Footwear Material Lead (Senior)

The Footwear Material Lead plays a pivotal role in ensuring that sourcing strategies align with business needs for all material categories. Reporting to the Head of Footwear Material Sourcing based in HCMC, this role focuses on fostering strong supplier relationships, ensuring supplier performance, and upholding the highest standards of quality, sustainability, and ethical sourcing. In addition, the Footwear Material Lead will drive process optimization and cross-functional collaboration to support product creation and manufacturing excellence.

Your Mission

1. Lead and inspire a high-performing team of material sourcing specialists while nurturing people skills and cultivating a positive team environment.
2. Build and maintain robust relationships with material suppliers, ensuring alignment with sourcing strategies, operations, quality, and sustainability goals.
3. Partner with suppliers to drive efficiencies and optimize costs; while actively evaluating supplier performance to ensure continuous improvement.
4. Spearhead team in cross-functional collaborations to proactively address perceived risks, pre-production and production challenges and put in place contingencies to ensure brand delivery expectations are met.
5. Develop comprehensive reports and actionable strategic recommendations to drive material consolidation initiatives, enhance key performance indicators (KPIs) for improved efficiency, reduce lead times, and to ensure a resilient supply base that upholds quality standards and on-time delivery.
6. Oversee rigorous material testing processes and collaborate with cross-functional teams to address material-related issues and implement corrective measures.
7. Drive material sustainability initiatives and partner with sustainability teams to set goals, track progress, and contribute to sustainability reporting.
8. Research and analyze market insights, stay abreast of material science advancements, emerging technologies, and market trends of innovative materials.
9. Perform other duties as required/assigned.

1. Proven experience leading and managing materials teams, with expertise in fostering collaboration and team development.
2. Deep knowledge of product creation and manufacturing processes for footwear and materials.
3. Strong understanding of material supply chains and the footwear material industry, including vendor capabilities.
4. Advanced verbal and written communication skills to clearly articulate strategy, goals, and objectives.
5. Proficient in data analysis and reporting tools such as Google Suite, Looker, and Hex; experience with Centric PLM is a plus.
6. High integrity a must and accountability in decision-making and actions.
7. Demonstrated ability to work independently, solve problems creatively, accountable for actions/decisions and embrace change.
8. Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.
9. English is our working language and fluency in Vietnamese and/or Mandarin is a plus.

The Material team at On is both creative and technical - We translate design visions into performance materials through technical knowledge and experience, but equally come to the table with newness from outside suppliers when the time is right. As the glue that binds design, development and product management together, we are a new team that's gaining momentum. Materials are getting recognition for how integral they are in product creation, so we need proactive, entrepreneurial people to hit the ground running.

On is a place that is centered around growth and progress. We offer an environment designed to give people the tools to develop holistically - to stay active, to learn, explore and innovate. Our distinctive approach combines a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere, with access to personal self-care for both physical and mental well-being, so each person is led by purpose.

On is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a work environment that is fair and inclusive, where all decisions related to recruitment, advancement, and retention are free of discrimination.