Lead - Footwear Material Sourcing

In Short

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

Lead and inspire a high-performing team of material sourcing specialists while nurturing people skills and cultivating a positive team environment
Build and maintain robust relationships with material suppliers, ensuring alignment with sourcing strategies, operations, quality, and sustainability goals
Partner with suppliers to drive efficiencies and optimize costs; while actively evaluating supplier performance to ensure continuous improvement
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
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
Oversee rigorous material testing processes and collaborate with cross-functional teams to address material-related issues and implement corrective measures
Drive material sustainability initiatives and partner with sustainability teams to set goals, track progress, and contribute to sustainability reporting
Research and analyze market insights, stay abreast of material science advancements, emerging technologies, and market trends of innovative materials.
Perform other duty as required/assign

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 footwear and 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 a must and accountability in decision-making and actions
Demonstrated ability to work independently, solve problems creatively, accountable for actions/decisions and embrace change
Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required
English is our working language and fluency in Vietnamese and/or Mandarin is a plus

Meet Your 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

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.