Senior Specialist - Footwear Developer (Performance All Day)

In short

This role will own projects and process management to ensure continued success within the Performance All Day (PAD) category at On. As a Senior Footwear Developer, you will manage projects in the development process of products with the highest level of performance. You will own the entire process from initial concept, to production, through commercialization. You will work closely with Product Managers, Designers and the Lead of Product Development.

Your Mission

• You will own and represent the product development process for the Performance All Day category at On
• You are expected to execute development by utilizing your advanced knowledge of the development process for performance footwear
• You will collaborate with our Zurich and Vietnamese development teams, design, and product marketing to realize functional footwear product and adhere to product creation calendar
• You will effectively define the best methods to successfully manage the product creation process (e.g. conduct meetings with the product teams during each development phase to review, make changes and drive the decision-making process that leads to on-time production)
• You will provide expert knowledge and recommendations on materials, component and construction options to meet pricing targets and product’s functional requirements
• You will plan and execute the development processes according to critical dates and team/company goals
• You will be responsible for monitoring costs and advising where product efficiencies can be made
• You will work hand in hand with our testing team and biomechanics expert for successful validation and testing of the products, as well as effectively manage the sampling and prototyping of the products
• You will work closely with the innovation team to commercialize new innovation in our Performance All Day Footwear product

Your story

• Higher education degree preferred and 6+ years of experience in the footwear industry or 6+ years of experience as a footwear developer
• Extensive Footwear Development Expertise: Proven advanced knowledge and experience in the end-to-end product development process for performance footwear
• Product Lifecycle Management: Demonstrated ability to effectively define and manage product creation processes from concept to on-time production, including conducting reviews, driving decision-making, and implementing changes at each development phase
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams, including design, product marketing, innovation, testing, and biomechanics experts, across different geographical locations (e.g., Zurich and Vietnam)
• Technical Footwear Knowledge: Expert-level understanding of materials, components, and construction options in footwear, with the ability to provide recommendations that balance functional requirements and pricing targets
• Project Management: Skilled in planning and executing development processes to meet critical deadlines and achieve team and company goals
• Cost Management & Efficiency: Experience in monitoring product costs and identifying opportunities for efficiency improvements
• Prototyping & Sampling Management: Proficient in managing the sampling and prototyping phases of product development
• Innovation Commercialization: Ability to work closely with innovation teams to successfully bring new innovations to market within performance footwear

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.