Lead - Footwear Testing

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 Footwear Testing Lead, you will be responsible for validating footwear products from development through to market. You’ll work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and act as a key partner across Design, Development, Materials, and Sports Science to ensure excellence in fit, comfort, durability, and performance.

• Lead qualitative and quantitative footwear testing, perception studies, and real-world validation to ensure products reflect authentic athlete and consumer needs.
• Identify testing requirements based on product briefs and target consumers, owning the end-to-end testing process.
• Define and execute testing strategies across durability, fit, comfort, and performance, including high-complexity testing programs.
• Integrate consumer insights, scientific expertise, and performance analysis into standardised, evidence-based product evaluations.
• Translate testing results into insights that enable confident decision-making and elevate product excellence across the organisation.
• Analyse fit, durability, and performance data, developing clear reports and insights for project stakeholders.
• Conduct performance analyses independently or in close collaboration with Sports Science, presenting findings and improvement recommendations to key stakeholders.
• Deliver benchmarking and competitor insights to identify opportunities for innovation and product differentiation.
• Establish efficient testing processes, timelines, and feedback loops aligned with Product Creation calendars.
• Build and maintain a tester network that supports testing needs and project timelines.
• Work with testing systems and databases to ensure accurate, high-quality data and optimised reporting flows.
• Set up testing events and initiatives to drive engagement within the testing community.
• Contribute to team goals, process improvements, and the continuous evolution of testing methodologies.

• 7+ years of experience in footwear testing or a closely related role within the footwear industry.
• Strong passion for performance footwear.
• Excellent communication skills and confidence working with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented, creative, and solutions-focused, with a proactive mindset.
• Comfortable working with flexibility and outside standard hours when needed.
• Proficient in Excel and PowerPoint; fluent in English (written and spoken).