Lead - Apparel & Accessories Testing

In short

• Product Testing is the voice of the athlete and the consumer at On. We ensure every product delivers a premium, high-performance experience by combining scientific rigor with real-world insight.
• As Apparel and Accessories Testing Lead, you will be responsible for validating products from development through to market, focusing on specialized, high performance sport categories. You’ll work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and act as a key partner across Design, Development, Materials, and Strategy to ensure excellence in the wearing experience including comfort, quality, and performance.

Your Mission

• Command the Validation Strategy: Define and execute rigorous testing strategies across quality, comfort, and performance, taking charge of specialized testing programs. You will identify testing requirements based on product briefs and target consumers, confidently owning the end-to-end testing process.
• Uncover the Truth in Data: Lead qualitative and quantitative apparel and accessories testing, perception studies, and real-world validation to ensure our products reflect authentic athlete and consumer needs. Integrate consumer insights, scientific expertise, and performance analysis into standardized, evidence-based product evaluations.
• Drive Confident Decisions: Translate complex testing results into powerful insights that enable confident decision-making and elevate product excellence across the organization. You will analyze performance and durability data, including behavior and attitudinal insights, developing clear reports for project stakeholders.
• Influence Product Creation: Conduct hands-on performance testing, directly presenting key findings and improvement recommendations to stakeholders.
• Deliver benchmarking and competitor insights to spot opportunities for true innovation and product differentiation.
• Build the Testing Ecosystem: Establish highly efficient testing processes, timelines, and feedback loops aligned seamlessly with Product Creation calendars. You will actively build and maintain a dynamic tester network of agile, high-performance athletes that supports both everyday testing needs and urgent project timelines. Set up high-energy testing events and initiatives to drive deep engagement within the testing community.
• Elevate Operations: Work seamlessly with testing systems and databases to ensure accurate, high-quality data and optimized reporting flows. As a leader, you will contribute significantly to team goals, process improvements, and the continuous evolution of our testing methodologies.

Your Story

• A strategic thinker with prior leadership experience and a coaching mindset, skilled at facilitating team development and maintaining high engagement in fast-paced or demanding environments.
• A proven track record of managing complex projects or product validation cycles from concept to market.
• Deep expertise in high-performance sports apparel and accessories, with a strong preference for candidates with experience in the Outdoor, Teamsport or Running categories.
• You know how to balance scientific testing rigor with real-world, human-centric feedback.
• You are an exceptional communicator who can translate dense data and testing metrics into clear, actionable recommendations to cross-functional teams
• You are highly organized and capable of building out robust tester networks, establishing efficient processes, and managing global testing logistics.
• You have 7+ years of experience in a field focused on the human experience with a product or service.
• We are excited to hear from candidates from backgrounds, including but not limited to:

Apparel Product Testing or Development
User Experience Research (UXR)
Biomechanics or Kinesiolog

• You are willing to travel to conduct testing every 1-2 months within Europe and globally. You have the flexibility to work outside of typical hours to align with athlete schedules.
• Demonstrated experience conducting product testing directly with athletes, with a proven ability to translate Athlete feedback into actionable insights that drive apparel and accessories creation.
• You bring commercial sports brand experience in apparel and accessories testing, coupled with the cross-functional expertise needed to partner effectively with Design, Development, and Materials teams.
• Language: A clear communicator in English, both verbal and written. Proficiency or fluency in Italian is an advantage.

Your Team
You'll be a leader in a global team fueled by a culture of relentless discovery. We test and validate our product promises, transforming athlete feedback and scientific data into market-leading performance. While our creation partners work to make products great, our mission is to prove they're great. Based in Zurich, our team of Footwear, Apparel & Accessories, and Lab experts is the ultimate destination for individuals dedicated to enhancing the consumer experience.