Lead - Footwear Design

In short
We're excited to offer the opportunity to join On as a Lead Footwear Designer within the Performance All Day vertical. In this role, you will champion the creative direction and strategic design exploration of future-forward footwear concepts. You will steer the full creative process—from early insights and design vision to validated product concepts ready for development—guiding both the team and category toward new and inspiring innovations that elevate the On design language.

Your mission

• Lead Design Exploration for an entire footwear family, providing strategic direction and ensuring design cohesion across models and seasons.
• Own the creative journey end-to-end, from insight gathering to validating concepts and briefing for production readiness.
• Drive and define the movement-lifestyle aesthetic, delivering technology-driven yet culturally relevant design solutions.
• Establish the creative foundation by developing concepts, narratives, inspiration frameworks, mock-ups, visuals, and 2D/3D design assets.
• Set new creative standards, bringing bold originality, curiosity, and a forward-looking vision that identifies new business and design opportunities.
• Shape the future style direction, fueled by a deep understanding of fashion, culture, sustainability, and evolving consumer lifestyles.
• Communicate creative strategy clearly and convincingly to stakeholders, confidently presenting long-term vision and seasonal direction.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration, partnering closely with On's Zurich and Vietnam product creation & development teams to ensure aesthetic excellence aligned with performance.
• Leverage consumer and cultural insight, using trend intelligence and future-living research to influence design direction and cross-category thinking.
• Stay ahead of materials, construction, and industry innovation, connecting these insights with On's brand identity and performance DNA.
• Mentor and inspire designers, fostering a high-level creative culture and supporting the growth of others through feedback, reviews, and example.
• Act as a brand ambassador, building strong relationships across design, innovation, product management, and marketing.

Your story

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Industrial/Product Design or related field.
• 7 + years of relevant footwear or product design experience, with proven impact at a senior or lead design level.
• Strong knowledge of footwear materials, constructions, knits, engineered textiles, and emerging manufacturing technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to set creative direction and own a category, from early vision to execution-ready outcomes.
• Exceptional skills in 2D design tools (Adobe Creative Suite); 3D capabilities (Rhino, Blender, Gravity Sketch, etc.) are a strong advantage.
• Awareness of AI as an emerging design tool, and interest in integrating it into exploration workflows.
• Advanced sketching, storytelling, prototyping, and visualization skills.
• Bold, boundary-pushing creativity with strong business and consumer awareness.
• Clear, structured communicator with excellent presentation skills.
• Strong time-management abilities and comfort leading multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Passion for working cross-functionally and nurturing team culture.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are a plus.

What We Offer
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.