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In short

As the Head of Strategy & Operations, you are the architect of Footwear Creation's operating model. You will translate On's 2030 Long Range Plan into executable transformation- driving the strategic initiatives, processes, and systems that enable our team to deliver breakthrough footwear with Swiss-engineered precision. Sitting at the intersection of Development, Engineering, Materials, and Sustainability, you will influence leaders across functions, build organizational excitement for new ways of working, and make decisive calls on initiative prioritization and execution. Your mission: own the LRP initiative portfolio, orchestrate the leadership operating rhythm, and deliver measurable transformation that elevates how we create.

Your mission

Strategic Leadership & Vision (LRP to Action)

• Architect the Roadmap: Translate On’s 2030 LRP and annual goals into a multi-year strategic roadmap for Footwear Product Creation
• Strategic Prioritization: Act as the Creation gatekeeper for the footwear portfolio, ensuring technical breakthroughs are sequenced and resourced for maximum commercial impact.

Portfolio Strategy & Operating Rhythm

• Own seasonal range portfolio planning: capacity modeling, resource allocation, project prioritization
• Design and manage the Footwear Creation operating rhythm: weekly leadership standups, monthly business reviews, quarterly strategic planning
• Facilitate high-stakes leadership discussions; Own the agendas, pre-reads, drive decisions and follow-through for all leadership forums
• Serve as the primary coordination point between Creation and cross-functional partners (Innovation, Sourcing, Brand, Supply Chain)
• Build portfolio dashboards that give leadership real-time visibility into capacity, progress, risks, and trade-offs.

Process Excellence & Transformation

• Lead strategic initiatives to improve creation velocity: stage-gate optimization, systems integration, capacity planning frameworks
• Identify and eliminate process inefficiencies; challenge any workflow that doesn't add value
• Drive adoption of new ways of working through clear metrics, change management, and feedback loops
• Build a high-accountability, fast-decision culture within the Creation leadership team.

Change Management & Adoption Excellence

• Drive adoption of new initiatives through comprehensive change management: communication strategies, training programs, adoption metrics, feedback mechanisms
• Build organizational excitement and understanding of the strategic rationale behind transformational changes
• Navigate politics and complexity to drive decisions and unblock progress
• Hold partners accountable to commitments- even when they don't report to you
• Monitor leading indicators of adoption; implement course corrections when resistance or confusion emerges
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement within Footwear Creation.

Your Story

• Experience: 10+ years of leadership in Product Strategy, Program Management, or Footwear Creation, with a proven track record of translating corporate strategy into actionable cross-functional initiatives
• Operational Rigor: Exceptional executive facilitation skills; you are comfortable holding senior stakeholders accountable and running high-stakes leadership rhythms
• Influence without authority: You've led initiatives where success required getting leaders who don't report to you to change how they work. You have low self orientation
• Footwear Acumen: Deep understanding of the end-to-end product creation lifecycle- from innovation and engineering to global manufacturing
• Data-Driven Mindset: Exceptional analytical and visualization skills; you can turn complex project data into clear insights for executive decision-making
• Transformation Leader: Experience leading organizational change, including "Future State" org design and the implementation of new operating models
• Communication: A natural storyteller, capable of inspiring large teams on stage and navigating complex cross-functional partnerships
• Passion: An undeniable drive for sports, footwear technology, and Swiss-engineered innovation.

Why This Matters

On is scaling fast. Footwear Creation needs to evolve- not just work harder, but work smarter. We need new systems, new processes, new ways of collaborating. We need someone who can drive that transformation across a complex, cross-functional organization.

You won't build the products. But you'll build the operating model, the systems, and the culture that enable products and brand initiatives to be adopted and built with excellence, at speed, at scale.

If you're the kind of transformation leader who thrives on complexity, who knows how to influence without authority, who can make tough calls and drive change that sticks- this is your role.

Meet The Team

Our mission is to define and create the future of sportswear bringing to life groundbreaking innovations. Acting at the forefront of material science, sport science and engineering we develop products that push the boundaries of performance and sustainability, blending in unique aesthetic appeal that embodies On’s design DNA.

What we offer

In short 

Our Talent (HR) team is heavily expanding to support On’s explosive growth, and we are looking for an enthusiastic person to join us as Senior Payroll Specialist in the Talent Operations Team. This role is for someone who has experience in Payroll Operations, ideally in a fast-paced, scale-up and retail environment. The role is ideal for someone who enjoys researching new challenges, appreciates a streamlined and supportive process, and has a passion for innovative solutions. While France & Italy will be your main focus, you will also support other EMEA entities.

Your Team:

Being part of the Talent team at On means doing things differently, we don’t do things just because they are what “HR does”. We build, grow, enable and empower the team to drive the future of On. The Talent Operations team strives to create and deliver a seamless and positive employee experience at all times. Because this is what matters to us. Because we are On.

Mission:

• Process and manage the end-to-end payroll cycle in France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, ensuring accuracy and compliance with relevant regulations:
• Preparation of payroll input for your external vendors, including regular pay, overtime, bonuses, benefit in kind and applicable deductions
• Reviewing the payroll drafts provided by the external vendors, ensuring payroll accuracy in alignment with local payroll regulations
• Managing different payroll schedules incl. Retail and ensuring timely salary payments and payslip distribution
• Delivering month-end payroll reports to the finance team, reconcile payroll accounts and resolve any discrepancies identified together with Finance
• Responsible for enrolling our team members into local benefits, such as health insurance and pension schemes.Address payroll-related inquiries and issues from employees and business leaders in a timely and professional manner
• Prepare by law mandatory payroll documents such as Attestation employeur, Certificat de travail and others depending on the country specifics
• Collaborate with Talent and Finance teams to ensure seamless integration between payroll, HR & Finance systems
• Own the country specific solution for data integration or data feed between On systems (Workday) and external payroll vendor
• Communication with authorities, insurances and other benefit providers in respective countries
• Collaboration with internal teams such as HR specialists, Business Partners and Total Rewards, to drive forward new initiatives.
• Design the payroll process in your respective countries in alignment with internal SOX controls, and contribute to the continuous optimization and automation of existing payroll process and systems
• Set up of payroll operations in new markets/entities, in collaboration with regional lead, local HR Specialist and other internal On teams 
• Conduct regular audits of payroll records to ensure accuracy and compliance
• Responsible for our ESS (equity) and fringe benefits reporting through payroll
• Ensure compliance with more complex employment setups, such as cross-border employment or relocation cases
• Eagerness to take over more payroll countries, as we open new markets.

Your story: 

• 4+ years work experience in payroll in France or Italy. Any other country is a plus
• Experience in payroll for Retail population for any of the countries of scope is a huge plus
• Excellent operational, legislative and best practice payroll knowledge in France or Italy
• Excellent stakeholder management, attention to detail, used to handling confidential data, and analytical approach
• Experience working with external payroll providers
• Excellent excel skills
• Fluency in English and at least one other local language. Any other language is a plus