Director of Product Testing

In short

At On, we are obsessed with empowering human movement and delivering an unparalleled performance and sensory experience. We are seeking a visionary Director of Product Testing to lead the evolution of our lab, transforming it from a traditional mechanical testing center into a world-class hub for dynamic, consumer-centric, and subjective product validation. This is a pivotal leadership role designed to infuse the voice of the athlete and the psychology of the consumer into the heart of our product creation engine, ensuring every On product delivers on its promise of Swiss Engineering.

Your mission

As the Director of Product Testing, you will be the architect of our future testing strategy. You will lead a talented team of technical experts, guiding them beyond the 'what' of objective durability to the 'why' of subjective feel, comfort, and performance. You will build and manage a new, independent lab function focused on fit, wear, and innovation, creating the methodologies and environment necessary to capture honest, actionable consumer insights. Your leadership will be instrumental in shifting our quality paradigm from reactionary analysis to preventative excellence, embedding quality and consumer obsession at the very beginning of the product lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute a forward-thinking strategy for product testing that prioritizes subjective, consumer-focused feedback and psychological insights over traditional, objective mechanical testing.
• Team Development & Mentorship: Lead, inspire, and upskill a team of technical testing experts. Foster a culture of trust, stability, and high performance, coaching the team in the principles of consumer psychology and sensory analysis.
• Methodology Innovation: Design and implement novel testing frameworks, including dynamic focus groups and A/B testing protocols, to scientifically evaluate subjective product attributes like comfort, fit, and the feeling of speed.
• Organizational Management & Alignment: Provide unified leadership and strategic direction to our global Product Testing organization. You will manage and align our geographically distributed teams, including the durability and fit team based in Asia and the consumer-centric testing team in Zurich. Your role is to harmonize these functions, ensuring our foundational durability and fit standards are seamlessly integrated with the advanced athlete and consumer insights gathered from Zurich's dynamic focus groups.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Product Development, Design, Quality Engineering, and Strategy teams to ensure testing insights are integrated early in the design and manufacturing process, preventing issues before they arise.
• Technological Advancement: Champion the use of new technologies, including AI and automation, to empower the team, streamline processes, and free up resources for more in-field, human-centric testing.
• Insight Synthesis: Translate complex quantitative and qualitative data into a clear, compelling narrative that informs critical product decisions and reinforces our commitment to premium, consumer-obsessed products.

Your story

• A World-Class People Leader: You are a fantastic and experienced leader, known for your ability to cultivate trust, manage down effectively, and develop the "superpowers" of your team members. Your primary passion is leading people, not just processes.
• Consumer-Obsessed: You have a deep-seated curiosity about consumer behavior and are driven to understand the psychology behind their decisions and perceptions. You naturally put the consumer at the center of every decision.
• A Strategic Thinker with an Explorer's Spirit: You are not a traditional technical tester. You have a background that allows you to approach testing in a new light, with an entrepreneurial mindset to challenge the status quo and explore new frontiers in product validation.
• Psychologically Astute: You have a strong interest or formal background in psychology, consumer science, or a related field, enabling you to build a scientifically rigorous approach to subjective testing.
• An Exceptional Communicator: You possess strong communication skills, capable of articulating a clear vision and providing candid, constructive feedback to your team and stakeholders.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in a senior leadership role, with a strong track record of building and developing high-performing teams.
• Experience in a consumer-facing industry is essential; a background in sporting goods (footwear, apparel, accessories), consumer electronics, or other premium product categories is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through organizational change and transition.

While not mandatory, a degree or advanced studies in Psychology, Kinesiology, Human Factors, or a related field is a significant asset.

• Passion for sport, movement, and the On brand.