Crisis & Issues Management

In short

As one of the fastest-growing sportswear brands, On is gaining new fans with ever-increasing momentum. We seek a Senior Lead for Communications Crisis & Issues Management, focusing on preparedness for and management of reactive communications issues. As part of the Communications organization at On that holistically manages the reputation of the company, this role will be instrumental in ensuring that we mitigate and manage risks to the perception of On in the public globally.

Your Mission

• Crisis Preparedness: Develop, implement, and regularly update comprehensive crisis communication and scenario plans, protocols, and playbooks to ensure On is prepared for a wide range of potential issues and crises
• Messaging & Content Development: Develop clear, concise, and empathetic reactive messaging, talking points, FAQs, press statements, and other communication materials in close collaboration with the content leads and regional comms leads - both rapidly under pressure and in a preparatory database
• Issues Identification & Monitoring: Proactively identify, assess, and monitor emerging issues, trends, and potential risks from across the business, working closely with the BCM and ECM functions. Regularly conducting comprehensive reputational risk assessments
• Reactive Communications Leadership: Help lead and coordinate the communications response during actual incidents and crises, acting as a central point of contact for all communications functions, involved teams and spokespeople and ensuring the distribution of timely, accurate, and consistent messaging to all relevant stakeholders (media, consumers, employees, partners, etc)
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Collaborate closely with internal departments, including Legal, People & Culture, Operations, Product, Sustainability, and others, to develop clear crisis & issues management processes and protocols, gather information, align on response strategy, and ensure a unified voice during issues
• Spokesperson Training & Crisis Simulations: Help prepare and train designated spokespeople for crisis situations, equipping them with the necessary information and skills to communicate effectively. Implement company-wide training programs regarding crisis and reputational risk management
• Post-Crisis Analysis: Conduct thorough post-crisis reviews and analyses to identify lessons learned, refine processes and protocols, and strengthen future crisis preparedness

Your story

• You have a minimum of 7-10 years of dedicated experience in crisis communications, issues management, corporate communications, or public relations, ideally at a communications consultancy or within a fast-paced, international corporate environment, or a specialized agency. Specialized certifications in crisis management are a plus
• You have a proven track record of successfully managing complex and high-stakes reputational issues and crises, from initial assessment to resolution.
• You have a detailed understanding of crisis communication best practices, including rapid response protocols, stakeholder mapping, and message development under pressure
• You have a demonstrated ability to remain calm, composed, and decisive in high-pressure situations, providing clear guidance and leadership
• You have strong analytical abilities, with the capacity to anticipate and research (potential) issues, assess risks, and develop effective mitigation strategies
• You have exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex information into clear, actionable, and empathetic messages
• You are fluent in English, knowledge of German is a significant plus
• You are experienced in working collaboratively with cross-functional teams and advising senior executives on sensitive matters
• You are highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities simultaneously in a dynamic and often unpredictable environment

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.