About the role
In Short:
As a Footwear Material Specialist based in our Ho Chi Minh City office, you will push performance materials to the next level of innovation, aligning directly with On’s sustainability and materiality vision. Focusing on material development, technical execution, and production capabilities, you will bridge short-term execution with our long-term material strategy. Reporting to the Footwear Materials Lead, Vietnam, and collaborating closely with local development teams, you will act as a vital link for the Zurich HQ team—ensuring the seamless execution of footwear materials from early development through to final production.
Your Mission:
● Manage end-to-end material sourcing in alignment with On’s global strategy.
● Identify, onboard, and manage high-performing material suppliers, analysing lead times and production processes.
● Evaluate and drive material-specific targets in line with On’s sustainability roadmap.
● Proactively identify opportunities to elevate material performance, advance circularity, and optimise production efficiencies.
● Partner with the lab team on physical testing criteria and standards.
Your Story:
● You have a degree in Footwear Textile Sciences, Textile Engineering/Technology, but you're not ready to stop learning just yet.
● A real expert in your field, you’ve worked in the global footwear industry, or a relevant industry, for at least 5 years, with Asia suppliers.
● Affinity for Footwear design and technology, particularly in the technical performance category.
● A true team player, you lead with integrity and thrive in collaborative environments where shared success outweighs individual compromise.
● Able to balance creativity with organisation and discipline in a fast-paced environment.
● Good command of English, Mandarin is a plus.
Your Team:
The Materials team at On operates at the precise intersection of creativity and technical innovation. We translate visionary design concepts into high-performance materials through deep technical expertise, while proactively introducing disruptive, next-generation concepts from our global supplier network.
Serving as the vital connective tissue between Design, Development, and Product Management, our team is rapidly gaining momentum. As the strategic importance of materials takes center stage in our product creation process, we are looking for proactive, entrepreneurial minds ready to make an immediate impact and shape the future of running.