On - Footwear Materials Lead (Senior) - Ho Chi Minh City

Team for Career Site

Costing & Sourcing

In short

The Material Lead plays a pivotal role in ensuring that sourcing strategies align with business needs for one or more material categories. Reporting to the Head of Materials, 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. The Material Lead will drive material innovation, process optimization, and cross-functional collaboration to support product creation and manufacturing excellence.

Your mission

1. Leadership and Team Development:
– Build, lead, and train a high-performing materials team in alignment with the company’s design identity and technical excellence
– Foster a proactive and entrepreneurial team culture with an emphasis on collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement
– Lead and inspire materials specialists while nurturing people skills and cultivating a positive team environment
2. Material Development and Innovation:
– Stay abreast of material science advancements, emerging technologies, and market trends to identify and develop innovative materials
– Research and partner with external organizations to explore new material opportunities
– Manage material development projects from concept to commercialization, ensuring quality, timeline, and cost targets are met
– Leverage expertise in material composition, production processes, and supply chains to influence vendor capabilities and inform strategic decisions
3. Supplier Management and Collaboration:
– Build and maintain robust relationships with material suppliers, ensuring alignment with sourcing strategies, quality, and sustainability goals
– Partner with suppliers to drive efficiencies, optimize costs, and meet innovation targets
– Actively evaluate supplier performance and take actions to ensure continuous improvement
– Onboard new suppliers while aligning them with sustainability and operational guidelines
4. Quality Assurance and Testing:
– Oversee rigorous material testing processes to meet industry and brand standards
– Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address material-related issues and implement corrective measures
– Ensure compliance with regulations and brand sustainability standards while enhancing footwear performance through material excellence
5. Sustainability and Circular Economy:
– Drive sustainability initiatives by integrating eco-friendly materials and circular economy practices
– Partner with sustainability teams to set goals, track progress, and contribute to sustainability reporting
– Engage with industry groups to stay informed on and influence sustainability advancements
6. Strategic Planning and Execution:
– Develop and implement strategic plans for material consolidation to improve efficiency while maintaining a resilient supply base
– Research and analyze competitor products, market trends, and new business categories to inform material strategies
– Support decision-making processes by creating detailed reports and strategic recommendations for the Head of Materials
– Draft, verify, and control agile material development structures to shorten processes and improve product quality

Your story

– Proven experience leading and managing materials teams, with expertise in fostering collaboration and team development
– Deep knowledge of product creation and manufacturing processes for consumer products and/or materials
– Strong understanding of material supply chains and the footwear material industry, including vendor capabilities
– Advanced verbal and written communication skills to clearly articulate strategy, goals, and objectives
– Proficient in data analysis and reporting tools such as Google Suite, Looker, and Hex; experience with Centric PLM is a plus
– High integrity and accountability in decision-making and actions
– Demonstrated ability to work independently, solve problems creatively, and embrace change
– Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required

Meet the team

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.