Head of Apparel Development. Zürich. Suiza

In short

The Head of Apparel Development leads and represents Apparel Product Development within the product creation triad that includes Design, Product Management and Development. It delivers the long term apparel development strategy and product excellence and is committed to our athletes and consumers to delivering game changing innovation by building cohesive teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals, driving inclusive performance management, rewards and recognition.

Your Mission

Co-create (with the Head of Apparel Creation) the longterm apparel development vision and strategy that will ensure product excellence and a product that is pushing the needle for years to come.

Monitor and implement the latest in apparel and garment technology processes, workflow, equipment and software to ensure On’s cutting edge and industry leading position in the market

Champion (alongside the Apparel Engineering Lead) apparel fit and sizing initiatives to develop and improve coherent consumer experience across apparel categories

Partner closely with the Head of Technical Development to ensure all apparel products meet our On quality and garment testing standards

Collaborate with the Asian Costing & Sourcing organisation with existing product requirements and taking an active role in the introduction of new suppliers where necessary as well as being a key partner in driving the apparel supply chain of tomorrow

Drive and ensure a smooth coordination between different timelines across, inline, in-season and innovation

Represent product development on the product creation triad (Product Management, Design, Development) in driving On’s product vision, future growth strategies, diversity & inclusion and innovation

Leading the execution of product development from concept to manufacturing readiness

Lead, build, nurture and inspire the apparel development team by building a diverse talent pipeline, empowering and enabling through coaching, career development and creating an environment of belonging and well-being

Provide functional leadership and support to cross-functional teams in areas related to capacity planning, materials, garment construction, product commercialisation, engineering/costing, sustainability, QC and meeting all key calendar gates & dates

Build strong and profound business relationships with existing and new global suppliers

Ongoing evaluation of the departments processes and improving ways of working by setting clear procedures and guidelines, lean processes, distributing workloads evenly on teams and managing team capacities

Your story

Minimum 10 years’ experience in apparel development and manufacturing and working with wide array of global suppliers and manufacturers

Minimum 5 years’ experience leading teams with demonstrated leadership capability, including strong ability in develop diverse talent in a dynamic work environment

Proficient knowledge in product development and manufacturing - construction, materials, product creation life cycle, costing, digital product creation and product review meetings/fit sessions

Experience in working with designers and product creation teams on new apparel concepts, innovation thinking, strategy and problem solving

Highly developed verbal and written communication skills with ability to clearly articulate goals and objectives; apart from standard tool repertoire understanding the digital creation landscape and its softwares will be of high importance

Bachelor’s Degree in Textile Sciences, Textile Engineering/Technology from a global leading university or related field

High level of verbal and written English to be able to collaborate with diverse stakeholders

Highly attentive to detail and has the ability to build, organise, and create effective presentations and strategy documents

Able to balance creativity with organisation and discipline in a fast-paced environment

Very strong interpersonal skills to maximise the productivity of the application team