Senior Lead - Footwear Materials Strategic Sustainability Initiatives

In short

You will work directly with the Global Head of Footwear Materials to develop and implement the strategy for On’s most important and overarching topic: sustainability through footwear materials. This role is pivotal in achieving our ambitious goals by collaborating with the entire R&D, operations, and broader On team. The overall scope of the role includes positively impacting all Sustainability topics across the Product Organization for Footwear. We are looking for an experienced and proactive sustainability enthusiast to make a real impact.

Your Mission

• Be a proactive self-starter passionate about creating change, with a proven track record of leading and implementing sustainability strategies in senior roles (5-10 years of experience).
• Bring in-depth knowledge of materials specific to footwear and an understanding of developing strategies, visions, targets, and KPIs for sustainable and inclusive business transformation. -Stay abreast of the latest developments, innovations, and trends within the footwear industry, such as circularity, biodegradable materials, renewable energy usage, and new certification standards. Evaluate these trends and identify opportunities to integrate them into our sustainability practices and product offerings
• Drive the implementation of educational tools and frameworks for the business, with a strong enthusiasm for delivering them through effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Demonstrate excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills to engage, inspire, and influence diverse audiences at different levels within the organization and externally.
• Contribute to the development and execution of our sustainability strategy, working to align short- term initiatives with long term goals.
• Collaborate with multiple stakeholders to successfully execute action plans and work effectively across departments and with external partners.
• Exhibit exceptional project management abilities, prioritizing and managing multiple initiatives concurrently with clear milestones with KPIs that track key environmental and social impacts, such as carbon footprint, material sourcing, waste reduction, and worker rights. Regularly report on progress to internal stakeholders, supporting data-driven decision-making.
• Promote effective cross-functional collaboration, alignment, and timely achievement of key milestones toward our Impact Progress Report.
• Possess a strong understanding of governance principles, ethics, and compliance.
• Collaborate with and influence other leaders, ensuring they become advocates for this mission in every part of the business.
• Be able to switch quickly between different topics, understand complex ecosystems, and navigate cross-functional collaboration landscapes.
• Serve as a leader by leading and developing the sustainability strategy and engagement team, ensuring timelines and targets are met.

Your story

• 8+ years of progressive experience within the apparel or footwear industry with similar industrial production challenges
• Educational background in material or environmental science
• Extensive experience and knowledge across all sustainability topics for product creation, with the ability to offer a critical perspective
• Experience leading cross-functional projects across product creation chain (design, product management, product creation, sourcing) managing multiple stakeholders
• Expertise in sourcing or environmental management with problem-solving skills
• Embody the Survivor Spirit, as a thought leader who challenges the status quo and doesn’t settle for the “industry standard” in sustainability practices
• Experience leading through influence across functions - a visionary leader with a down-to-earth attitude who not only defines and articulates a long-term mission but is also eager to drive execution and collaborate on problem-solving with key internal stakeholders

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.