Head of Merchandising - Performance Footwear Verticals, EMEA

This role provides strategic leadership for product strategy, range architecture and commercial performance across technical and athletic footwear portfolios in the region. It bridges high-performance innovation with market demand, balancing growth in established core verticals with the development and market entry of expanding verticals. The role is a key go-to-market leadership partner connecting Global Product Creation and Innovation with Regional Commercial Execution across Wholesale, Digital and Retail.

• Define and execute the regional vision, range architecture and line plans across performance footwear, sustaining established categories and commercialising new high-growth verticals.
• Balance technical innovation, price-point tiering, volume drivers and margin targets within line architecture.
• Operate from strategic visioning to hands-on execution, including SKU management, range building and operational delivery.
• Serve as strategic product lead across Wholesale, DtC-Ecom and DtC-Retail, aligning category segmentation, distribution strategies and launch calendars with commercial channel leaders and marketing.
• Own range productivity and lifecycle management, including SKU efficiency, option counts, hero franchise growth and hit rates, adjusting plans using sell-through data, athlete and consumer insights and competitive intelligence.
• Drive adoption of advanced analytics, consumer insight platforms and AI-driven forecasting tools for line planning, predictive segmentation and inventory responsiveness.
• Represent EMEA consumer, athlete communities and market realities to Global Product & Design teams so regional sport-specific needs shape global creation briefs.
• Recruit, build and scale a high-performing team of Product Merchandisers, providing direction and mentorship and instilling product passion, athletic authenticity and analytical rigour.

• 10+ years of progressive experience in product merchandising, category management or line planning.
• Deep expertise in performance footwear, sportswear or athletic gear.
• 5+ years in leadership roles.
• Proven track record of building, leading and developing high-performing merchandising teams.
• Clear leadership philosophy with the ability to motivate and develop diverse talent, build strong team cultures and lead through growth, change and evolving business needs.
• Deep passion for athletic performance and technical footwear knowledge across core verticals (Run, Train, Tennis) and category expansion experience (Football, Golf, multi-sport).
• Proven track record of building and executing category strategies that balance mature, high-volume footwear lines with the launch and incubation of new commercial categories.
• Expertise in range architecture, line adoption, SKU productivity and financial targeting, combining product storytelling with analytical rigour at regional scale.
• Strong analytical and digital acumen with hands-on experience using market data, consumer analytics and modern merchandising platforms to drive line productivity and lifecycle strategies.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and executive presence, capable of influencing Global Product Creation, Design and Regional Commercial teams to drive consensus.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, comfortable steering long-range multi-vertical category strategies and diving into granular product, fit and sell-through details.
• Embody the On Spirits.

• Dynamic, high-growth environment.

• Access to personal self-care for physical and mental well-being.
• Supportive, team-oriented atmosphere.
• Tools and environment for holistic development, including opportunities to stay active, learn, explore and innovate.
• Purpose-led working environment centred on growth and progress.