Head of Footwear Innovation Development

In short

At On, we don’t just create premium sportswear - we redefine human performance through tailored experiences. Our relentless pursuit of innovation, combined with deep expertise in manufacturing, fuels breakthroughs that push the limits of what’s possible. If you thrive on transforming bold ideas into reality, join us in shaping the future of performance footwear.As the Head of Footwear Innovation Development, you’ll spearhead our most ambitious projects, challenging conventions and driving the next evolution of sportswear.

Your Mission

• Challenge the Status Quo: Rethink footwear design from first principles. Why do we create shoes the way we do? Question every assumption to unlock groundbreaking possibilities.
• Pioneer New Technologies: Integrate cutting-edge advancements in materials science, biomechanics, and manufacturing. Engineer footwear that optimizes movement, incorporates performance-enhancing technology, and embraces novel production methods that challenges conventional wisdom while reducing environmental impact.
• Develop an Innovation Framework: Successfully transferring, scaling, and commercialising groundbreaking innovation is one of the most complex challenges in product development. Create and implement a structured development framework that shepherds innovative footwear concepts through rigorous testing (performance and quality validation), feasibility assessments, and scalability evaluations before commercialisation.
• Lead Moonshot Projects: Drive high-risk, high-reward initiatives that push the boundaries of performance footwear. Identify and develop revolutionary concepts that may seem futuristic today but have the potential to redefine the industry. Collaborate with top researchers, engineers, and industry pioneers to bring visionary ideas from concept to reality, ensuring they are both technically feasible and commercially viable.
• Challenge and Vet Innovations: Encourage and champion cutting-edge ideas that challenge industry norms. At the same time, rigorously vet each concept for real-world viability, ensuring that bold innovations can meet safety standards, quality benchmarks, and volume production requirements.
• Drive Sustainable Innovation: Integrate sustainability into every stage of the innovation process, ensuring that new developments in performance footwear contribute to a more sustainable future. Champion environmentally responsible design, materials, and manufacturing practices to create breakthrough solutions that balance performance, innovation, and ecological impact.
• Champion Agile Innovation: Drive a fast-paced, iterative approach to innovation by fostering a culture of experimentation, rapid prototyping, and continuous refinement. Encourage testing, learning from failures, and optimizing ideas to achieve breakthrough results efficiently.
• Ensure Feasibility and Cost Efficiency: Evaluate manufacturing feasibility and cost efficiency at the earliest stages of development. Work closely with engineering and supply chain partners to adjust designs or materials as needed, so that breakthrough ideas can be produced cost-effectively at scale.
• Lead Cross-Functional Collaboration: Lead collaboration across R&D, Design, Strategy and Supply Chain teams, to accelerate innovation. Align objectives and timelines among departments, proactively resolving development challenges to keep the innovation pipeline on track from concept to commercialisation.
• Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning: Stay ahead of industry advancements and drive a learning mindset within the team. Ensure ongoing skill development by integrating the latest knowledge, insights, and best practices, empowering the team to innovate and adapt in a rapidly evolving landscape.