Senior Specialist - Data Management - Footwear Costing (12-month contract)

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IN SHORT The Senior Specialist, Footwear Compound & Bottom Unit Costing drives cost engineering excellence and pricing transparency for compound and bottom units within the Global Footwear Sourcing & Costing Team.  In this capacity, by blending polymer science expertise with strong "should-cost" modeling and negotiation, this role ensures long-term cost efficiency, scalability and product commercialization with partnering cross-functionally from innovation to commercialization.    YOUR MISSION * Cost Engineering & Modeling: Develop, validate & maintain "should-cost" models for polymer-based compounds (outsoles, midsoles, and speedboards) utilized in footwear manufacturing. Connect technical polymer-science-driven solutions to commercially viable costing solutions. * Strategic Negotiation: Lead formula & market-based pricing discussions with global chemical/ material suppliers to secure competitive landing costs and long term commercial agreements. * Market Intelligence: Analyze global petrochemical markets and raw material indices to deliver risk-mitigating forecasts. Establish frameworks connecting raw material costs to compound pricing. * Cost Governance & Analytics: Build and standardize databases, assumptions and tracking tools for chemical materials to support global strategic cost initiatives. * Sustainable Material Costing: Establish financial and costing frameworks for sustainable polymers, aligned with On's sustainability goals. * Cross-functional Collaboration: Act as the strategic costing partner, aligning with Polymer Science & Engineering, Innovation, Footwear Sourcing, and external business partners to manage compound & bottom unit costing process within Product Creation & Commercialization timeline.   Your story * 05+ years of experience in material costing, compound development, polymer/ chemical engineering or footwear manufacturing engineering. * Education: Bachelor’s degree in Chemical/ Polymer Engineering, Polymer Science, Finance or Business. * Technical & Commercial Business Acumen: Strong understanding of footwear bottom construction & foam technologies; proven ability to translate technical specs into commercial savings. * Analytical Skills: Advanced proficiency in Google Sheets/ Excel, financial modeling, and index-based pricing mechanisms. Experience with PLM systems is preferred. * Soft Skills: Entrepreneurial mindset; exceptional communication skills with the ability to challenge suppliers and align stakeholders in a dynamic, global matrix environment. * Languages: Professional fluency in English, additional language skills are a plus. * Preferred Qualifications: Expertise in high-performance materials designed to transform the underfoot experience. Comprehensive knowledge of manufacturing techniques, including IM, CMP, SCF, and high-pressure injection molding. Previous engagement with sustainable material solutions and initiatives aimed at carbon reduction.   MEET THE TEAM You will join the Global Footwear Costing team, a group focused on delivering precision and transparency in footwear & material costing. We prioritize data-driven decisions and collaborative problem-solving to support the brand's long-term growth and innovation goals.

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In short:   * Supporting Head of Footwear Costing and particularly in line with Brand Costing strategic direction, optimize product cost for Footwear product. * Maximize Margin opportunity through the leveraging of key levers by implementing costing standardization and strengthen Costing strategy. * Strongly coordinate and facilitate all Costing related topics internally and externally with the numbers of stakeholders. Your mission: * Costing direction & Costing projects:  Supporting head of Footwear Costing to drive footwear Costing direction and Strategy & Costing Projects, be able to communicate Costing projects throughout the Organization and take a lead to drive the team effort by ensuring the implementation and execution in place * Communication: Be able to represent Costing function in the Organization to Communicate Costing initiatives , Be capable of providing Costing insights and Costing guidance and the ability of managing stakeholders internally and externally * Manufacturing Partnership & Negotiation: Own the costing relationship with the key manufacturers. Lead high-stakes price negotiations and build strategic partnership, and provide on the ground intelligence to inform Costing and Sourcing decisions. * Cost optimization: Deliver customized Costing training to the Creation & Sourcing team to drive cost consciousness and Support the team to optimize product cost by leveraging the costing approach * Profitability:  Actively contribute to Margin maximization, through key levers such as Costing Standardization, Costing engineering, Pattern efficiency, Material Cost strategy and any other profitability related initiatives with the aim to deliver product value to the consumer while improving company profitability. * Processes & Systems: Be the part of system & process enhancement to drive Costing automation and process efficiency and effectiveness * Governance: act as gatekeeper to ensure that all costing manuals & standards, processes & policies and Costing system are understood and correctly applied consistently by suppliers and eventually leading the practice of Costing auditing * Trends: Stay up to date on footwear industry and business trends and drivers to support proactive adjustment to the dynamic cost environment. * Team Leadership & Development: Lead, Mentor and develop the individual team members. Possesses the emotional intelligence to motivate, provide constructive feedback and unlock the potential of each team member Your story: * University degree in business, economics, accounting, engineering; and with the passion for numbers and value engineering * 7+ years’ experience working at a premium footwear brand, technical experience and knowledge of product construction, manufacturing methods and with Sourcing planning will be a plus * Excellent commercial sense and very analytical mindset * Advanced project management skills with the ability of storytelling * Proficiency in both Excel and PPT * Strong price negotiation skills and impeccable integrity * Critical thinking and be able to challenge status quote and drive Costing project in the collaborative way. * Be able to motivate/ guide team to reach individual and team goals * Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in a fast-paced, cross-cultural, and cross-functional environment * Fluent in English spoken and written

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This role will act as the leader and main point of contact when it comes to the bottom unit in the footwear development process. As a Footwear Tooling engineer, you will work in close collaboration with designers, developers and out sourcing hub in Asia to provide a smooth and effective transition from the concept creation, to prototyping and through to production. You will also be working closely with our Innovation and Sport engineering teams to help validate and bring high performance products and technologies to market. * Provide Footwear technical designs constraints and solutions, material choices and product construction input by using your demonstrated knowledge of material, mold construction and manufacturing methods. * Act as the bottom unit leader for product across multiples verticals and projects, not only Inline but Innovation as well. * Analyse and improve product designs for manufacturability and durability by offering solutions and still achieving quality and performance targets. Your skills in 2D-3D modelling will support these goals. * Use your understanding of cost implementations of individual molding methods as well as actual tooling designs to give recommendations. * Assist the development product management and design teams with any tooling related questions or issues, in addition of collaborating with our Asian counterparts and supporting moldshops teams. * Hold a higher education degree in Engineering or Design fields. * Have 5+ of experience within a engineering role working closely with development and production, preferably in FTW. * Have experience working with 2D and 3D CAD FIles (Rhinoceros ideally). Experience in Simulation (FEA) as a bonus. * Have excellent time management skills an the ability to work with multiples deadlines. * Have technical knowledge in material, manufacturing, and plastic molding. Footwear is a world you know well. * Have demonstrated expertise in project management, costing, quality, and abilities to provide solutions within complex constraints. * Fluent in English You'll be joining our growing team of five Tooling experts, a specialized group at the heart of our global Footwear Engineering team. Here, you will be fueled by a culture of relentless discovery, directly shaping the future of our products.