Head of Product Creation Strategy and Execution
TLDR
Translate product strategy into priorities, governance rhythms, dashboards, and coordinated execution across multidisciplinary product creation functions.
Head of Product Creation Strategy and Execution
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Function: Product Creation
Reports to: Sr. Director of Product Creation
Role Overview
The Head of Product Creation Strategy and Execution translates strategy into clear priorities, coordinated execution, and measurable outcomes across the Product Creation organization. This role partners with the Sr. Director of Product Creation and Leadership Team to ensure alignment and delivery against seasonal, strategic, and long-range priorities across Product Development, Material Development, Product Engineering, Asia Product Creation, Lightspray Creation and Product Sustainability.
As a key integrator, this role drives clarity, accountability, and decision-making while representing Creation teams across the broader Product organization. The position requires strong cross-functional partnership with Operational Excellence, Product Strategy, Design, Innovation, Sourcing, Sustainability, Technology, and Manufacturing.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy Deployment
- Translate Product Creation strategy into clear priorities, initiatives, and success measures
- Partner with leadership to define annual and seasonal priorities
- Track progress, identifying risks, blockers, dependencies, and required decisions
- Support long-range functional planning for product excellence, innovation, quality, speed, and sustainability
Execution and Operating Rhythm
- Own Product Creation operating rhythm: leadership meetings, reviews, and follow-up mechanisms
- Build decision-led agendas focused on priorities, risks, trade-offs, and outcomes
- Ensure clear capture and follow-through on actions, decisions, and accountabilities
- Drive lightweight governance that improves clarity and reduces complexity
Functional Integration
- Integrate across all Product Creation functions
- Identify duplication, disconnection, or unclear ownership
- Support leaders in aligning priorities, resolving trade-offs, and escalating issues
- Strengthen collaboration and ensure coordinated Creation voice in Product forums
Partnership with Product Operational Excellence
- Serve as Product Creation counterpart to Operational Excellence on key initiatives
- Align with enterprise calendars, governance models, process standards, and transformation priorities
- Provide consolidated Creation perspective on readiness, risks, capacity, and requirements
- Deploy enterprise operating frameworks within Product Creation
Culture, Communication and Operating Health
- Identify cultural signals, operational pain points, and engagement themes
- Represent Creation teams in leadership discussions
- Address friction points and systemic blockers
- Support clear, consistent communication across the organization
Performance Visibility and Decision Support
- Maintain visibility of priorities, progress, risks, and actions
- Partner with Analytics and Operational Excellence to leverage data effectively
- Develop scorecards, dashboards, and tracking mechanisms
- Provide structured updates and recommendations to leadership
Candidate Profile
Strategic operator with strong product creation/operations experience, comfortable in complex, fast-moving seasonal product environments. Connects long-term strategy with day-to-day execution. Brings organizational judgment, stakeholder management, and ability to create clarity across specialist functions. Influences without formal authority, drives accountability while building trust. Deep respect for product craft, technical expertise, and physical product realities.
Required Experience
- Significant experience in product creation + operations, strategy execution, business operations, or transformation leadership
- Complex product-led organization experience (sporting goods, footwear, apparel, consumer goods, or seasonal product environment preferred)
- Strong understanding of product development processes, calendars, milestones, and cross-functional dependencies
- Proven ability translating strategy into execution plans, governance rhythms, and measurable outcomes
- Experience with senior leaders, cross-functional teams, strategic initiatives, and performance tracking
- Strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder management
- Global and multi-functional experience preferred
Required Capabilities
- Strategic thinking with strong execution discipline
- Simplifies complexity and creates clarity
- Excellent facilitation, communication, and storytelling
- Influences without direct authority
- High emotional intelligence and organizational awareness
- Early identification of risks, dependencies, and decision points
- Strong prioritization and escalation judgment
- Collaborative, trust-building mindset
- Analytical ability with dashboards, data, and performance insights
- Respect for technical craft and creation expertise
Benefits
Learning Budget
We offer an environment designed to give people the tools to develop holistically – to stay active, to learn, explore and innovate.
Wellness Stipend
Our distinctive approach combines a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere, with access to personal self-care for both physical and mental well-being
On is a premium sports brand that specializes in running products, focusing on creating immersive experiences that engage customers beyond traditional shopping. With a commitment to inspiring runners throughout APAC, On offers customized solutions and a collaborative approach that sets it apart from conventional brands.